FG002

FG002 is FluoGuide’s second product and is designed similarly to FG001 in that it will allow surgeons to clearly differentiate cancer from normal tissue during surgery through a novel uPAR-targeted luminescent technology. FG002 is based on a novel fluorophore and is eliminated through the kidneys, compared to FG001, which is excreted by the liver. Therefore, FluoGuide believes that FG002 will be suitable for use in gastrointestinal tumors, such as colorectal cancer. FG002 is subject to preclinical testing (see pipeline chart).

FG002 is made of two components, the uPAR binding molecule, which targets cancerous cells, and a fluorophore that lights up those cells.

The IRDye® 800CW fluorophore

 
In FG002, the fluorophore is IRDye® 800CW infrared dye, a novel fluorophore that has been tested in clinical trials and that, due to its brightness, enables deep visibility into specific tissues. FluoGuide has entered into an agreement to develop uPAR targeted products to guide oncology surgery with LI-COR’s Biosciences, the company supplying this proprietary next-generation fluorophore to FluoGuide.

IRDye 800CW possesses some unique features, such as deep tissue targeting, making it a highly relevant fluorophore to combine with FluoGuide’s uPAR binding molecule technology.

Initial preclinical test results

 
A preclinical study has demonstrated FG002 to light up cancer with several promising features holding great promise for the use of guiding surgical removal of cancer. FG002 was tested in an orthotopic xenograft model using human glioblastoma cells. The results have been published in the article titled “IRDye800CW Labelled uPAR-Targeting Peptide for Fluorescence-Guided Glioblastoma Surgery: Preclinical Studies in Orthotopic Xenografts” (see full article details here).

Indications

 
FG002 is now studied preclinically, and FluoGuide will use these results together with the result of the human clinical study of FG001 in patients with glioblastoma undergoing surgery to select 1-2 uPAR-targeted products in addition to FG001 for formal development as well as for deciding the target indications for those products, including breast, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer.