Acrivon Therapeutics Inc.’s $130 million financing disclosed April 9 hiked confidence in then-pending data with ACR-368 (prexasertib), the selective small-molecule inhibitor that targets checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) and CHK2. Undergoing tests in a potentially registrational phase II trial across multiple tumor types, ACR-368 also raised the stakes for Boundless Bio Inc., which is developing CHK1 inhibitor BBI-355.
Space Liintech Co. Ltd., of Daejeon, South Korea, raised ₩4 billion (US$2.9 million) in a series A financing round to advance new drug research, development and production in outer space, as the private sector races to harness the orbit for pharmaceutical experiments.
Amidst a slew of end-of-week, positive EMA Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) opinions is Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s Fruzaqla (fruquintinib). The selective inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors-1, -2 and -3 is for adults with previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer.
Scientists at Foshan Ionova Biotherapeutics Co. Ltd., Guangdong Touchstone Translational Research Institute Co. Ltd. and Shenzhen Ionova Life Science Co. Ltd. have described tricyclic compounds acting as cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors, particularly CDK1/cyclin B and/or CDK2/cyclin E1 and/or CDK4/cyclin D3 and/or CDK6/cyclin D3 inhibitors, reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Inc. has disclosed covalent inhibitors of serine/threonine-protein kinase A-Raf (ARAF) reported to be useful for the treatment of carcinoma and melanoma.
Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and affiliated organizations discovered a new ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) inhibitor, YCH-2823, being developed as a potential anticancer agent.
Peptidream Inc. has reported that an early-phase clinical trial for 64Cu-PD-32766, a 64Cu-labeled radiopharmaceutical targeting carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX), for patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma has been approved by the clinical review board of the National Cancer Center Hospital East in Japan.
Researchers from Haisco Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. presented the discovery and preclinical characterization of a brain-penetrating BRAF paradox breaker, HSK-42360, being developed for the treatment of BRAF-driven cancers. HSK-42360 proved to be a potent BRAF V600E inhibitor (IC50=5 nM) with selectivity over wild-type BRAF.