Beyond Glioblastoma — WPD Pharmaceuticals
WPD Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapies for oncology with special emphasis on brain cancer. WPD-401 is a novel and potent drug candidate coming from the collaboration between WPD Pharmaceuticals and Wake Forest University. It is a multivalent targeted cytotoxic drug conjugate, which is engineered to target four receptors concomitantly: interleukin 13 receptor alpha 2 (IL-13RA2) and 3 ephrin receptors (EphA2, EphA3 and EphB2), that are overexpressed in patients with glioblastoma (GBM), the most prevalent primary brain tumor of dismal prognosis.
The cytotoxic is a drug conjugate composed of targeting moieties and a microtubular inhibitor DM1. Four targeted receptors are expressed in nearly 100% of glioblastomas, thus, WPD-401 can target glioma cells in almost all the patient population while sparing normal brain. The potency of WPD-401 in treating GBM has been already validated in preclinical models including studies in dogs. A phase I clinical trial in dogs with spontaneous gliomas using a cocktail of ligand-bacterial cytotoxin conjugates that target IL-13RA2 and EphA2 receptors has shown great promise.
Additionally, all 4 receptors targeted by WPD-401 are also expressed in various other solid tumors, including melanoma, pancreas, TNBC, colon cancer, kidney, lung or ovary.
In conclusion, WPD-401 is an innovative, highly effective drug candidate that has the potential to revolutionize treatment for high unmet medical needs in glioblastoma, TNBC and other indications.
WPD Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapies for oncology with special emphasis on brain cancer. WPD-401 is a novel and potent drug candidate coming from the collaboration between WPD Pharmaceuticals and Wake Forest University. It is a multivalent targeted cytotoxic drug conjugate, which is engineered to target four receptors concomitantly: interleukin 13 receptor alpha 2 (IL-13RA2) and 3 ephrin receptors (EphA2, EphA3 and EphB2), that are overexpressed in patients with glioblastoma (GBM), the most prevalent primary brain tumor of dismal prognosis.
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The cytotoxic is a drug conjugate composed of targeting moieties and a microtubular inhibitor DM1. Four targeted receptors are expressed in nearly 100% of glioblastomas, thus, WPD-401 can target glioma cells in almost all the patient population while sparing normal brain. The potency of WPD-401 in treating GBM has been already validated in preclinical models including studies in dogs. A phase I clinical trial in dogs with spontaneous gliomas using a cocktail of ligand-bacterial cytotoxin conjugates that target IL-13RA2 and EphA2 receptors has shown great promise.
Additionally, all 4 receptors targeted by WPD-401 are also expressed in various other solid tumors, including melanoma, pancreas, TNBC, colon cancer, kidney, lung or ovary.
In conclusion, WPD-401 is an innovative, highly effective drug candidate that has the potential to revolutionize treatment for high unmet medical needs in glioblastoma, TNBC and other indications.
Marek Sipowicz
Physician with over 20 years of experience in leading clinical trials across oncology (hematologic malignancies and solid tumors), neuropsychiatry, diabetes, and cardiovascular medicine. A board-certified gynecologist trained in Poland, with a postdoctoral fellowship completed at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, USA.
A highly regarded expert in the pharmaceutical industry, with a track record of initiating and managing global Phase I – IV clinical trials, including large-scale mortality studies. Spent over two decades in leadership roles at Servier, an international pharmaceutical company, serving as Director of Clinical Operations in Oncology in France and Director of Clinical Research in Australia.
More about Dr. Marek Sipowicz.
Physician with over 20 years of experience in leading clinical trials across oncology (hematologic malignancies and solid tumors), neuropsychiatry, diabetes, and cardiovascular medicine. A board-certified gynecologist trained in Poland, with a postdoctoral fellowship completed at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, USA.
Show more
A highly regarded expert in the pharmaceutical industry, with a track record of initiating and managing global Phase I – IV clinical trials, including large-scale mortality studies. Spent over two decades in leadership roles at Servier, an international pharmaceutical company, serving as Director of Clinical Operations in Oncology in France and Director of Clinical Research in Australia.
More about Dr. Marek Sipowicz.
Read the Abstracts from Our Invited Speakers
Cancer Biology
- AllergoOncology: Lessons Learned from the Allergy-Glioblastoma Connection
Aurélie Poli, Luxembourg Institute of Health, LUXEMBOURG
- Cytotoxic NK Cells Impede Response to Checkpoint Immunotherapy in Melanoma with an Immune-Excluded Phenotype
Joanna Poźniak, KU Leuven, BELGIUM
- Inducing Immunogenic Tertiary Lymphoid Structures Across Cancer Types With Dendritic Cell Reprogramming
Camille Chatelain, Lund University, SWEDEN
- The Role of ILC2 in Tissue Homeostasis and Neoplasia
Tim Halim, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, UNITED KINGDOM
Cancer Neuroscience
- Latent Neuropathy in Colorectal Cancer: Implications for Cancer Survivorship
Andrew Shepherd, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA
- Remodelling of the Bone Microenvironment During Cancer Infiltration: Insights from Multiplex Imaging and Spatial Transcriptomics
Christina Møller Andreasen, University of Southern Denmark, DENMARK
- Enteric Nervous System-Derived VIP Restrains Differentiation of LGR5+ Stem Cells Towards the Secretory Lineage Impeding Type 2 Immune Programs
Christoph Klose, Charité – Berlin University Medicine, GERMANY
Cancer Therapy
- Targeting the Dark Matter of Cancer with AI-Designed Mini Binder
Tobias Bald, University of Bonn, GERMANY
- Engineering Nanomedicines for Targeted Neuroimmune Modulation
Helena Florindo, University of Lisbon, PORTUGAL
- Potentiating Immunotherapy of Urological Cancers with Oncolytic Viruses
Gabri van der Pluijm, Leiden University Medical Center, THE NETHERLANDS
- Strategic Priorities in Cancer Therapy: Navigating the 2026 Cancer Mission Calls
Industry Contact Point, Łukasiewicz – PORT, POLAND
- Cancer Neuroscience of Brain TumorsKEYNOTE SPEAKER
Frank Winkler, Universitätsklinik Heidelberg, GERMANY
- Spatial Reprogramming of Immune Surveillance in Breast Cancer: From Immune Control to Immune Failure
Sheeba Irshad, King’s College London, UNITED KINGDOM
- The War Against Glioblastoma Needs More Than Standard of Care
Stefaan Van Gool, IOZK Immun-Onkologisches Zentrum Köln, GERMANY
- Uncovering the Spatial Regulation of γδ T Cells: Toward Receptor-Guided Immunotherapy
Jürgen Kuball, University Medical Center Utrecht, THE NETHERLANDS
- CAR‑T Cell Therapy in Lymphomas, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, and Multiple Myeloma
Wojciech Szlasa, DCOPIH, POLAND
- Expanding CAR Targets to Non Protein Antigens
Sébastien Wälchli, Oslo University Hospital, NORWAY
- Advancing BIA-ALCL Research Through a UK – PORT Alliance — From Biobanking to Immune Discovery
Helen Kakkassery, King’s College London, UNITED KINGDOM
PORT for Business — Company Session
- From Sample to Insight: Advanced Analytics for Oncology Research
Malwina Woźniak, Łukasiewicz – PORT, POLAND
- Beyond glioblastoma — WPD Pharmaceuticals
Marek Sipowicz, WPD Pharmaceuticals, POLAND
- The Development of USP7 Inhibitor for Cancer Immunotherapy
Zbigniew Zasłona, Molecule, POLAND
- Leveraging Cancer Biology for Therapeutic Innovation: Clinical and Discovery Advances at Ryvu
Milena Mazan, Ryvu Therapeutics, POLAND
- Transforming Multimodal Complexity into Precision Oncology Insights
Marek Kudła, Ardigen, POLAND
- JJP-1008 as a Novel Checkpoint Inhibitor
Agata Drewniak-Maksymów, JPP Biologics, POLAND
- Synergistic Nanotechnology for Targeted Therapeutics in Oncology
Artur Wnorowski, Biotechna, POLAND
- Development of Biological Drugs for Oncological Indications at Mabion
Jakub Knurek, Mabion, POLAND
- Enabling Early Drug Discovery: Integrated Screening Capabilities and a BRD4/CRBN PROTAC Case Study
Justyna Adamczyk, Enamine, POLAND