Astex Drug Candidates to be Presented at the 2008 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting
Cambridge, UK, 28th May 2008
Cambridge, UK 28th May 2008, Astex Therapeutics Limited announced today that data on two of its drug candidates, AT7519 and AT9283, will be presented at the ASCO Annual Conference, to be held 31st May - 3rd June 2008 in Chicago. Both of these candidates were discovered internally at Astex using its industry-leading fragment-based drug discovery platform, Pyramid™.
During the meeting Astex’s investigators will present the first clinical data from an international dose escalation study of AT7519, a potent cell cycle inhibitor. The results of this study demonstrate evidence of tumour shrinkage and biological activity in patients with advanced cancer treated with AT7519.
In addition, Astex’s investigators will make two presentations on AT9283, a multi-targeted kinase inhibitor. One will be the initial release of information from an ongoing Phase I dose escalation study in patients with refractory solid tumours. This study reveals evidence of significant disease stabilisation in a proportion of patients. The other will provide an update on the ongoing Phase I/II trial of AT9283 in patients with refractory leukaemia where early clinical activity has been reported.
Astex has a further five internal drug discovery programmes and is pursuing an additional five projects in partnership with leading pharmaceutical companies including Novartis, AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim.
Poster Discussion Presentations at the 2008 ASCO Annual Meeting
Poster Title: A dose escalation, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study of AT7519, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor in patients with refractory solid tumours
Session Date: Saturday, May 31, 2008, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Session ID: Developmental Therapeutics: Molecular Therapeutics
Permanent Abstract Number: 3533
Poster Title: Phase I and pharmacodynamic trial of AT9283, an aurora kinase inhibitor, in patients with refractory leukaemia
Session Date: Monday, June 2, 2008, 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Session ID: Developmental Therapeutics: Cytotoxic Chemotherapy
Permanent Abstract Number: 2518
Poster Title: A dose escalation and pharmacodynamic study of AT9283 in patients with refractory solid tumours
Session Date: Monday, June 2, 2008, 2.00 pm – 6:00 pm
Session ID: Developmental Therapeutics: Cytotoxic Chemotherapy
Permanent Abstract Number: 2519
-ends-
Contacts
Astex Therapeutics Limited
Romaine Miles
Corporate Communications
Email: r.miles@astex-therapeutics.com
Tel: +44 (0) 1223 226200
Web: www.astex-therapeutics.com
Notes to News Editors
AT7519
AT7519 is a targeted inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) which are involved in the regulation of the cell cycle and of gene expression, and their dysregulation is associated with the progression of certain malignancies. By inhibiting certain CDKs, Astex may be able to eliminate rapidly proliferating malignant cells. In addition to the data from the Phase I trial being presented at ASCO, AT7519 is currently being investigated in another Phase I clinical trial as a treatment for solid tumours. AT7519 also has potential in the treatment of a broad range of solid tumours and other haematological malignancies such as chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Astex intends to establish additional Phase II trials to explore this potential following completion of the current Phase I trials.
AT9283
AT9283 is a multi-targeted inhibitor of the kinases Aurora A, Aurora B, BCR–Abl and JAK2. The over-expression or aberrant activation of each of these kinase targets is associated with the development and/or progression of different cancers. By inhibiting one or more of these kinases, Astex expects that it may be able to affect the progression of diseases associated with their dysregulation. AT9283 is currently being investigated as monotherapy in two trials in patients with solid tumours and haematological malignancies. Astex is focusing its initial efforts on the development of AT9283 to treat patients with acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML). Dependent on the results of the clinical trials, Astex may initiate additional clinical trials to explore the potential of AT9283 in the treatment of other haematological malignancies and solid tumours.
About Astex
Astex Therapeutics is a biotechnology company that discovers and develops novel small molecule therapeutics. Using its pioneering fragment-based drug discovery platform Pyramid™, Astex has built a pipeline of five molecularly-targeted oncology drugs, of which three are currently being tested in clinical trials and two are in pre-clinical development.
In addition to its proprietary research programmes, Astex’s productivity in lead discovery has been endorsed through numerous partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies, including AstraZeneca, Bayer-Schering, Boehringer Ingelheim and Novartis.
For further information on Astex Therapeutics please visit the Company’s website at www.astex-therapeutics.com