Acrivon Therapeutics Announces Initial Patient Dosing in Phase 1 Trial of ACR-2316, a Novel WEE1/PKMYT1 Inhibitor Designed Using AP3 for Superior Single-Agent Activity
October 11 2024 - 7:00AM
Acrivon Therapeutics, Inc. (“Acrivon” or “Acrivon Therapeutics”)
(Nasdaq: ACRV), a clinical stage precision medicine company
utilizing its Acrivon Predictive Precision Proteomics (AP3)
platform for the discovery, design, and development of drug
candidates through a mechanistic match to patients whose disease is
predicted sensitive to the specific treatment, today announced that
the first patient has been dosed in its Phase 1 clinical trial
evaluating ACR-2316, the company’s internally discovered, potent,
selective WEE1/PKMYT1 inhibitor, designed by AP3 to overcome the
limitations of single-target WEE1 and PKMYT1 inhibitors. ACR-2316
is initially being developed in selected solid tumors identified by
AP3.
“The rapid advancement of ACR-2316 into the clinic was enabled
by the powerful capabilities of our AP3 Interactome which leverages
machine learning to integrate all in-house AP3 phosphoproteomic
drug profiling data yielding actionable insights with direct
application for streamlined drug discovery,” said Peter
Blume-Jensen, M.D., Ph.D., chief executive officer, president, and
founder of Acrivon. “Dosing of the first patient is an exciting
first milestone for this novel, potent agent which we believe has
the potential for broad impact across prevalent cancer types with
high unmet need. This progress serves as a testament to the
unwavering commitment of the outstanding Acrivon team. We look
forward to progressing this trial and expect to report initial
clinical data in the second half of 2025.”
The Phase 1 monotherapy clinical trial for ACR-2316 is designed
to assess the safety and tolerability of ACR-2316. Additional
objectives include the determination of the maximal tolerated dose
and recommended Phase 2 monotherapy dose, characterization of the
pharmacokinetic profile, and preliminary evaluation of anti-tumor
activity. Dose optimization will be guided by drug target
engagement in alignment with the Food and Drug Administration’s
Project Optimus. AP3-based indication finding and OncoSignature
development is ongoing.
About Acrivon Therapeutics Acrivon is a
clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing precision
oncology medicines that it matches to patients whose tumors are
predicted to be sensitive to each specific medicine by utilizing
Acrivon’s proprietary proteomics-based patient responder
identification platform, Acrivon Predictive Precision Proteomics,
or AP3. The AP3 platform is engineered to measure compound-specific
effects on the entire tumor cell protein signaling network and
drug-induced resistance mechanisms in an unbiased manner. These
distinctive capabilities enable AP3’s direct application for drug
design optimization for monotherapy activity, the identification of
rational drug combinations, and the creation of drug-specific
proprietary OncoSignature companion diagnostics that are used to
identify the patients most likely to benefit from Acrivon’s drug
candidates. Acrivon is currently advancing its lead candidate,
ACR-368 (also known as prexasertib), a selective small molecule
inhibitor targeting CHK1 and CHK2 in a potentially registrational
Phase 2 trial across multiple tumor types. The company has received
Fast Track designation from the Food and Drug Administration, or
FDA, for the investigation of ACR-368 as monotherapy based on
OncoSignature-predicted sensitivity in patients with
platinum-resistant ovarian or endometrial cancer. Acrivon’s ACR-368
OncoSignature test, which has not yet obtained regulatory approval,
has been extensively evaluated in preclinical studies, including in
two separate, blinded, prospectively-designed studies on
pretreatment tumor biopsies collected from past third-party Phase 2
trials in patients with ovarian cancer treated with ACR-368. The
FDA has granted Breakthrough Device designation for the ACR-368
OncoSignature assay for the identification of ovarian cancer
patients who may benefit from ACR-368 treatment. The company
reported positive clinical data for ovarian and endometrial cancers
in April 2024, and in September 2024 it reported additional
positive clinical data for endometrial cancer, including a
confirmed overall response rate of 62.5% (95% C.I. 30.4% - 86.5%)
and further validation of its prospective OncoSignature selection
of patients predicted sensitive to ACR-368 by showing segregation
of responders in OncoSignature-positive versus
OncoSignature-negative patients (p = 0.009). The median duration of
treatment was not yet reached, but the duration on study was 6
months at the time of the data cut.
In addition to ACR-368, Acrivon is also leveraging its
proprietary AP3 precision medicine platform for developing its
co-crystallography-driven, internally-discovered pipeline programs.
These include ACR-2316, the company’s second clinical stage asset,
a potent, selective WEE1/PKMYT1 inhibitor designed for superior
single-agent activity as demonstrated in preclinical studies
against benchmark inhibitors. The company is also progressing
internally- developed preclinical programs, including a cell cycle
program with an undisclosed target.
Acrivon leverages its AP3 Interactome, a proprietary,
computational analytics platform leveraging machine learning for
integrated comprehensive analyses across all large, in-house AP3
phosphoproteomic drug profiling data sets to advance its in-house
research programs.
Forward-Looking Statements This press release
includes certain disclosures that contain “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 about us and our industry that involve
substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements other than
statements of historical facts contained in this press release,
including statements regarding our future results of operations or
financial condition, preclinical and clinical results, business
strategy and plans and objectives of management for future
operations, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can
identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such
as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,”
“estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,”
“predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” or “would” or the
negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions.
Forward-looking statements are based on Acrivon’s current
expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and
assumptions that are difficult to predict. Factors that could cause
actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, risks and
uncertainties that are described more fully in the section titled
“Risk Factors” in our reports filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements contained in this
press release are made as of this date, and Acrivon undertakes no
duty to update such information except as required under applicable
law.
Investor and Media Contacts: Adam D. Levy,
Ph.D., M.B.A.alevy@acrivon.com
Alexandra Santos asantos@wheelhouselsa.com
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