Under the agreement, Aldevron will produce TUSC2 plasmid DNA, the active ingredient for the Genprex's lead immunogene therapy candidate, Oncoprex. The commercial-scale manufacturing efforts will enable Genprex to significantly lower costs per unit of product manufactured.

The manufactured TUSC2 plasmid DNA will be encapsulated with a lipid nanoparticle to form Oncoprex. According to preclinical data, the drug should induce cell signaling that triggers programmed cell death and modulation of the immune system when transfected into cancer cells.

Genprex's upcoming phase I/II clinical trial of Oncoprex will be combined with osimertinib for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Osimertinib, which is marketed by AstraZeneca as Tagrisso, received fast track designation in January and the trial is expected to be started in early 2021. A combination trial with Oncoprex and Keytruda in NSCLC is also planned for the near future.