Boston Biomedical, a company focused on developing and commercializing next-generation cancer therapeutics, has experienced impressive growth since its acquisition by a top-10 Japanese pharmaceutical company, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. in 2012.
Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Boston Biomedical sits at the epicenter of medical innovation and serves as the global center of oncology research and development for Sumitomo Dainippon Group, whose resources, expertise and reach have allowed the company to quickly initiate more than 20 clinical trial programs in its goal to overcome clinical challenges with current cancer treatments.
Boston Biomedical is focusing on the emerging field of therapeutics that inhibit cancer stem cell (CSC) pathways. CSCs make up a subset of cells within tumors that act like seeds, causing the disease to relapse or spread within the body.
Evidence suggests that these cells possess considerable resistance to conventional chemotherapy and radiation so while such treatments can successfully shrink tumors, a population of CSCs may still survive.
The company’s lead candidate, napabucasin (also known as BB608 or BBI608), is an orally administered investigational agent designed to inhibit CSC pathways.
It is currently in Phase III studies in gastric/gastro-esophageal cancer and colorectal cancer, and additional Phase III trials for other cancers are planned to begin this year.
Boston Biomedical is rapidly developing its pipeline of novel compounds to treat a variety of tumors, including lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, glioblastoma, mesothelioma and several hematologic malignancies.
