Simcere Zaiming Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has synthesized antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) comprising humanized monoclonal antibodies targeting CDH6 covalently linked to a camptothecin analogue through a linker.
Breast cancer patients receiving aromatase inhibitors as antihormone therapy are at major risk of cardiovascular disease. Previous observations suggest that, since estrogen biosynthesis is regulated by aromatase and aldosterone biosynthesis is modulated by aldosterone synthase, a dual inhibitor could have anticancer efficacy while reducing cardiovascular risks in breast cancer patients.
Injecting a combination of cisplatin and vinblastine – engineered by way of the company’s Dfuserx platform – turned out to be just the ticket for early stage breast cancer in the phase II study called Invincible conducted by Intensity Therapeutics Inc. Shares of the Shelton, Conn.-based firm (NASDAQ:INTS) closed Dec. 8 at $6.88, up $2.68, or 63%, having traded as high as $11.44, thanks to Wall Street’s satisfaction with the data testing INT230-6, which emerged during the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
While early stage and involving a relatively small patient population, the interim phase Ib readout from the combination cohort testing estrogen receptor (ER)-targeting candidate vepdegestrant in combination with CDK4/6 inhibitor Ibrance (palbociclib) in heavily pretreated patients with ER-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer was impressive enough to prompt partners Arvinas Inc. and Pfizer Inc. to expand development work on the program. The results also struck a chord on the Street, with shares of Arvinas (NASDAQ:ARVN) gaining 31% on the day.
The oral drug inavolisib, when added to two other therapies, significantly improved progression-free survival in the first-line phase III treatment of advanced hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer in which patients have a PIK3CA mutation.
Gibson Oncology LLC and Purdue Research Foundation have synthesized DNA topoisomerase I (Topo1) inhibitors and/or Myc proto-oncogene protein promoter G-quadruplex (MycG4) ligands reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
Beigene Ltd. and Ensem Therapeutics Inc. have announced an agreement for Beigene to acquire an exclusive global license to an IND application-ready oral cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) inhibitor.
South Korean pharmaceutical Voronoi Inc. said that New Jersey-based Pyramid Biosciences Inc. terminated its previous $846 million deal for Voronoi’s solid and breast cancer drug candidate, VRN-08, in a letter dated Oct. 24, 2023.
Astrazeneca AB has disclosed bicyclic heteroaromatic compounds acting as transcriptional enhancer factor (TEAD) and TEAD-4 inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
