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Celsius Therapeutics Appoints Tariq Kassum, M.D., as Chief Executive Officer

On June 11, 2019 Celsius Therapeutics, a company translating single-cell genomic insights into precision therapeutics for patients with autoimmune diseases and cancer, reported the appointment of Tariq Kassum, M.D., as president and chief executive officer (Press release, Celsius Therapeutics, JUN 11, 2019, View Source [SID1234537002]). Dr. Kassum brings nearly 20 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry to Celsius. He succeeds interim CEO Alexis Borisy, who will remain chairman of the company’s board of directors.

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"Since its launch just over a year ago, Celsius has been making tremendous progress, and we are very excited to welcome Tariq as CEO to lead the company through its next phase of development," said Alexis Borisy, chairman of Celsius. "Tariq brings a highly diverse skill set incorporating corporate development, strategy and business leadership. His extensive experience in multiple settings in the biotechnology industry will be instrumental in helping guide the company going forward."

Dr. Kassum joins the company from Obsidian Therapeutics, where he was a co-founder and served as chief operating officer and head of corporate development. During this time, Dr. Kassum helped build Obsidian into a leading platform technology company and played a central role in the company’s strategic partnership with Celgene. Prior to Obsidian, Dr. Kassum spent seven years with Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Takeda, most recently as vice president, business development and strategy for Takeda Oncology, responsible for transactions, collaborations, alliance management and strategic planning. He also led Takeda’s global corporate development efforts, where he managed multiple acquisitions and divestitures. Prior to Takeda, Dr. Kassum was an analyst covering healthcare equities for institutional investment firms, where he led diligence and investment decisions on numerous companies and pharmaceutical compounds. He began his career as an investment banker with CIBC World Markets serving clients in the biotechnology and specialty pharmaceuticals industries. He holds an M.D. from University of Toronto and an A.B. from Cornell University.

"Celsius has integrated a unique combination of technologies, including single-cell genomics, machine learning, deep biology and drug discovery, all in the service of patients with serious conditions including autoimmune diseases and cancer," said Dr. Kassum. "I am thrilled to be joining the company at this stage as we establish the power of this multifaceted approach to drive a portfolio of transformative therapies for patients."

Tarveda Therapeutics to Present at Raymond James Life Sciences and MedTech Conference

On June 11, 2019 Tarveda Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing a new class of potent and selective precision oncology medicines for the treatment of patients with a wide range of solid tumor malignancies, reported that Drew Fromkin, President and Chief Executive Officer, will present at the Raymond James Life Sciences and MedTech Conference occurring June 18-19, 2019 in New York City (Press release, Tarveda Therapeutics, JUN 11, 2019, View Source [SID1234537001]). Tarveda presentation details:

Date: Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Time: 8:00am Eastern Time
Location: Lotte New York Palace, New York, NY

Boehringer Ingelheim and University of Dundee Highlight Successful PROTAC Drug Discovery Program and Extend Their Ongoing Anti-Cancer Alliance

On June 11, 2019 Following the success of their ongoing alliance, Boehringer Ingelheim and the University of Dundee reported that they extend their collaboration to develop new medicines that target and destroy key cancer causing proteins (Press release, Boehringer Ingelheim, JUN 11, 2019, View Source [SID1234537000]). This brings together the expertise of Professor Alessio Ciulli, one of the pioneers in the field of Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs), based in the School of Life Sciences at Dundee, with Boehringer Ingelheim’s pharmaceutical expertise and commitment to bring innovative medicines to patients with cancer.

PROTACs represent a new class of drug candidates with the potential to tackle compelling cancer targets which have failed traditional medicinal chemistry approaches. They work by harnessing the cell’s natural disposal system (the ubiquitin-proteasome). Candidate disease-causing proteins are labelled as "expired" proteins which the proteasome then shreds.

"PROTACs are a disruptive therapeutic modality which are bringing previously deemed undruggable targets within reach. Our collaboration will continue to work to bring this new class of medicines to patients," said Darryl B. McConnell, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Research Site Head, Boehringer Ingelheim, Vienna, Austria. "The joint team is making rapid progress and have successfully reached the first collaboration milestone setting a solid basis for achieving our goals."

Since the initiation of the collaboration in 2016 and a significant expansion in 2018, the application of PROTACs has grown dramatically. However, designing PROTACs remains challenging and largely empirical in nature, hindering faster progress in the field. The partners have thus developed a structure-based design approach as a solid basis to accelerate further development. In addition, to boost PROTAC research around the world, Boehringer Ingelheim has made the protein degrader compound MZ-1, developed at the University of Dundee, freely available through its opnMe portal in 2018. Further PROTAC molecules are considered for release on opnMe based on the success of this initiative.

The joint team has reported recent progress in a number of scientific publications, including most recently in the journal Nature Chemical Biology. This publication highlights their approach to use 3-dimensional pictures at atomic resolution to design highly potent and selective drug candidates. The new approach has yielded the first PROTAC which shreds SMARCA2, a protein that drives the tumors of more than 20,000 new patients with cancer each year and for which drug discovery approaches have otherwise been unsuccessful to date.

"Our joint publication is a leading example of translating the detailed understanding we are developing of how PROTACs work, to craft degrader molecules that effectively tackle previously ‘undruggable’ targets", said Alessio Ciulli, Ph.D., Chair of Chemical and Structural Biology at the University of Dundee, and winner of the 2016 RSC Capps Green Zomaya Award for medicinal chemistry. "The expansion marks an important milestone in the development of our alliance. It enables the joint team to drive the next phase of degrading highly-prized cancer targets previously intractable via other approaches"

Boehringer Ingelheim is focusing on developing innovative new treatment approaches providing outstanding value for patients. To achieve this, the company is increasing its commitment to external innovation, and is working with top partners from academia and industry worldwide. A growing network of academic collaborations reflects the company’s focus on emerging science that could open new avenues leading to the breakthrough medications of the future.

ONCURIOUS NV Receives Project Grant from VLAIO to Progress its Pipeline of Next Generation Cancer Immunotherapies

On June 11, 2019 ONCURIOUS NV, a Belgium-based biotech company focusing on the development of innovative oncology treatments, reported that it has received from Flanders Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) a project grant of close to €1 million to support the further pre-clinical development of its pipeline of next generation cancer immunotherapies (Press release, Oncurious, JUN 11, 2019, View Source [SID1234536999]). Oncurious will do this in close collaboration with VIB Discovery Sciences, steered by the scientific input of the VIB founding labs.

This non-dilutive grant funding will be used to identify a number of multi-specific biologics with distinct modes of action against immunomodulatory targets. These candidates will then be assessed in pre-clinical tumor models, both as monotherapies and in combination with standard of care treatment. The funds will also support the further development of Oncurious, including the recruitment of several scientists.

Patrik De Haes, MD, Executive Chairman of ONCURIOUS NV comments, "We are delighted by the potential of our pipeline of next generation immunotherapies and this project grant will provide us with funding to generate and select the most appropriate candidates to take further into pre-clinical development. We believe that the development of our immunotherapy pipeline, will in time, be an important source of value for Oncurious’ shareholders."

Johan Cardoen, PhD, Managing Director of VIB comments, "We are pleased that VLAIO has recognized the compelling science behind our portfolio of next-generation immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. This grant funding will enable Oncurious to hire scientists and conduct a range of experiments designed to provide the data needed to select the most appropriate novel immuno-oncology assets for further development."

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For further information please contact:

Oxurion NV / Oncurious NV
Wouter Piepers
Global Head of Investor Relations & Communications
+32 16 75 13 10 / +32 478 33 56 32
[email protected]

VIB
Sooike Stoops
Expert Press and Public Communication
+32 9 244 66 11 / +32 474 28 92 52
[email protected]
EU – Citigate Dewe Rogerson
David Dible/ Sylvie Berrebi
Tel: +44 20 7638 9571
[email protected] US – LifeSci Public Relations
Alison Chen
+1646-876-4932
[email protected]

Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Zai Lab Limited Announce an Exclusive License Agreement for Ripretinib in Greater China

On June 11, 2019 Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:DCPH), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on addressing key mechanisms of tumor drug resistance, and Zai Lab Ltd. (NASDAQ: ZLAB), a China and U.S.-based innovative biopharmaceutical company, reported an exclusive license agreement to advance the development and commercialization of ripretinib in Greater China (mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) (Press release, Zai Laboratory, JUN 11, 2019, View Source [SID1234536997]). Discovered and developed by Deciphera, ripretinib is an investigational, oral, kinase switch control inhibitor in clinical development for the treatment of GIST and other solid tumors driven by KIT or PDGFRα.

Under the terms of the agreement, Deciphera will receive an upfront cash payment of $20 million and will be eligible to receive up to $185 million in potential development and commercial milestone payments. In addition, Zai Lab would pay Deciphera royalties from low to high teens on annual net sales of ripretinib in Greater China. Zai Lab receives exclusive regional development and commercialization rights for ripretinib in Greater China. Zai Lab plans to leverage its regulatory and clinical expertise to lead development of ripretinib in this territory. Deciphera intends to expand the ongoing global Phase 3 INTRIGUE study, comparing ripretinib to sunitinib in second-line GIST patients, and is currently assessing the addition of clinical trial sites in China.

"We believe Zai Lab is the ideal partner for the development and potential commercialization of ripretinib in Greater China," said Steve Hoerter, President and Chief Executive Officer of Deciphera. "Zai Lab’s strong track record of rapidly progressing the development of innovative product candidates will be a major asset in accelerating the development of ripretinib in this area of the world. We are excited to be working with Zai Lab to potentially offer patients in Greater China what we believe is a much needed therapeutic option for the treatment of GIST."

"We are very pleased to enter into this exclusive agreement for ripretinib and look forward to partnering with Deciphera to potentially bring ripretinib to GIST patients in Greater China," said Dr. Samantha Du, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Zai Lab. "Based on encouraging clinical data reported to-date, we believe ripretinib, if approved, could alter the treatment landscape for GIST patients. Ripretinib has strong clinical and commercial synergies with our existing pipeline of late stage gastrointestinal cancer programs. We are committed to working with Deciphera to expand the global effort to bring this important potential therapy to patients."

"Each year in China, approximately 30,000 patients are newly diagnosed with GIST, and an estimated 100,000 GIST patients are currently under treatment," said Dr. Lin Shen, Head of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology GIST Expert Committee and Vice President of Clinical Oncology at Beijing Cancer Hospital. "There are significant unmet medical needs in GIST treatment especially for refractory patients after imatinib therapy. Based on preliminary data, I believe that ripretinib has a promising efficacy and safety profile that, if approved, could make it a good potential option for GIST patients."

About Ripretinib

Ripretinib is an investigational KIT and PDGFRα kinase switch control inhibitor in clinical development for the treatment of KIT and/or PDGFRα-driven cancers, including GIST, systemic mastocytosis, or SM, and other cancers. Ripretinib was specifically designed to improve the treatment of GIST patients by inhibiting a broad spectrum of mutations in KIT and PDGFRα. Ripretinib is a KIT and PDGFRα inhibitor that blocks initiating and secondary KIT mutations in exons 9, 11, 13, 14, 17, and 18, involved in GIST as well as the primary D816V exon 17 mutation involved in SM. Ripretinib also inhibits primary PDGFRα mutations in exons 12, 14 and 18, including the exon 18 D842V mutation, involved in a subset of GIST.