
Dialing down the toxic effects of radiation on cancer patients, Galera gets breakthrough status on Phase IIb data
A biotechnology company near Philadelphia — armed with data from a Phase IIb trial — just got breakthrough status from the FDA for a drug that might reduce the harmful effects of radiation therapy for cancer patients.
The company, Galera Therapeutics, has an intravenous drug (meant to be taken right before radiation treatment) that might mitigate the toxic effects. Essentially, when patients undergo radiation, their bodies are overwhelmed by a compound called superoxide, which is deployed by the immune system to kill invaders. Normally, the body can break down superoxide, converting it to hydrogen peroxide and molecular oxygen. But when undergoing intense radiation, the body can’t keep up.
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