KORTUC Completes Patient Enrollment for International Clinical Trial of Cancer Radiotherapy Drug, Having Raised 6.5 Billion Yen in Total

Japan-Origin Drug Discovery Startup KORTUC Completes Patient Enrollment in International Clinical Trial

KORTUC INC., a startup originating from Kochi University, has announced that patient enrollment has been completed for its developmental cancer treatment drug, "KRC-01," reaching the target of 184 patients in an international clinical trial for breast cancer conducted in the UK and India.

Mechanism of KRC-01 Clinical Trials

"KRC-01" is a radiosensitizer conceived by Yasuhiro Ogawa, Professor Emeritus at Kochi University. The trial is led by The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), a world-renowned cancer research institution in the UK, with participation from six facilities in the UK and four in India. This clinical trial compares conventional radiotherapy with a combined treatment of KRC-01 to evaluate the complete response rate one year post-treatment.

Technical Background and Significance

Radiotherapy is a vital treatment received by over 10 million people worldwide annually. However, it is estimated that approximately 1.5 million cases each year suffer from reduced efficacy due to hypoxia (oxygen deficiency) within tumors. KRC-01 is an innovative approach aimed at ameliorating this oxygen shortage and maximizing the efficacy of radiotherapy. Building on over 1,300 clinical cases in Japan, the treatment is now advancing into the global development stage.

Future Outlook and Roadmap

In addition to breast cancer, KORTUC is currently expanding the application of the drug to cervical cancer and rectal cancer. The company plans to monitor the patients from the newly completed enrollment trial and compile the results by 2027. KORTUC has raised a total of approximately 6.5 billion yen to date and aims to secure approval and commercialization in the global market with Japanese-origin technology.