COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sermonix Pharmaceuticals Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of female oncology products in the precision medicine metastatic breast cancer arena, today announced that it will share a poster at the virtual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) 2020 on the results of a survey of breast cancer patients on ESR1 mutation biomarker testing awareness and issues that impact patient quality of life.
Presentation details:
• Title: Patient Knowledge, Attitudes and Perceptions Regarding Breast Cancer Biomarkers, Testing, and Quality of Life
• Presenters:
- Hope S. Rugo, M.D., director, breast oncology and clinical trials education, University of California San Francisco
- Kelly Shanahan, M.D., OBG-YN, patient advocate and METAvivor board member
- Miriam Portman, M.D., chief operating officer, Sermonix
- Elizabeth Attias, Sc.D., chief strategy and development officer, Sermonix
- Jenna Gencarelli, patient advocacy and engagement, Sermonix
• Date and time: The poster will be made available online at SABCS.org on Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 8 a.m. Central Time
• Session: Poster Session 9 (PS9-28)
The poster indicates knowledge gaps in awareness of biomarker testing and, specifically, ESR1 mutation biomarker testing. ESR1 mutations occur in up to 40% of women with metastatic breast cancer and may confer a worse prognosis and poor response to currently available endocrine treatments1.
“As a women’s oncology company, we embrace the significance of the metastatic breast cancer patient voice,” said Dr. Miriam Portman. “Our vision is to develop a targeted precision therapy with the recognition of what is important for these patients and women.”
Treatment options for metastatic breast cancer patients with an ESR1 mutation are limited and currently there are no approved therapies specifically for these women.
“As researchers and clinicians, information about the presence of ESR1 mutations is of great interest, as these mutations have been associated with both response and resistance to different endocrine therapies,” said Dr. Hope Rugo. “This survey is interesting in that it assists us in understanding the knowledge of potential biomarker testing from a breast cancer patient perspective. It can help guide our future patient education initiatives.”
The survey also looked to establish which quality-of-life concerns are the most prevalent among metastatic breast cancer patients. Joint pain, sexual intimacy and recurrent urinary tract infections, G.I. disturbances and bone pain all are frequently cited as quality-of-life issues they face.
“I know firsthand how critical it is that advocacy communities, physicians and the biopharmaceutical industry all are educated about the issues that prevent cancer patients from living our fullest lives while we still can,” said Dr. Kelly Shanahan, who in 2013 was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. “Patients must also be armed with understanding of important advancements such as ESR1 biomarker testing. As it relates both to quality of life and novel treatment opportunities, the voice of the patient is urgently important.”
1 Chandarlapaty S et al, JAMA oncology 2016 Oct 1;2(10):1310-1315)
About Sermonix
Sermonix Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of female-specific oncology products and is currently undertaking two Phase 2 clinical studies of lasofoxifene, its lead investigational drug. Sermonix Pharmaceuticals was founded in 2014 by David Portman, M.D., a leading clinical researcher and expert in women’s health, menopause and selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) therapy. The Sermonix management team, led by Dr. Portman, has significant experience in all stages of the drug development and regulatory process. Paul Plourde, M.D., vice president of oncology clinical development, has many decades of experience in the oncology drug development arena. Barry Komm, Ph.D., chief scientific officer, is recognized for his expertise in SERM biology. Miriam Portman, M.D, is chief operating officer. Elizabeth Attias, M.M.Sc., Sc.D., chief strategy and development officer, has extensive experience in pharmaceutical drug commercialization. Simon Jenkins, Ph.D. vice president of operations, has over 30 years of experience in global drug development leadership. Sermonix non-executive chairman of the board is Anthony Wild, Ph.D., former president of both Parke-Davis Pharmaceuticals and Warner-Lambert’s Pharmaceutical Division. Learn more at https://sermonixpharma.com/.
Contact information:
David Portman, MD
CEO and Founder, Sermonix Pharmaceuticals
dportman@sermonixpharma.com
614-582-6849