Penetrium Bioscience targets ‘pseudo-resistance’ to enhance cancer treatment efficacy

Penetrium Bioscience has identified ‘pseudo-resistance’ as a primary cause for the limitations in current cancer treatments. This phenomenon occurs when the tumor microenvironment—comprising cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF), tumor-associated macrophages (TAM), and the extracellular matrix (ECM)—acts as a physical barrier that prevents anticancer drugs from reaching cancer cells.

During the ‘PENETRIUM Global Clinical Development Symposium 2026’ in Seoul, the company presented research using organoids to demonstrate that combining their therapeutic agent, Penetrium, with existing drugs like daraxonrasib significantly reduces drug resistance. In studies involving lung and ovarian cancer organoids, residual resistance dropped from as high as 89.6% to as low as 7.5% when Penetrium was added to the treatment.

The company is pursuing an ‘add-on’ strategy, which involves adding Penetrium to existing anticancer regimens rather than replacing them. Penetrium Bioscience is currently conducting clinical trials for prostate cancer and is preparing for FDA Phase 2 trials in the United States, as well as regulatory procedures for clinical trials in Australia and other global markets.