On October 8, 2021 Tachyon Therapeutics, Inc. ("Tachyon" or "the Company"), a research and development biotechnology company, reported the presentation of data from its TACH101 program in a virtual poster presentation at the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper)-NCI-EORTC International Conference On Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics being held virtually from October 7-10, 2021 (Press release, Tachyon Therapeutics, OCT 8, 2021, View Source [SID1234591023]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Data presented in this abstract and poster are from preclinical studies demonstrating TACH101 target engagement and potency screening to identify molecular biomarkers of response and/or an indication associated with high TACH101 sensitivity. The data showed potent inhibition of gene expression by TACH101 and an increased sensitivity of TACH101 in colorectal cancer, especially those harboring microsatellite instability high (MSI-H) signature.

"Patient selection is critical for the successful development of any drug candidate," stated Frank Perabo, MD, PhD, CEO of Tachyon Therapeutics. "One of the key objectives for our program is to prioritize target indications in which TACH101 is likely to exert most therapeutic benefit. Being able to understand target populations early on generates knowledge that guides clinical trial design, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful transition into clinic."

Highlights from the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper)-NCI-EORTC abstract and poster presentation are summarized below:

Abstract #P086

RNA-seq evaluation in tumor tissue identified several genes that were up- or downregulated by TACH101, including Protein Phosphatase 1 Regulatory subunit 10 (PPP1R10 or PNUTS).
TACH101 treatment caused 86% repression of PNUTS mRNA, as well as a 51% increase in H3K9me3 (a mark of repressed transcription); a 78% decrease in H3K36me3 at the PNUTS gene was also observed.
Bioinformatics analyses conducted across a large panel of cancer cell lines (>300) showed that cell lines with MSI-H status tended to be more sensitive to TACH101 in vitro. This association was found with other markers of MSI-H status such as MMR gene mutations, MLH1 methylation status, and overall mutation frequency.
To further test this association, TACH101 was evaluated in a panel of patient-derived xenograft (PDX) and organoid models. The results showed a strong correlation of TACH101 sensitivity with MSI-H status (IC50 ranges 1~150 nM).
The virtual poster presentation titled, "Identification of pharmacodynamic and sensitivity biomarkers for TACH101, a pan-inhibitor of KDM4 histone lysine demethylase" is available for on-demand viewing by conference attendees on the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper)-NCI-EORTC conference website at View Source