Overview
BerGenBio ASA, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel, selective AXL kinase inhibitors for severe unmet medical needs, announced that it has entered into a clinical trial agreement with the Mays Cancer Center at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) and Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (Sobi), a specialized international biopharmaceutical company.
Regarding AXL Inhibitor
- The parties will collaborate to study BerGenBio’s selective AXL inhibitor, bemcentinib, in combination with Sobi’s pacritinib in patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma.
- The clinical study is externally funded and is complementary to BerGenBio’s ongoing Ph1b/2a clinical study in first-line non-small cell lung cancer patients with mutations in the STK11 gene.
Bemcentinib
- Bemcentinib is a first-in-class, selective, oral once-a-day inhibitor of AXL receptor tyrosine kinase, a promising therapeutic target for serious diseases.
- Pacritinib (marketed as Vonjo) is a JAK2 inhibitor indicated for treatment of myelofibrosis, a bone marrow disorder, and works by blocking certain growth factors and cytokines.
Furthur Clinical Study
- The clinical study will advance the ground-breaking work of Josephine A. Taverna, MD, a thoracic oncologist at the Mays Cancer Center and Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at UT Health San Antonio.
- Dr. Taverna’s prior research has demonstrated that AXL and JAK-STAT3 work together to transmit signals that promote tumour growth and metastasis in advanced lung cancer.
- The study will be performed in collaboration with Sobi and will be led by Dr. Taverna as the principal investigator and is funded by a grant received from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Words from CEO: BerGenBio
Martin Olin, chief executive officer of BerGenBio stated, “We are excited to work with two stellar partners to bring this intriguing area of research to patients. This study will further extend our knowledge of the role of selective AXL inhibition with bemcentinib in lung cancer, our area of highest strategic focus.”
Dr. Taverna commented, “Our data suggests that targeting the AXL-STAT3 pathway with bemcentinib and pacritinib can prevent tumor cells from recruiting tumour-associated macrophages and other aggressive host cells into the tumour microenvironment, disrupting tumour growth and metastatic spread. Understanding this discovery could shed light on novel therapeutic strategies for lung cancer.”
BerGenBio
BerGenBio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing transformative drugs targeting AXL as a potential cornerstone of therapy for aggressive diseases, including cancer and severe respiratory infections.
