We talked with Cheryl Baker, Scientific Founder and Director of BioCurity Pharmaceuticals Inc. (biocurity.com)
How would you describe BioCurity in a single tweet?
Transforming radiation therapy for millions of cancer patients worldwide using BioCurity’s proprietary technology. Preventing short and long-term side effects of life saving radiation cancer treatment – Because like patients, doctors and healthcare providers – We believe that fighting cancer is hard enough
How did it all start and why?
I have been engaged in cancer research for my entire professional career. As Director of the cancer research program at an MD Anderson Cancer Center hospital in Orlando I was approached by a group of radiation, medical and surgical oncologists who were seeking a solution to serious side effects of radiation therapy for their cancer patients. The physicians asked me to help their cancer patients. Side effects of radiation therapy can be so severe that a small number of cancer patients and cancer survivors may die from serious medical complications of radiation therapy. Many cancer patients have long or short-term complications.
I have met cancer patients and cancer survivors who spoke with me about the challenges of their radiation treatment and showed me their burns, blisters and permanent scarring on the portions of their body which came in contact with the radiation. I have met oncologists who have told me that head and neck cancer patients had to have feeding tubes during radiation and years later can no longer taste and have difficulty swallowing. Some cancer patients have permanent disfigurement as a result of their radiation therapy or long-term breathing impairment. These are just some of the life altering side effects of radiation that diminishes the quality of life for cancer patients and cancer survivors.
Globally 6 million newly diagnosed cancer patients undergo radiation therapy every year. This 6 million number does not include the cancer survivors who return for more radiation treatment or pain management. I became determined to find a solution to prevent or mitigate radiation side effects and improve the outcomes and journey for cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment. I am the Scientific Co-founder of BioCurity. We have built a team of clinical advisors, attorneys, and management team members who collaborate on this mission. BioCurity is devoted to offering supportive care for cancer patients and make a positive impact for cancer patients.
What have you achieved so far?
BioCurity’s positive preclinical data is published in well regarded peer-reviewed medical journals. Many types of cancers were tested including lung, head and neck, breast, prostate and colorectal cancer. In the preclinical testing BioCurity’s proprietary technology protected the skin and healthy internal organs from side effects and did not interfere with the effectiveness of radiation therapy to treat the cancer.
Our preclinical studies show that the drugs improved survival in animals even when given high doses of radiation and no toxicity at levels 1000 times the effective dose was observed in these preclinical models. Based on these extensive preclinical studies, I expect the therapeutic use of our drugs in humans will be effective and long lasting.
We submitted our plans and have spoken with the FDA for our cream to be applied to the skin of breast cancer patients prior to and during their course of radiation therapy. The FDA acknowledged the need for a supportive care drug for cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy and gave us positive feedback and guidance. Our clinical development team has put together the plan for the Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trial. Radiation therapy could be effective without damaging the skin and causing scaring.
We have made presentations to Biotech institutional groups and key opinion leaders. They observed that this technology when properly administered is expected to protect healthy internal organs from radiation therapy damage delivered via an IV and could be a game changer. The ability to protect internal organs can save lives.
Our drugs are intended to be a global product. Our Company owned international patents for patients receiving radiation combined with chemotherapy have issued in China and Japan and our patent in Europe will issue in September of this year. Patent claims have been allowed in Russia. We have licensed 7 fully paid issued patents on our technology from a State University.
What do you plan to achieve in the next 2-3 years?
In the next 2-3 years, we plan to prove our drugs are safe and effective in preventing radiation therapy side effects. We also plan to continue to increase the company valuation for our investors, alongside the multiple exit strategies and potential exit opportunities. The business model of supportive care products for cancer patients has been a successful business model for chemotherapy. We plan to follow that model for radiation therapy.
Why is your drug needed now more than ever?
There is a pent-up demand for a supportive care product for cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. In 2018, $3 billion dollars was spent in the US alone for inpatient medical care costs to treat medical complications from radiation therapy. The emotional burden placed on cancer patients and their families or the outpatient costs of medical care add to the $3 billion dollar burden.
The current COVID-19 pandemic has put a strain on healthcare services globally. Cancer treatments and radiation therapy are not elective procedures and are continuing irrespective of these and other demands hospitals and healthcare services are undertaking. Our drugs under development which can reduce patient services including in-hospital stays and save billions of healthcare dollars annually was essential before COVID-19. But now and well after COVID-19, the benefit of our drugs will be met with an even greater need.
https://www.startengine.com/biocurity
