Beskrivning
Land | Norge |
---|---|
Lista | OB Match |
Sektor | Hälsovård |
Industri | Bioteknik |
2021-07-10 13:00:13
Bergen, Norway, 10 July 2021?- BerGenBio ASA (OSE: BGBIO), a clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company developing novel, selective AXL kinase inhibitors for
severe unmet medical need, announces that preclinical data from a study
investigating the anti-tumor efficacy of BerGenBio's AXL
-inhibitors bemcentinib and tilvestamab in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) was
presented at the European Association of Urology 2021 virtual congress.
Data from the study, conducted by researchers at the University of Bergen,
Department of Clinical Medicine, showed that both bemcentinib and tilvestamab
prevented Gas6-induced AXL phosphorylation in vitro and effectively prevented
tumour growth in an orthotopic RCC xenograft model in vivo.
Tony J. Chen, Principal Investigator of the study commented: "Our data shows
that AXL-inhibitors effectively reduce tumor size in an orthotopic RCC model.
Following these encouraging results, we believe AXL-inhibition represents a
promising strategy in treatment of RCC and warrants further investigation."
Details of the presentation are as follows:
Title: The Successful therapy of experimental, orthotopic renal cell carcinoma
with two different types of AXL-inhibiting agents
Date/Time: 10th July at 13-14.00 CET
The presentation can be found at the company website www.bergenbio.com
-Ends-
About AXL
AXL kinase is a cell membrane receptor and an essential mediator of the
biological mechanisms underlying life-threatening diseases.
In COVID-19, AXL has two synergistic mechanisms of action, it acts a co-receptor
to ACE2, to which the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus attaches and enters
the host cell, and AXL expression is upregulated that leads to suppression of
the Type 1 Interferon immune response by host cells and in their environment.
Research data confirms bemcentinib inhibits SARS-CoV-2 host cell entry and
promotes the anti-viral Type I interferon response. Data from a Phase II in
human clinical trial has shown that treatment with AXL inhibitor bemcentinib
increased the rate ventilator free survival in hospitalised COVID-19 patients.
In cancer, increase in AXL expression has been linked to key mechanisms of drug
resistance and immune escape by tumour cells, leading to aggressive metastatic
cancers. AXL suppresses the body's immune response to tumours and drives
treatment failure across many cancers. High AXL expression defines a very poor
prognosis subgroup in most cancers. AXL inhibitors, such as bemcentinib,
therefore, have potential high value as monotherapy and as the cornerstone of
cancer combination therapy, addressing significant unmet medical needs and
multiple high-value market opportunities. Research has also shown that AXL
mediates other aggressive diseases including fibrosis.
About Bemcentinib
Bemcentinib (formerly known as BGB324), is a potential first-in-class, potent
and highly selective AXL inhibitor, currently in a broad phase II clinical
development programme. It is administered as an oral capsule and taken once per
day. Ongoing clinical trials are investigating bemcentinib in COVID-19, and
multiple solid and haematological tumours, in combination with current and
emerging therapies (including immunotherapies, targeted therapies and
chemotherapy), and as a single agent. Bemcentinib targets and binds to the
intracellular catalytic kinase domain of AXL receptor tyrosine kinase and
inhibits its activity.
About BerGenBio ASA
BerGenBio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing
transformative drugs targeting AXL as a potential cornerstone of therapy for
aggressive diseases, including immune-evasive, therapy resistant cancers. The
company's proprietary lead candidate, bemcentinib, is a potentially first-in
-class selective AXL inhibitor in a broad phase II clinical development
programme focused on combination and single agent therapy in cancer, leukaemia
and COVID-19. A first-in-class functional blocking anti-AXL
antibody, tilvestamab, is undergoing phase I clinical testing. In
parallel, BerGenBio is developing a companion diagnostic test to identify
patient populations most likely to benefit from AXL inhibition: this is expected
to facilitate more efficient registration trials supporting a precision medicine
-based commercialisation strategy.
BerGenBio is based in Bergen, Norway with a subsidiary in Oxford, UK. The
company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker: BGBIO). For more
information, visit www.bergenbio.com
Contacts
ir@bergenbio.com
Richard Godfrey CEO, BerGenBio ASA
Rune Skeie, CFO, BerGenBio ASA
rune.skeie@bergenbio.com
+47 917 86 513
International Media Relations
Mary-Jane Elliott, Chris Welsh, Lucy Featherstone, Carina Jurs
Consilium Strategic Communications
bergenbio@consilium-comms.com
+44 20 3709 5700
Media Relations in Norway
Jan Petter Stiff, Crux Advisers
stiff@crux.no
+47 995 13 891
Forward looking statements
This announcement may contain forward-looking statements, which as such are not
historical facts, but are based upon various assumptions, many of which are
based, in turn, upon further assumptions. These assumptions are inherently
subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
important factors. Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important
factors could cause actual events to differ materially from the expectations
expressed or implied in this announcement by such forward-looking statements.
This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5
-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.