On March 26, 2025 Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. (TSX-V: RKV) (FSE: 7JO), a biopharmaceutical company advancing innovative cancer therapies through artificial intelligence (AI)-powered drug discovery, reported that two of its abstracts have been accepted for presentation at the upcoming 2025 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, taking place April 25–30 in Chicago, Illinois (Press release, Rakovina Therapeutics, MAR 25, 2025, View Source [SID1234651414]).

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The AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting is widely considered the most prestigious global forum for cancer research. It is where the world’s leading scientists, clinicians, and biotech innovators gather to unveil next-generation oncology breakthroughs. Rakovina’s acceptance to present, highlights growing recognition for its pioneering work at the intersection of AI technology and precision cancer therapy.

AI-Designed Therapies Poised to Transform Cancer Treatment

Rakovina will present two abstracts at the meeting, the first: Discovery of novel PARP1-selective inhibitors for treatment of brain tumors using artificial intelligence, explores the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a novel, brain-penetrant, PARP1-selective inhibitor for treating brain tumors. Current PARP inhibitors face challenges such as poor blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and off-target effects due to PARP2 inhibition. By leveraging Deep Docking, a deep learning-based virtual screening method, alongside generative AI algorithms, researchers rapidly identified potential compounds with strong PARP1 selectivity and BBB penetration. The study presents findings from in silico screening of billions of compounds, followed by in vitro and in vivo validation of their efficacy, selectivity, and pharmacokinetic properties. This AI-driven approach enhances the efficiency of drug discovery, offering a promising new treatment option for brain tumors.

The second abstract: Utilizing artificial intelligence for the discovery of a novel CNS-penetrating ATR inhibitor, highlights the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a novel CNS-penetrating ATR inhibitor for treating brain tumors. ATR plays a key role in DNA damage repair, and while ATR inhibitors show therapeutic potential, current options have poor blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, limiting their effectiveness against brain tumors and metastases. The Enki platform, an AI-driven approach utilizing generative models and deep learning, was employed to design de novo molecules with optimized potency, selectivity, and BBB penetration. Preliminary results include AI-generated ATR inhibitors validated for target specificity, metabolic stability, and permeability.

"This is an exceptional accomplishment for Rakovina," said Jeffrey Bacha, Executive Chairman of Rakovina Therapeutics. "Being selected by AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) for two projects highlights the significance of our innovations in drug discovery and their potential to impact patients battling aggressive, treatment-resistant cancers."

The company’s proprietary integration of Deep Docking and Enki AI platforms allows its scientists to evaluate billions of potential compounds at 100x the speed of traditional methods, with 6,000x greater enrichment of viable candidates. These innovations are further supported by Rakovina’s access to the University of British Columbia’s state-of-the-art wet lab infrastructure, enabling rapid in-house testing and optimization.

"What we’re seeing with Rakovina’s AI-enabled pipeline is the future of oncology—faster, smarter, and more precise," said Dr. Mads Daugaard, President and CSO of Rakovina "This integration of generative AI and biological insight is transforming how—and how quickly—we can identify and advance new therapies."

With a world-class team, including the creator of Deep Docking and a former AstraZeneca DDR program director, Rakovina is driving innovation in a space projected to reach $18 billion annually by 2030. The company’s preclinical pipeline is focused on therapies that target DNA-repair vulnerabilities present in up to 75% of solid tumors, with an emphasis on hard-to-treat cancers such as breast, ovarian, prostate, and brain.

On March 25, 2025 Adcentrx Therapeutics ("Adcentrx"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company redefining Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) therapies for cancer treatment and other life-threatening diseases, reported it will present new data at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2025, (April 25-30, 2025) in Chicago, IL (Press release, Adcentrx Therapeutics, MAR 25, 2025, View Source [SID1234651430]).

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The company will deliver an oral presentation on ADRX-0405, its clinical-stage STEAP1 ADC, and a poster presentation on ADRX-0134, its preclinical NaPi2b ADC. The presentations will underscore the versatility of Adcentrx’s ADC platform, showing advancements in therapeutic window expansion, bystander effect optimization, and payload delivery improvements for targeted cancer therapy. These innovations are powered by Adcentrx’s proprietary i-Conjugation technology, which integrates stable conjugation chemistry and a cleavable linker to optimize ADC properties, ensuring optimal payload delivery and therapeutic efficacy.

ADRX-0405, Adcentrx’s second clinical program and potential first-in-class STEAP1 ADC, has the opportunity to expand treatment options for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and other STEAP1-expressing tumors, where targeted therapy options remain limited. Featuring a novel topoisomerase inhibitor linker-payload, ADRX-0405 represents a distinct therapeutic approach for this disease with a high unmet need for more tolerable and effective therapies.

ADRX-0134 is a preclinical NaPi2b ADC incorporating AP052, the same clinically validated microtubule inhibitor payload used in Adcentrx’s lead program, ADRX-0706 (Nectin-4 ADC), currently enrolling patients in Phase 1b (NCT06036121). ADRX-0134 offers a differentiated approach for patients with lung and ovarian cancers, where few viable treatment options are available.

Details of the oral and poster presentations are as follows:

Oral Presentation
Title: Preclinical characterization of a novel STEAP1 antibody-drug conjugate ADRX-0405 for the treatment of mCRPC
Abstract Number: 1159
Session Date & Time: Sunday, April 27, 3:25 p.m. – 3:40 p.m. CST
Session Title: Antibody-Based Cancer Therapeutic Agents

Poster Presentation
Title: ADRX-0134 as a novel auristatin-based NaPi2b antibody-drug conjugate with widened therapeutic window
Abstract Number: 1563
Session Date & Time: Monday, April 28, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CST
Session Title: Antibody-Based Cancer Therapeutics 1

About i-Conjugation Technology
Adcentrx’s proprietary i-Conjugation technology platform is an important component in the design of the company’s ADCs. The platform utilizes protease-cleavable linkers and stable conjugation chemistry to enhance payload delivery. This advanced technology ensures a highly stable ADC with the desired linker-payload.

About ADRX-0405
ADRX-0405 is a clinical-stage next-generation ADC targeting six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of the prostate 1 (STEAP1), a cell surface protein that is upregulated in prostate cancer and certain other cancers with limited expression in normal healthy tissue. The ADC is composed of a humanized IgG1 antibody and novel topoisomerase inhibitor linker-payload conjugated at a drug-to-antibody ratio of eight (DAR 8) to maximize payload delivery to solid tumors. ADRX-0405 preclinical studies have demonstrated its favorable pharmacokinetics, safety profile, and significant efficacy across multiple animal tumor models. ADRX-0405 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1a/b clinical trial.

For more information about the ADRX-0405 Phase 1a/b clinical trial, please refer to the Study ID NCT06710379 on ClinicalTrials.gov.

About ADRX-0134
ADRX-0134 is a state-of-the-art preclinical ADC targeting NaPi2b, a cell surface sodium-dependent phosphate transporter expressed in lung and ovarian cancers with minimal expression in normal healthy tissues. The ADC is a human IgG1 antibody conjugated at DAR8 with Adcentrx’s clinically validated AP052 tubulin inhibitor payload, substantially expanding the therapeutic window of auristatin-based ADCs beyond existing vedotin technology. ADRX-0134 preclinical studies have demonstrated strong efficacy in lung and ovarian tumor models, and the ADC’s pharmacokinetics and safety profile are also favorable.

On March 25, 2025 Affimed N.V. (Nasdaq: AFMD), a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company committed to giving patients back their innate ability to fight cancer, reported an abstract on AFM24 dose optimization using exposure response analysis has been accepted for presentation as a poster at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) taking place April 25-30, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois (Press release, Affimed, MAR 25, 2025, View Source [SID1234651415]).

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Details of the poster presentation are as follows:

Title: Dose-Optimization Using Exposure Response Analysis in AFM24 (in Monotherapy and with Atezolizumab) in Patients with Advanced/Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Authors: Anthony El-Khoueiry, Omar Saavedra, Juanita Lopez, Hye Ryun Kim, Daniela Morales-Espinosa, Daniel Schütz, Andre Overesch, Andreas Harstrick, Kerstin Pietzko

Session Category and Title: Phase II Clinical Trials 1

Session Date and Time: Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM CDT

Location: Poster Section 49

Poster Board Number: 1

Published Abstract Number: CT161

The full abstract will be published online on April 25, 2025.

More details about the programs for the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2025 are available online at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2025 | Meetings | AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper).

About AFM24
AFM24 is a tetravalent, bispecific ICE that activates the innate immune system by binding to CD16A on innate immune cells and epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR), a protein widely expressed on solid tumors, to kill cancer cells. Generated by Affimed’s fit-for-purpose ROCK platform, AFM24 represents a distinctive mechanism of action that uses EGFR as a docking site to engage innate immune cells for tumor cell killing through antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis.

On March 25, 2025 ADC Therapeutics SA (NYSE: ADCT), a commercial-stage global leader and pioneer in the field of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), reported abstracts detailing multiple preclinical programs have been accepted for presentation at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2025, taking place April 25-30, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois (Press release, ADC Therapeutics, MAR 25, 2025, View Source [SID1234651431]).

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"We are excited to present preclinical data on our exatecan-based Claudin-6, PSMA, and ACST2-targeting antibody-drug conjugates," said Patrick van Berkel, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of ADC Therapeutics. "These ADCs hold promise for targeted cancer treatment in a broad range of cancer types, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to share our learnings across select solid tumors where there remains unmet need."

Details of ADC Therapeutics’ oral presentation at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) are as follows:

Title: Preclinical investigation of ADCT-242, a novel exatecan-based antibody drug conjugate targeting Claudin-6, as single agent or in combination in ovarian and non-small lung cancer models
Abstract: 1163
Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics
Session Title: Antibody-Based Cancer Therapeutic Agents
Date and Time: Sunday, April 27, 2025, 3:00-5:00 p.m. CT
Presenter: Chris Pickford, Head of Clinical Research, ADC Therapeutics

Details of ADC Therapeutics’ poster presentations at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) are as follows:

Title: Preclinical Development of ADCT-241, a Novel Exatecan-based Antibody-Drug Conjugate Targeting PSMA for the Treatment of Prostate Cancer
Abstract: 6736
Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics
Session Title: Antibody-Based Cancer Therapeutics 4
Date and Time: Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CT
Presenter: Ben Leatherdale, Senior Scientist, ADC Therapeutics

Title: HuB14-VA-PL2202, a novel antibody-drug conjugate targeting ASCT2, a novel ADC target over-expressed in both solid and hematological cancers
Abstract: 1580
Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics
Session Title: Antibody-Based Cancer Therapeutics 1
Date and Time: Monday, April 28, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CT
Presenter: Danilo Cucchi, Senior Scientist, ADC Therapeutics

On March 25, 2025 Cogent Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: COGT), a biotechnology company focused on developing precision therapies for genetically defined diseases, reported four preclinical poster presentations at the upcoming 2025 AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting being held in Chicago, IL April 25-30, 2025 (Press release, Cogent Biosciences, MAR 25, 2025, View Source [SID1234651416]).

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Poster Details

Title: Identification of a potent KRAS (ON) inhibitor with selectivity for mutant KRAS over HRAS and NRAS
Session Category: Chemistry
Session Title: Lead Identification and Optimization
Session Date and Time: April 30, 2025 – 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM CT (10:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET)
Location: Poster Section 25
Poster Board Number: 3
Published Abstract Number: 6974

Title: Preclinical characterization of CGT6297, a novel PI3Kα H1047R mutant-selective inhibitor
Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics
Session Title: Kinase and Phosphatase Inhibitors 2
Session Date and Time: April 28, 2025 – 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM CT (3:00 PM – 6:00 PM ET)
Location: Poster Section 20
Poster Board Number: 5
Published Abstract Number: 3004

Title: The Reversible and Selective FGFR2/3 inhibitor CGT4859 has superior target coverage of resistance mutations missed by leading FGFR inhibitors
Session Category: Clinical Research
Session Title: Targeted Therapies and Combinations 2
Session Start: April 29, 2025 – 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM CT (10:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET)
Location: Poster Section 34
Poster Board Number: 27
Published Abstract Number: 4729

Title: Identification of CGT4255 an EGFR sparing, pan-mutant HER2 clinical development candidate with potential best-in-class brain penetration
Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics
Session Title: Novel Antitumor Agents 3
Session Start: April 29, 2025 – 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM CT (3:00 PM – 6:00 PM ET)
Location: Poster Section 21
Poster Board Number: 1
Published Abstract Number: 5623

Inducement Grant Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)
Cogent also announced today that the Compensation Committee of Cogent’s Board of Directors, made up entirely of independent directors, approved the grant of an "inducement" equity award on March 21, 2025 to one new employee under the company’s 2020 Inducement Plan. The award was approved in accordance with Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) of the corporate governance rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market. The employee received a nonqualified option to purchase 9,700 shares of Cogent common stock. The option has a 10-year term, an exercise price equal to the closing price of Cogent’s common stock on the grant date, and a 4-year vesting schedule with 25% vesting on the 1-year anniversary of the grant date and the remainder vesting in equal monthly installments over the subsequent 36 months, provided such employee remains employed through each such vesting date.