BerGen Bio develops novel treatment for leukemia
It is estimated that CML accounts for approximately 10% of all new cases of leukemia. The disease originates from malignant stem cells in the bone marrow and ultimately spreads throughout the body developing into a rapidly progressive and almost uniformly fatal acute.
CML is now largely treated with targeted drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), which have led to improved long term survival rates and allow most patients to have a good quality of life when compared to the former chemotherapy drugs. Novartis’ Gleevec (imatinib) and Tasigna (nilotinib), and Bristol Myer Squibb’s Sprycel (dasatinib) are examples of these new targeted drugs.
Effective against drug resistance
However, long term therapy with the new treatment can result in the development of drug resistance and new mutations. BerGenBio’s preclinical in vivo studies shows that BGB324 may be effective as therapy taken alone, in leukemia and solid tumors, and is very effective in preventing and reversing acquired resistance to existing therapies.
The results are based on work conducted by Dr. Sonja Loges’ group at the University Comprehensive Cancer Center in Hamburg: “There is a significant unmet need for novel therapies that can address drug-induced resistant cancers”, comments Dr. Sonja Loges.
“The results of the preclinical studies support our belief that BGB324 could also offer a promising potential new treatment option for chronic myeloid leukemia, especially in patients that are resistant to the current standard of care.”
BerGenBio’s cancer drug BGB324 is the only selective Axl inhibitor in clinical development having recently completed a phase Ia clinical trial. Phase Ib clinical trials are planned in acute myeloid leukemia and non-small cell lung cancer in 2014.
Read the press release on BerGenBio’s website and the abstract in full on the American Society of haematology website.
About the Axl kinase receptor
Axl is a member of the Tyro3, Axl, Mer receptor (TAMR) tyrosine kinase family and is a fundamental receptor to cancer biology. It plays a crucial role in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) which is a key driver of metastasis (cancer spread) and a mechanism of drug-resistance. The Axl receptor is regarded as one of the most promising new therapeutic targets for cancer drug development. BGB324 is a first-in-class, highly selective small molecule inhibitor of the Axl receptor tyrosine kinase.
About BerGenBio AS
BerGenBio AS is a biopharmaceutical company located in Bergen, Norway and member of Oslo Cancer Cluster. The company is committed to developing first in class therapeutics that inhibit EMT, preventing the formation of cancer stem cells and disrupting the important mechanisms of acquired cancer drug resistance. The
company is founded on proprietary platform technology called CellSelect™, which uses information
from RNAi screening studies to identify and validate novel drug targets and biomarkers. BGB324 is
the first compound in BerGenBio’s pipeline to enter clinical trials, with additional compounds and drug
targets at different stages of preclinical development.
