On October 9, 2024 Exscientia plc (Nasdaq: EXAI) reported three abstracts to be presented at the 36th EORTC-NCI-AACR (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper) (ENA) Symposium 2024 from October 23-25, in Barcelona, Spain (Press release, Exscientia, OCT 9, 2024, View Source [SID1234647123]).

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"As our precision-designed LSD1 and MALT1 inhibitors continue to progress towards the clinic, we are excited to share new preclinical data from both programmes," said David Hallett, Ph.D., interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer of Exscientia. "These posters, as well as an additional focus on our assay development, highlight the potential of our platform to design best-in-class molecules with improved properties. As our state-of-the-art automation facility continues to ramp up in scale, we look forward to further accelerating the design and development of future molecules."

The ENA posters will be available on the Exscientia website from their time of presentation.

Poster Presentations
Title: Combining next-generation BTK and MALT1 inhibitors to enhance efficacy and therapeutic utility in B-cell malignancies
Session Title: Combination therapies
Catalog Number: 218
Poster Board Number: PB206
Date/Time: Thursday, October 24 / 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. CEST

EXS73565 (‘565) is a potent, selective allosteric MALT1 inhibitor designed to have an improved safety profile, with clinical studies expected to start in early 2025
Combining MALT1 inhibitors, such as ‘565, with BTK inhibitors has the potential to provide enhanced efficacy in B-cell malignancies, by greater inhibition of pathogenic nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) signalling and addressing BTK-resistance mechanisms
Exscientia researchers combined ‘565 with the BTK inhibitor zanubrutinib and observed deeper, more durable efficacy responses in xenograft models of B-cell malignancies, with long-lasting tumour eradication seen for activated B-cell-like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (ABC-DLBCL)
Studies also confirmed target pathway biology engagement, with ‘565 alone and in combination with zanubrutinib inhibiting NF-kB target gene expression in in vivo models
Overall, the selective profiles of ‘565 and zanubrutinib may maximise the therapeutic index of MALT1 and BTK inhibition in combination, providing scope for enhanced efficacy for patients with B-cell malignancies
Title: In vivo pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and anti-tumour efficacy of EXS74539: A novel, reversible LSD1 inhibitor for acute myeloid leukaemia
Session Title: Epigenetic modulators (HDAC bromodomain modulators, EZH2)
Catalog Number: 250
Poster Board Number: PB238
Date/Time: Thursday, October 24 / 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. CEST

‘539 is a novel, potent, selective and reversible LSD1 inhibitor, with a highly differentiated profile and designed to be brain penetrant, expected to enter the clinic in early 2025
The poster highlights that by combining ex vivo perturbation of primary human acute myeloid lymphoma (AML) samples with ‘539 and omics profiling, 12 potential pharmacodynamic (PD) biomarker gene candidates were identified that correlate with LSD1 inhibitor activity
Upregulation of the identified biomarker gene candidates was confirmed in an in vivo AML xenograft model post ‘539 treatment
Treatment of the in vivo model with the reversible inhibitor ‘539 resulted in limited platelet level effects, highlighting how ‘539 was designed to maximise target engagement while limiting thrombocytopenia
Title: Xcellomics: Powering rapid translation of HTS outputs to AI-driven drug discovery programmes
Session Title: Functional genomics
Catalog Number: 414
Poster Board Number: PB402
Date/Time: Friday, October 25 / 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. CEST

Xcellomics is a collaboration between Exscientia and The Centre for Medicines Discovery at the University of Oxford, used to rapidly translate the results of cell-based, high-throughput screens into transformative oncology therapies
The collaboration has successfully identified and validated novel essential regulators of a key oncogenic pathway
Automated assay development and chemical hit ID performed by Exscientia rapidly pushed these novel therapeutic targets into drug discovery programmes

On October 9, 2024 Zai Lab Limited (NASDAQ: ZLAB; HKEX: 9688; "Zai Lab") reported that data from a Phase 1 study of ZL-1310, the Company’s investigational antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), will be presented during a plenary session at the EORTC-NCI-AACR (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper) Symposium (ENA) 2024 taking place October 23-25, in Barcelona, Spain (Press release, Zai Laboratory, OCT 9, 2024, View Source [SID1234647122]). The preliminary results from the ongoing, open-label, multicenter clinical trial (NCT06179069) will address the potential of ZL-1310 as a novel treatment for small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

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DLL3 is overexpressed in many neuroendocrine tumors, including SCLC, and is typically associated with poor clinical outcomes. ZL-1310 comprises a humanized anti-DLL3 antibody and a novel camptothecin derivative as its payload. The compound was designed with a novel linker-payload platform called TMALIN, which leverages the tumor microenvironment to overcome challenges associated with first-generation ADC therapies.

"New therapies that reduce off-target toxicity and increase anti-tumor effectiveness are critically needed to improve treatment options for many cancer patients, including SCLC and other tumors of neuroendocrine origin," said Rafael G. Amado, M.D., President, Head of Global Research and Development, Zai Lab. "ZL-1310 is an example of our company’s commitment to progressing a differentiated global oncology pipeline that will help fill these types of treatment gaps and provide meaningful benefit to patients. We look forward to sharing preliminary results from the Phase 1 study of this exciting next-generation ADC at ENA 2024."

Details regarding the ZL-1310 oral presentation at ENA 2024 are as follows:

Title: Preliminary Results from a Phase 1a/1b, Open-Label, Multicenter Study of ZL-1310, a DLL3-targeted ADC, to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics in Subjects with Small Cell Lung Cancer
Abstract Number: ENA24-0345
Presenter: Alex Spira, MD, PhD, FACP, FASCO, Virginia Cancer Specialists, Fairfax, VA
Presentation Date and Time: Thursday, October 24, 2024, 11:12 a.m. – 11:24 a.m. CET (presentation), 11:24 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. CET (Q&A)
Location: Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona (CCIB), Room 111 and 112

On October 9, 2024 Arcus Biosciences, Inc. (NYSE:RCUS), a clinical-stage, global biopharmaceutical company focused on developing differentiated molecules and combination therapies for people with cancer, reported four accepted abstracts at the 2024 EORTC-NCI-AACR (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper) Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics being held October 23-25, 2024, in Barcelona, Spain (Press release, Arcus Biosciences, OCT 9, 2024, View Source [SID1234647121]). The data being presented include a growing body of evidence supporting the potential of casdatifan as a best-in-class HIF-2a inhibitor for the treatment of ccRCC.

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The oral presentation will highlight data from the approximately 30 patients in the 100mg daily monotherapy expansion cohort of ARC-20, a Phase 1/1b study evaluating casdatifan in late-line ccRCC. It will include data on safety and efficacy, including objective response rate and rate of primary progression, as well as other data to assess the depth and duration of responses. The presentation will also highlight data from the 50mg monotherapy expansion cohort of approximately 30 patients in the same setting.

"We are thrilled to be presenting the first clinical efficacy data from the ARC-20 study for our HIF-2a inhibitor, casdatifan, in an oral plenary session, as well as two additional posters that further highlight the differentiation of casdatifan in ccRCC and the therapeutic opportunities in other tumor types," said Terry Rosen, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Arcus. "These data support a potential best-in-class profile, and we are rapidly advancing a differentiated development program for casdatifan, including the planned initiation of our first Phase 3 study in the first half of 2025."

Arcus is pursuing a broad development program in both the first-line and post-anti-PD-1 settings with differentiated combinations to maximize the opportunity for casdatifan in ccRCC. In addition to the monotherapy cohorts of ARC-20, the study is also enrolling a cohort to evaluate casdatifan in combination with cabozantinib, a VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, which is intended to support the initiation of Arcus’s first Phase 3 study, PEAK-1, evaluating casdatifan in combination with cabozantinib versus cabozantinib monotherapy in patients with metastatic ccRCC who have previously received anti-PD-1 therapy. The primary endpoint will be progression-free survival with a key secondary endpoint of overall survival. Arcus also recently announced a clinical collaboration as part of its first-line strategy in advanced first-line ccRCC to evaluate casdatifan in combination with volrustomig, an investigational PD-1/CTLA-4 bispecific antibody.

Investors may dial in to the conference call at +1 (404) 975-4839 (local) or +1 (833) 470-1428 (toll-free), using Conference ID: 595409 on Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 5:00 AM PT / 8:00 AM ET. To access the live webcast and accompanying slide presentation, please visit the "Investors & Media" section of the Arcus Biosciences website at www.arcusbio.com. A replay will be available following the live event.

Four Accepted Abstracts Will Be Presented

Study

Title

Abstract Number

Session Type & Title

Session Date & Time

Casdatifan (HIF-2a Inhibitor)

ARC-20

Casdatifan in Patients (pts) with Previously Treated Clear Cell Renal Cell Cancer (ccRCC) and Other Solid Tumors; Preliminary Results From ARC-20: A Phase 1, Open-Label Dose Escalation and Expansion Study

4

Proffered Papers: Advancing patient care through novel clinical trials – Oral Plenary Session 3

10/24/2024, 10:54 AM – 11:06 AM CEST

AB521 (Casdatifan) Potently and Selectively Inhibits Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 2 Alpha (HIF-2α) Dependent Pro-Tumorigenic Activity

91

Molecular Targeted Agents

10/23/2024, 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM CEST

ARC-20

Clinical Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) Relationship for Casdatifan (AB521), a Small Molecule Inhibitor of HIF-2α, Confirms Best-in-class Potential in Treatment of Renal Cell Carcinoma

51

Molecular Targeted Agents

10/23/2024, 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM CEST

AB801 (AXL Inhibitor)

ARC-26

AB801, a Potent and Highly Selective Clinical Stage AXL Inhibitor, Sensitizes Tumors to Standard of Care Therapies

119

New Drugs

10/23/2024, 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM CEST

On October 9, 2024 Arda Therapeutics, a pioneer in targeted cell depletion therapies for chronic diseases, reported the successful completion of a $43 million Series A financing round (Press release, Arda Therapeutics, OCT 9, 2024, View Source [SID1234647120]). The round was led by existing investor Andreessen Horowitz (a16z Bio + Health), with participation from Two Sigma Ventures, RV Invest, Eli Lilly and Company, GV, Biovision Ventures, Valhalla Ventures, Indicator Ventures, Alumni Ventures, LifeLink Ventures, Mana Ventures, Gaingels and ExitFund.

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For decades, the dominant approach in drug development has been to modulate individual proteins and signaling pathways to ameliorate disease. While this strategy has yielded some success, it often leads to limited efficacy and incremental gains, particularly for complex chronic diseases. Arda Therapeutics is pursuing a novel alternative by depleting the cells that drive disease rather than modulating the activity of the proteins they produce.

"Arda is at the forefront of a paradigm shift in treating chronic diseases," said Adam Freund, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Arda Therapeutics. "By focusing on the cells at the core of disease, we can develop therapies that are not only more effective, but also have the potential to fundamentally change patient outcomes. With drug approval rates declining and efficacy improvements stalling, Arda’s strategy to target cells—not pathways—offers a transformative shift in how chronic diseases are treated. With the support of our Series A investors, Arda is well positioned to progress our lead programs toward the clinic and expand our platform to tackle even more disease areas."

Arda’s sophisticated single-cell-based discovery engine identifies the specific pathogenic cells responsible for disease and their surface markers with unprecedented precision. This approach enables the development of targeted biologics that selectively eliminate harmful cells while preserving healthy tissue, leading to significantly greater efficacy and fewer side effects compared to conventional treatments. Arda’s platform has broad applicability across a wide range of diseases, including fibrotic conditions such as pulmonary fibrosis, as well as autoimmune and metabolic disorders.

"The field of oncology therapeutics has been focused on tumor cell clearance as a mechanism of action for decades. Many of our most potent cancer medicines – chemotherapy, CAR-T cells, antibody drug conjugates, T cell engagers, radiopharmaceuticals – fundamentally depend on our ability to identify pathogenic, or bad actor, cell populations and then target them precisely for killing," said Vineeta Agarwala, M.D., Ph.D., general partner at Andreessen Horowitz. "Arda is taking the ‘oncology toolbox’ outside of oncology. Applying the lessons learned from oncology, the Arda team is leveraging cutting-edge, single-cell biology and a deep understanding of the biology of diseases outside cancer to boldly extend the cell clearance paradigm to the treatment of chronic diseases."

Scott Turner, Ph.D., appointed to Chief Scientific Officer

In addition to the financing, Arda announced the appointment of Scott Turner, Ph.D., as chief scientific officer. Scott joins Arda after serving as chief scientific officer of Pliant Therapeutics, where he led the creation of the company’s fibrosis discovery platform and biomarker research, culminating in a successful Phase 2a study for Bexotegrast, an anti-fibrotic therapy. At Pliant, Scott promoted the use of single-cell data to dissect drug mechanisms of action and played a critical role in developing innovative fibrosis models and biomarker strategies that advanced several clinical programs. His leadership helped secure over $500 million in financing, including an IPO. Scott received a B.A. from UC Santa Cruz and a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley.

"I’m thrilled to be joining Arda at such an exciting time," said Dr. Turner. "The team has built an impressive platform for targeting pathogenic cells with precision, which holds tremendous potential for addressing the unmet needs in chronic disease. I look forward to working closely with the team to advance our lead programs toward the clinic and develop innovative therapies that can make a meaningful impact on patients’ lives."

"We are very excited to have Scott on the team," said Rèmi Laberge, Ph.D., co-founder and chief technology officer of Arda. "His deep expertise in fibrosis drug discovery will be instrumental as we drive our programs forward. I look forward to collaborating with him to push the capabilities of our cell depletion platform to the next level."

On October 9, 2024 Alpha Fusion, Inc. (CEO: Sunao Fujioka, headquartered in Kita-ku, Osaka), reported that it has raised a total of ¥1.02 billion through a Series B funding round (Press release, Alpha Fusion, OCT 9, 2024, View Source [SID1234647119]). The round was led by SBI Investment Co., Ltd. and OSAKA University Venture Capital, with participation from several new investors. This funding will enable Alpha Fusion to accelerate its research and development efforts, enhance its supply chain, and deliver Japan’s cutting-edge cancer therapies to the global market as quickly as possible.

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Alpha Fusion Leading the World in Astatine-based Drug Discovery

Alpha Fusion is a pioneering startup dedicated to bringing "Targeted Alpha Therapy (TAT) using Astatine (At-211)" to cancer patients worldwide. As a leader in the clinical development of Astatine-based therapeutics, Alpha Fusion is advancing its pipeline and building a highly efficient supply chain using cyclotrons in collaboration with partners across the globe. TAT is highly anticipated to become a foundational drug discovery platform in oncology, offering the potential to create numerous novel treatments.

In the past year, several major pharmaceutical companies in Europe and the U.S. have acquired startups developing Actinium (Ac-225) -based radiopharmaceuticals, signaling a surge of interest in this field. Astatine (At-211) is garnering attention for its short half-life, which anticipates clinical safety, its halogen properties that allow it to be directly labeled into low-mid sized-molecule ligands, its ease of sourcing raw material, and the simplicity of its production using cyclotrons.

Business Progress and the Impact of Series B Funding

Since our Series A funding round in May 2023, Alpha Fusion has made significant strides, as detailed below:

1.1st Pipeline (Thyroid Cancer, Phase 1 ongoing): Progress in high-dose administration, approaching the determination of recommended dosages.

2. 2nd Pipeline (Prostate Cancer, Phase 1 ongoing): Successful completion of the world’s first administration of [211At]PSMA-5 to a patient in June.

3. Additional Pipelines: Multiple pipeline developments underway through both in-house R&D and collaborations.

July 2023: Initiated joint research with QST Chiba for tumor-specific targeting.
August 2023: Began joint research with QST Takasaki/Niigata University on novel Astatine-labeling platform technologies.
4. Supply Chain: Progress in manufacturing preparations for clinical trial drugs both domestically and internationally, shaping the future of our supply chain.

First half of 2024: Completion of Osaka University’s TAT Cyclotron building to enable efficient Astatine production.
First half of 2024: Set up GMP facilities for clinical trial drug production in Japan and advanced collaboration with overseas CDMOs.
5. Intellectual Property: Received patent approvals covering manufacturing methods, materials, and applications related to our pipeline.

6. Research Centers: Expanded domestic research operations, including a new center in Tsukuba (SakuLab-Tsukuba), in addition to Osaka University’s research hub.

7. Team Expansion: Strengthened the advisory board and enhanced functional capabilities critical to pharmaceutical development (e.g., supply chain, CMC, quality assurance, clinical development, regulatory affairs).

With this funding, we will accelerate our R&D efforts and prepare for company-sponsored clinical trials, enhance our supply chain for GMP-grade clinical trial drug production domestically and internationally, and further expand our team. We are committed to demonstrating the unique advantages of Astatine-based drug discovery with tangible business results and clinical evidence.

Investors in Series B Round (in no particular order):

New Investors:

SBI Investment Co., Ltd.
Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.
Kobe University Capital
Joyo Capital Partners
Existing Investors (Follow-on Investment):

OSAKA University Venture Capital
D3 LLC
JGC Corporation