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Regulatory Filings • Jun 2, 2016
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Corporate | 2 June 2016 07:30
4SC AG: 4SC at ASCO: 4SC 202 and checkpoint inhibitors – strong partners in cancer treatment
DGAP-News: 4SC AG / Key word(s): Conference/Study results
2016-06-02 / 07:30
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
4SC at ASCO: 4SC-202 and checkpoint inhibitors – strong partners in cancer treatment
4SC-202’s epigenetic mechanism of action makes tumors receptive to treatment with checkpoint inhibitors to which they would otherwise be resistant
Planegg-Martinsried, Germany, 2 June 2016 – 4SC AG (4SC, FSE Prime Standard: VSC) will present new research data at ASCO 2016 for its cancer compound 4SC-202. Current experiments show that due to its epigenetic mechanism of action, 4SC-202 is an effective combination partner for checkpoint inhibitors when treating cancer. 4SC-202 strengthens the body’s own immune system, is well-tolerated and can be taken in tablet form.
What are checkpoint inhibitors?
The human immune system is capable of self-regulation via a wide variety of mechanisms to prevent excessive or misdirected defensive reactions. Tumors exploit these immune system “checkpoints” to switch off the immune response that specifically targets them. This is where checkpoint inhibitors are effective: they inhibit the signaling pathways to “release the brakes” on the immune cells and enable them to attack the cancerous tissue again.
Examples of checkpoint inhibitors that have returned promising data after investigation in clinical trials worldwide include drugs that block the PD-1 (Programmed Death-1) receptor on the surface of immune cells. The PD-1 receptor interacts with its PD-L1 or PD-L2 ligands on the surface of cancer cells to prevent the immune cells from attacking the tumor. With the PD-1 receptor blocked, cancer cells can no longer escape the immune response.
4SC-202 strengthens checkpoint inhibitors
4SC-202 uses epigenetic mechanisms to attack cancer tissue, ensuring that genes silenced in cancer cells can once again be read or that excessively active regions can be downregulated. This changes the genetic activity of cancer cells, makes them visible to the body’s own immune system and more responsive to drug treatment.
In mice treated with 4SC-202, the growth rate of cancer tissue was significantly slower than in the untreated control group. Unlike comparable medications, 4SC-202 targeted and attacked cancer cells while leaving immune cells largely untouched.
In another mouse model, 4SC’s team of scientists has now shown that 4SC-202 is an effective combination partner for checkpoint inhibitors. “4SC-202 inhibits tumor growth, and the number of immune cells attacking the cancer tissue was substantially increased by treatment with 4SC-202 at clinically relevant doses,” says 4SC’s Chief Development Officer and & Chief Scientific Officer Dr Daniel Vitt, in summarizing the new experiments. “In a subsequent step, we gave the animals PD-1 blockers only or PD-1 blockers combined with 4SC-202. While treatment with PD-1 blockers alone in these animals had virtually no effect, tumor size receded substantially in the group receiving the combination therapy. This shows that 4SC-202 induces a response in tumors that would otherwise be resistant to treatment with checkpoint inhibitors.”
4SC’s CEO & CFO Enno Spillner explains the significance of these data: “We are happy to be able to present another set of encouraging data for our epigenetic oncology compound 4SC-202. When combined with the finding that 4SC-202 strengthens the body’s immune response to cancer, these data underscore the potential of 4SC-202, which was first demonstrated during last year’s successfully completed Phase I TOPAS trial. In this clinical study, 4SC-202 proved to be safe and well-tolerated in patients with advanced hematologic cancer. The new data we have collected offer additional options for the clinical development of 4SC-202, particularly in combination with the large number of checkpoint inhibitors either already on the market or in clinical development.” Key treatment approaches now being considered include those for patients with hematological tumors and small-cell lung cancer.
4SC at the ASCO
Dr Hella Kohlhof, Director of Product Development at 4SC, presents the scientific details of the new data on 4SC-202 at the ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago, USA (http://am.asco.org/):
| Poster | 4SC-202: Epigenetic modulation to pave the way for checkpoint inhibition ( http://abstracts.asco.org/176/AbstView_176_169794.html ) |
| Time | Monday, 6 June 2016, 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm CDT |
| Location | Hall A, poster board #243 |
– End of press release –
Further information
About 4SC-202
Administered as a tablet, 4SC-202 is an epigenetic oncology compound with a unique therapeutic profile. In a Phase I trial of the treatment of advanced hematological cancer, 4SC-202 proved to be safe and well tolerated. In addition, initial indications of efficacy were determined. 4SC-202 works as a selective inhibitor of LSD1 (lysine-specific demethylase 1) and HDAC (histone deacetylase) 1, 2 and 3. 4SC-202 also strengthens the endogenous immune response to cancer tissue.
About 4SC
4SC ( www.4cs.com ) is a biotechnology company dedicated to the research and development of small-molecule drugs focused on epigenetic mechanisms of action for the treatment of cancers with high unmet medical needs. These drugs are intended to provide innovative treatment options for cancer patients that are more tolerable and efficacious than existing therapies, provide a better quality of life and offer increased life expectancy. The Company’s pipeline comprises promising products that are in various stages of clinical development. 4SC’s aim is to generate future growth and enhance its enterprise value by entering into partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Founded in 1997, 4SC had 50 employees at 1 May 2016. 4SC has been listed on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since December 2005.
Forward-looking information
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement applies only on the date of this press release. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may or may not occur in the future and as a result of which the actual results and performance may differ substantially from the expected future results or performance expressed or implied in the forward looking statements. No warranties or representations are made as to the accuracy, achievement or reasonableness of such statements, estimates or projections, and 4SC AG has no obligation to update any such information or to correct any inaccuracies herein or omission herefrom which may become apparent.
Related articles
(http://www.4sc.com/investors/corporate-news/)
21 March 2016, Epigenetic compound 4SC-202 strengthens endogenous immune response to cancer
30 September 2015, 4SC receives funding from the Eurostars programme for further research of its anti-cancer agents with an epigenetic mode of action
Contact
4SC AG
Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
Wolfgang Güssgen, [email protected] , +49 89 700763-73
Dr. Anna Niedl, [email protected] , +49 89 700763-66
MC Services
Katja Arnold, [email protected] , +49 89 210228-40
The Ruth Group
Carol Ruth, [email protected] , +1 646 536 7004
2016-06-02 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP – a service of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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| Language: | English |
| Company: | 4SC AG |
| Am Klopferspitz 19a | |
| 82152 Planegg-Martinsried | |
| Germany | |
| Phone: | +49 (0)89 7007 63-0 |
| Fax: | +49 (0)89 7007 63-29 |
| E-mail: | [email protected] |
| Internet: | www.4sc.com |
| ISIN: | DE000A14KL72 |
| WKN: | A14KL7 |
| Listed: | Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange |
| End of News | DGAP News Service |