BLR Bio New Research – Therapeutic has Potential to Address Cancer Drug Resistance Through YAP Translocation Modulation
Opportunities for use in combination with immunotherapies (e.g. PD1), KRAS inhibitors, ADCs and chemotherapy NORTH
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Opportunities for use in combination with immunotherapies (e.g. PD1), KRAS inhibitors, ADCs and chemotherapy
NORTH CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, September 1, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — BLR Bio LLC announced new findings demonstrating the potential of its first in class, Yes-Associated Protein (YAP) translocation–modulating peptide therapeutic for applications in cancer and other serious diseases.
“BLR Bio’s therapeutic has shown the ability to modulate (reduce) YAP nuclear translocation, a mechanism that can act as a major driver of cancer resistance” said Dr. Bruce Riser, CEO of BLR Bio. “What truly differentiates our therapeutic approach is that it reduces YAP without shutting it down. In our testing, stimulated YAP nuclear translocation in human cells are disrupted for less than six hours before returning to baseline. This stands in contrast to other YAP blocking therapeutics in development that in cancer and non-cancer cells suppress the pathway for extended periods, and have the potential for substantial complications.”
Drug resistance is a leading challenge in oncology, with more than 90% of cancer related deaths attributed to treatment resistance (1). YAP translocation is widely recognized in oncology as a major driver of bypass resistance, reducing the effectiveness of immunotherapies (like PD 1 antibodies), RAS inhibitors, antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), and chemotherapy.
BLR Bio’s research, published in Cells (2), had demonstrated that its peptide therapeutic enhanced the efficacy of gemcitabine in preclinical pancreatic cancer models. These results support the potential for broader synergy with other therapeutic classes affected by YAP mediated resistance.
The discovery emerged from recent collaborative work with scientists at the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Michigan. The YAP modulating effect was validated using cultured primary human fibroblasts, a well established and highly relevant model for studying YAP biology in fibrosis and provides the first indication of a potential application in cancer.
BLR bio continues to focus on developing novel therapeutic solutions to challenging diseases including fibrosis and cancer with Its primary laboratories based in Rosalind Franklin University’s Helix 51 incubator.
About BLR Bio
Learn more at blrbio.com.
Contact: Information@blrbio.com
(1) Dhanyamraju PK. Drug resistance mechanisms in cancers: Execution of pro-survival strategies. J Biomed Res. 2024 Feb 28;38(2):95-121. doi: 10.7555/JBR.37.20230248. PMID: 38413011; PMCID: PMC11001593.
(2) Resovi A, Borsotti P, Ceruti T, Passoni A, Zucchetti M, Berndt A, Riser BL, Taraboletti G, Belotti D. CCN-Based Therapeutic Peptides Modify Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Microenvironment and Decrease Tumor Growth in Combination with Chemotherapy. Cells. 2020 Apr 13;9(4):952. doi: 10.3390/cells9040952. PMID: 32294968; PMCID: PMC7226963.
S. Richardson
BLR Bio LLC
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