SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 30, 2025 – A UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry researcher and her pioneering biotechnology company partnered with the school to earn a prestigious $400,000 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant from the National Institutes of Health to speed development of a breakthrough oral cancer drug.
Cara Gonzales, DDS, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry at UT Health San Antonio, and founder of San Antonio-based Keraceuticals, will investigate CIDD99, a first-in-class drug targeting a novel anti-cancer pathway, promising an effective option for combating aggressive cancer types with fewer adverse side effects.
This collaboration combines the innovative research capabilities of UT Health San Antonio, a world-class research university that ranks 12th globally for the impact of its discoveries, with the entrepreneurial ingenuity of Keraceuticals. Their shared vision is to develop cutting-edge, targeted cancer therapies that offer patients new hope.
“The partnership between UT Health San Antonio and Keraceuticals is a perfect example of how academic and industry collaboration can drive transformative medical breakthroughs,” Gonzales said. “CIDD99 represents a bold step forward in targeting aggressive cancers, and this funding will help us unlock its therapeutic potential and improve outcomes for patients worldwide.”
A partnership to advance breakthrough research
The STTR is a grant that pairs small businesses with research institutions to help get research to market faster. The highly competitive program is headed by the U.S. Small Business Administration and funded by partner agencies, like NIH’s National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research in this case.
Through this partnership, UT Health San Antonio will provide critical research infrastructure, expertise and preclinical development support to advance CIDD99.
Gonzales’ project, titled “1,3-Thioureas as First-In-Class Mitochondrial Inhibitors to Treat Oral Cancer,” is focused on a patent-protected compound that targets a previously untapped pathway critical to cancer survival. The partnership will push this research forward with the goal of delivering more effective, less toxic cancer therapies.
“The School of Dentistry at UT Health San Antonio is proud to partner with Dr. Gonzales and Keraceuticals to bring groundbreaking innovations like CIDD99 closer to clinical reality,” said Peter M. Loomer, DDS, PhD, MBA, dean of the School of Dentistry. “This partnership reflects our commitment to advancing scientific discovery and improving lives through cutting-edge research and collaboration.”
The promise of CIDD99
Oral squamous cell carcinoma, the sixth most common cancer worldwide, has one of the lowest survival rates among all cancers, with no targeted therapies available for its advanced or recurrent forms. Even with additional treatment, the survival rate for that recurrent form is a mere 6-7 months.
Patient outcomes for oral squamous cell carcinoma have not changed in 50 years, in part because no effective therapies have been developed for its advanced and recurrent forms. The partnership between UT Health San Antonio and Keraceuticals is poised to address this urgent unmet need.
Key highlights of CIDD99’s development include:
- Targeting a novel pathway:Addressing an unexploited mechanism to significantly reduce tumor growth and resistance
- Promising preclinical results:Keraceuticals’ lead compound, CIDD99, significantly reducing tumor volumes (5-fold) in mouse oral cancer models
- Broad applicability: Potent anti-cancer effects across multiple cancer types including non-small cell lung, breast, prostate, brain and endometrial cancers, many with limited treatment options
- Innovation collaboration:Leveraging cutting-edge research capabilities at UT Health San Antonio to support drug development and future clinical trials of novel cancer therapeutics developed by Keraceuticals
These key studies will verify efficacy of formulations that enable oral and/or IV administration for future clinical trials.
“This collaboration exemplifies the dynamic potential of academia-industry partnerships to bridge the gap between research and patient care,” Gonzales said. “By pooling resources and expertise, UT Health San Antonio and Keraceuticals are accelerating the path to life-changing therapies for patients battling aggressive cancers.”
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio), a primary driver of San Antonio’s $44.1 billion health care and biosciences sector, is the largest academic research institution in South Texas with an annual research portfolio of more than $436 million. Driving substantial economic impact with its six professional schools, a diverse workforce of more than 9,400, an annual expense budget of $1.67 billion and clinical practices that provide 2.5 million patient visits each year, UT Health San Antonio plans continued growth over the next five years and anticipates adding more than 1,500 higher-wage jobs to serve San Antonio, Bexar County and the South Texas region. To learn about the many ways “We make lives better®,” visit UTHealthSA.org.
The UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry offers 18 degrees and programs in both dentistry and dental hygiene, world-renown faculty educators, a diverse student population, state-of-the-art clinical facilities and a distinguished research enterprise. Departments include comprehensive dentistry, developmental dentistry, endodontics, periodontics, and oral and maxillofacial surgery. Scientists collaborate with clinicians and research teams worldwide, and work across multiple medical and dental disciplines to find new treatments, advancing knowledge of oral health, biomaterials, cancer, pain and more. To learn more, visit https://www.uthscsa.edu/academics/dental.
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