MeCo Diagnostics, a pioneering venture-backed startup, has achieved a major milestone in cancer treatment with the publication of a groundbreaking study in Clinical Cancer Research, the flagship journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). The study, conducted in collaboration with the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), details a successful Phase 2 trial involving 130 breast cancer patients and introduces a new predictive biomarker, the MeCo Score, which could revolutionize breast cancer therapy.

Breakthrough in Breast Cancer Treatment

The study focused on patients with early-stage, HER2-negative breast cancer, a subtype that represents the majority of breast cancer cases. Patients with high MeCo Scores who received a combination of nintedanib (an antifibrotic therapy) and chemotherapy showed a 62% reduction in the risk of cancer recurrence compared to those who received chemotherapy alone. This significant reduction, observed over a median follow-up period of 9.7 years, is unprecedented among FDA-approved therapies for this patient group. Importantly, the MeCo Score also identified patients who would not benefit from antifibrotic therapy, providing a personalized approach to treatment.

Dr. Adam Watson, CEO of MeCo Diagnostics, highlighted the importance of this discovery: “Our research began over a decade ago, and the results of this trial are truly remarkable. Patients with high MeCo Scores who received antifibrotic therapy experienced substantial long-term survival benefits, marking a major advancement in breast cancer treatment.”

A New Era for Affordable Cancer Treatment

Nintedanib, the antifibrotic drug used in the study, is set to become available as a generic medicine, which could significantly reduce costs for patients and healthcare systems if incorporated into clinical guidelines. A larger, pivotal trial has already been planned to further validate these findings, positioning the MeCo Score as a potential gateway to the first low-cost, low-toxicity targeted therapy for breast cancer.

The MeCo Score's drug-agnostic design is another key innovation, allowing it to be applied to any antifibrotic drug, including new candidates that could offer even greater efficacy than nintedanib.

A Proof of Concept for Antifibrotic Therapy

This study not only validates the MeCo Score as a predictive biomarker but also serves as a proof of concept for the entire class of antifibrotic drugs currently under development by pharmaceutical companies. The potential to repurpose these drugs for cancer treatment represents a significant step forward in oncology, offering new hope for patients facing breast cancer and other fibrotic diseases.

About MeCo Diagnostics Holdings, Inc.

Based in San Diego, California, MeCo Diagnostics is a seed-stage startup specializing in the development of predictive biomarkers to harness the power of antifibrotic therapy for cancer treatment. The company's innovative approach aims to create personalized, effective, and affordable cancer therapies.