Posts

CONVERGE-01: A Patient’s Guide to Ac-225 Rosopatamab Tetraxetan (CONV01-α)

Image
Understanding the realities of the next-generation alpha-emitting radioantibody for PSMA-positive mCRPC Prepared by Stephen L. Pendergast • IPCSG Member • April 2026 Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) CONV01-α (Ac-225 rosopatamab tetraxetan, formerly 225Ac-J591) is an investigational radioantibody that delivers the alpha emitter Actinium-225 to prostate cancer cells via a monoclonal antibody targeting PSMA. It represents a fundamentally different approach from Pluvicto (Lu-177-PSMA-617): instead of a small-molecule ligand carrying a beta emitter, it uses a full-sized antibody carrying an alpha emitter. This matters because (1) alpha particles are far more destructive to cancer DNA than beta particles, and (2) the antibody is too large to penetrate salivary glands, kidneys, and small bowel—the organs that take the worst beating from small-molecule PSMA therapies. Across Phase I trials at Weill Cornell Medicine enrolling over 120 patients, CONV01-α produced PSA declines...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Strategic Path Forward: Leveraging Industry Partnerships for Nonprofit Innovation

Image
  INFORMED PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT GROUP NEWSLETTER How UCSD's relationships with pharma leaders could accelerate open-source AI tools for non-patentable drug development April 10, 2026 Bottom Line Up Front UCSD already has established partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and others. Rather than asking big pharma to support nonprofit drug development directly (which misaligns with their profit incentives), universities could collaborate with industry partners to develop and refine AI drug discovery and trial tools—then release these tools as open-source or nonprofit-accessible resources. Big pharma gets validated, cutting-edge technology; nonprofits get access to sophisticated tools; universities cement leadership in translational science. This isn't charity. It's mutually beneficial innovation infrastructure. UCSD's Existing Pharma Relati...
Post a Comment
Read more

Universities as Catalysts

Image
 INFORMED PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT GROUP NEWSLETTER Universities as Catalysts: How AI Could Accelerate Development of Non-Patentable Medicines Why institutions like UC San Diego are positioned to solve the dandelion root problem April 10, 2026 Bottom Line Up Front The dandelion root extract trial stalled not because of bad science or lack of funding—it failed because there's no profit motive to organize and run a costly clinical trial for a non-patentable substance. Universities like UCSD, armed with world-class AI infrastructure and mission-driven research cultures, could break this logjam by creating hybrid nonprofit-academic models that use machine learning to dramatically reduce trial costs and timelines. The precedent exists. The capability exists. What's needed is institutional commitment and dedicated funding to prove the model works. The Dandelion Root Lesson: Why Big Pharma Won't Solve This ...
Post a Comment
Read more

AI and Drug Development:

Image
INFORMED PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT GROUP NEWSLETTER Pharma Is Making Billion-Dollar Bets on AI April 10, 2026 Bottom Line Up Front Major pharmaceutical companies are no longer experimenting with Artificial Intelligence (AI)—they're committing enormous capital to it. Two blockbuster deals announced in late March 2026 signal a fundamental shift: pharmaceutical giants now view trained AI models and the specialized teams behind them as infrastructure as strategically important as the drugs themselves. For cancer patients, this means faster discovery of new treatment options and more precision in matching therapies to individual biology. Two Deals, One Message In the span of just days in early April 2026, two deals sent a clear signal to the biopharma industry: the era of AI experimentation in drug development is over. What was once a promising but distant future is now. On April 2, 20...
Post a Comment
Read more