MEI Pharma Presents ME-344 Study Design at 2024 ASCO GI Symposium

MEI Pharma, a pharmaceutical firm focused on developing innovative cancer treatments, is presenting its Phase 1b study at the 2024 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium. The study investigates the combination of ME-344, a mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) inhibitor, with bevacizumab (Avastin®) for treating metastatic colorectal cancer that has become resistant to standard therapies.

The research aims to exploit metabolic synthetic lethality by combining ME-344's ability to inhibit OXPHOS, a key process in ATP production, with bevacizumab's antiangiogenic properties. This combination forces cancer cells to rely on OXPHOS for energy, making them vulnerable to ME-344's inhibitory effects.

The trial is divided into two cohorts, with the first involving approximately 20 patients. ME-344 is administered at a dosage of 10 mg/kg weekly for three weeks alongside bevacizumab administered biweekly, with treatment cycles repeating every four weeks. If the non-progression rate meets a set threshold, an additional 20 patients will be enrolled in the second cohort. The primary goal is to assess progression-free survival, with secondary objectives including overall response rate, response duration, overall survival, and safety.

Conducted at Academic GI Cancer Consortium (AGICC) centers, the study builds on previous findings that suggest a combination of ME-344 and bevacizumab can enhance anti-angiogenic therapy's effectiveness. ME-344 has demonstrated anti-tumor activity in both nonclinical models and clinical studies, indicating its potential as a novel therapeutic agent.

MEI Pharma is dedicated to advancing cancer therapies by combining its drug candidates with existing treatments to overcome resistance and meet unmet medical needs. The company's pipeline includes voruciclib, an oral CDK9 inhibitor, and ME-344, which targets the oxidative phosphorylation pathway, offering new hope for cancer patients.

The symposium presentation will delve into the study's design and objectives, providing insights into the potential of ME-344 and bevacizumab as a synergistic treatment approach for colorectal cancer. The findings could pave the way for new strategies in cancer therapy, offering patients with resistant tumors a promising alternative.