Relapsing acute myeloid leukemia

LEXINGTON, Mass., Oct. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Curis, Inc. ("Curis") (NASDAQ: CRIS), a biotechnology company focused on the development of emavusertib (CA-4948), an orally available, small molecule IRAK4 inhibitor, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with a combination of existing and new investors for the purchase of 2,398,414 shares of its common stock in a registered direct offering priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules. In a concurrent private placement, Curis also agreed to issue to the investors in the registered direct offering unregistered warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 2,398,414 shares of common stock. The unregistered warrants to be issued in the concurrent private placement will have an exercise price of $4.92 per share of common stock, will be exercisable immediately and will expire five years following the issuance date. The combined purchase price for one share of common stock and the associated unregistered warrant is $5.045. Gross proceeds to Curis from the offering are expected to be approximately $12.1 million, before deducting the placement agents' fees and other offering expenses payable by Curis. Curis intends to use the net proceeds from the offering on research, development, working capital, and other general corporate purposes. The registered direct offering and concurrent private placement are each expected to close on or about October 30, 2024, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Truist Securities and Laidlaw & Company (U.K.) Ltd. are acting as placement agents for the registered direct offering and the concurrent private placement. The shares of common stock offered in the registered direct offering (but excluding the unregistered warrants to be issued in the concurrent private placement and shares of common stock underlying the unregistered warrants) are being offered by Curis pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-276950) that was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on February 8, 2024 and declared effective by the SEC on April 12, 2024. A prospectus supplement relating to and describing the terms of the registered direct offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC's website at . The registered direct offering is being made only by means of a prospectus and related prospectus supplement. When available, electronic copies of the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may also be obtained from Truist Securities, Inc., Attention: Prospectus Department, 3333 Peachtree Road NE, 9th floor, Atlanta, Georgia 30326, by telephone at (800) 685-4786, or by email at [email protected]; and Laidlaw & Company (U.K.) Ltd., Attention: [email protected]. The unregistered warrants are being offered in the concurrent private placement pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), provided in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and/or Regulation D promulgated thereunder and, along with the shares of common stock underlying such unregistered warrants, have not been registered under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws. Curis has agreed to file a resale registration statement with the SEC covering the resale of the shares of common stock underlying the unregistered warrants. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. About Curis, Inc. Curis is a biotechnology company focused on the development of emavusertib, an orally available, small molecule IRAK4 inhibitor. Emavusertib is currently undergoing testing in the Phase 1/2 TakeAim Lymphoma study (CA-4948-101) in patients with relapsed/refractory primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) in combination with the BTK inhibitor ibrutinib, as a monotherapy in the Phase 1/2 TakeAim Leukemia study (CA-4948-102) in patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and relapsed/refractory high risk myelodysplastic syndrome (hrMDS) with either a FLT3 mutation or a splicing factor mutation (U2AF1 or SF3B2), and as a frontline combination therapy with azacitidine and venetoclax in patents with AML (CA-4948-104). Emavusertib has received Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of AML and MDS and from the European Commission for the treatment of PCNSL. Curis, through its 2015 collaboration with Aurigene, has the exclusive license to emavusertib (CA-4948). Curis licensed its rights to Erivedge® to Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, under which they are commercializing Erivedge® for the treatment of advanced basal cell carcinoma. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, any statements with respect to Curis's registered direct offering and concurrent private placement, anticipated use of proceeds, prospects for Curis and the expected closing of the registered direct offering and the concurrent private placement. Forward-looking statements may contain the words "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "intends," "seeks," "estimates," "assumes," "predicts," "projects," "targets," "will," "may," "would," "could," "should," "continue," "potential," "focus," "strategy," "mission" or similar expressions. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such a difference include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties related to market and other conditions, the satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the registered direct offering and the concurrent private placement and the impact of general economic, industry or political conditions in the United States or internationally. There can be no assurance that Curis will be able to complete the registered direct offering and the concurrent private placement on the anticipated terms, or at all. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Additional risks and uncertainties relating to the registered direct offering, Curis and its business can be found under the caption "Risk Factors" included in Curis's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, Curis's prospectus supplement to be filed with the SEC, and in other filings that Curis periodically makes with the SEC. In addition, any forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the view of Curis only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing Curis's views as of any subsequent date. Curis disclaims any intention or obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. SOURCE Curis, Inc. WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

BOSTON, Oct. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HiberCell, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapeutics to address advanced cancer and cancer resistance, is pleased to announce that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation to HC-7366 for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia. The FDA’s Fast Track program aims to facilitate the development, and expedite the review, of novel potential therapies that are designed to treat serious conditions and have the potential to address significant unmet medical need. “We are proud to announce the grant of Fast Track designation by the FDA,” said Jonathan Lanfear, President & CEO of HiberCell. Receiving Fast Track designation highlights the FDA’s recognition of the robust preclinical data generated to date for HC-7366 and the potential for HC-7366 to address the significant unmet need that exists in R/R AML.” Mr. Lanfear continued, “HC-7366 was the first GCN2-activator to enter the clinic in AML and is the only GCN2-targeting agent to receive Fast Track designation for the treatment of AML, validating our preclinical and translational efforts. We plan to leverage the Fast-Track designation to work closely with the FDA to facilitate and, potentially accelerate the development of HC-7366 in AML.” HC-7366 is currently under clinical investigation in both solid and liquid tumor settings. The Phase 1b study in AML (NCT06285890) will evaluate the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of HC-7366 in relapsed/refractory (R/R) AML or MDS AML. This study aims to determine the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) of HC-7366 in a R/R AML population. Dependent on observations in the dose escalation portion, this study may include additional combination and monotherapy expansions. About HC-7366 HC-7366 is a first-in-class, first-in-human, selective, potent, small molecule activator of the general control nonderepressible 2 (GCN2) kinase. GCN2 is one of the kinases of the integrated stress response (ISR) family, which responds to amino acid deprivation and is a key metabolic stress sensor in cells. While cancer cells utilize the ISR for survival, prolonged or hyperactivation of GCN2 with HC-7366 has been shown to have antitumor and immunomodulatory activity as a monotherapy and in combination with standard of care agents in both solid and liquid tumor models. HC-7366 is currently under clinical development in a Phase 1b/2 study in clear cell renal cell carcinoma in combination with belzutifan (NCT06234605) and in a Phase 1b study in R/R AML (NCT06285890). About HiberCell HiberCell is a clinical stage oncology company, dedicated to the advancement of first-in-class agents with the novel MOA of modulation of adaptive stress pathways and antitumor immunity. We believe that therapeutic modulation of these mechanisms allows us to address advanced cancer and cancer resistance. Our product candidates HC-5404 and HC-7366, both having completed Phase 1a clinical trials, target the stress response kinases PERK and GCN2, respectively, while our product candidate odetiglucan, currently advancing towards Phase 2 clinical development, modulates the antitumor innate immune response. For more information about HiberCell, please visit hibercell.com. For Media/Investor Inquiries: IR@hibercell.com

VIP943 demonstrates promising safety and tolerability and achieves two complete responses to date in Phase 1 dose-escalation study, reinforcing the program’s potential and validating the VersAptx™ Platform technology Vincerx focusing resources on continued development of VIP943 Expected cash runway into early 2025 Management to host webcast and Q&A today at 5:00 PM EDT to review pipeline and corporate updates, followed by commentary from key opinion leader Dr. M. Yair Levy Oct. 07, 2024 -- Vincerx Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: VINC), a biopharmaceutical company aspiring to address the unmet medical needs of patients with cancer through paradigm-shifting therapeutics, announced two complete responses in the ongoing first-in-human, Phase 1 dose-escalation study of VIP943, the Company’s next-generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) being evaluated in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML), higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (HR-MDS), and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). The Company also provided pipeline and corporate updates. The ongoing Phase 1 dose-escalation study of VIP943 has enrolled 22 patients to date across several escalating dose cohorts (0.2 to 1.3 mg/kg once weekly). These 22 patients represent a ‘hard-to-treat’ salvage population, which rarely responds to monotherapy. Nine patients (six AML; three HR-MDS) have received at least three doses of an efficacious dose of VIP943 (i.e., ≥1.0 mg/kg). Of these nine patients, four (44%) remain on study. So far, one patient with relapsed AML has achieved complete remission with incomplete hematologic improvement (CRi) and one patient with HR-MDS has achieved complete remission with limited count recovery (CRL) based on international consensus response criteria. These response criteria are widely recognized as an approvable benchmark in AML and MDS studies, further underscoring the significance of these early results. “We are excited by the emerging data from our Phase 1 study of VIP943, showing clinical responses in difficult-to-treat patients," said Ahmed Hamdy, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Vincerx. "We believe these promising clinical responses highlight the potential of VIP943 as a best-in-class therapy for CD123+ hematologic malignancies and validate our VersAptx platform’s ability to create safer, more effective bioconjugates by overcoming the challenges of historical ADCs.” As of August 2024, VIP943 has shown favorable safety and tolerability, with no dose-limiting toxicities reported in 22 patients. Serious adverse events (SAEs) have been consistent with expectations for this patient population. The most common SAEs included pneumonia (three patients, 14%), and cellulitis and febrile neutropenia (two patients each, 9%). Only one patient (5%) experienced a drug-related SAE (Grade 3 diarrhea). Target engagement (i.e., receptor occupancy) has been demonstrated by binding of VIP943 to CD123+ peripheral blood blasts from patients with AML from the Phase 1 study. Maximal receptor occupancy of 84% was achieved in the highest dose cohort (1.3 mg/kg). Across all the cohorts, receptor occupancy was retained for less than 96 hours. Concurrent decreases in CD123+ peripheral blood blasts were also observed after dosing. These pharmacodynamic (PD) markers show that VIP943 is binding to and eliminating CD123+ malignant cells. Preliminary pharmacokinetic (PK) data continues to show low release of payload (≤1% in plasma). The half-life of VIP943 is less than 96 hours, and no accumulation occurs with repeat dosing. These PK and PD results have prompted evaluation of twice weekly dosing of VIP943 as a potential “induction” regimen. Enrollment in the once weekly and twice weekly dosing cohorts is ongoing. Dr. Hamdy continued, “Our initial clinical results demonstrate that VersAptx is a next-generation platform that overcomes key challenges associated with traditional ADCs. The PK profile shows that our linker is stable, cleaving exclusively inside cells without extracellular degradation. Our PD results coupled with clinical responses confirm the payload effectively kills cancer cells in peripheral blood and bone marrow without harming nearby healthy tissue. This innovative design with proof-of-concept in Phase 1 reinforces our confidence in VersAptx as a transformative platform for ADC development.” The company anticipates providing another data update on the ongoing Phase 1 VIP943 study by the end of the year. Dr. M. Yair Levy, Director of Hematologic Malignancies Research at Texas Oncology added, "Although this is still early data, VIP943 is clearly differentiated from other ADCs, particularly with its favorable safety profile. We’re not seeing neutropenia as a dose-limiting toxicity, which is encouraging and may allow the drug to move into earlier lines of therapy in combination. I look forward to the continued development of VIP943 and its potential to improve treatment options for patients with CD123+ malignancies.” VIP236 is Vincerx’s first-in-class small molecule drug conjugate (SMDC) being evaluated in an ongoing first-in-human, Phase 1 dose-escalation study as a monotherapy in patients with advanced solid tumors. As of September 2024, 29 patients have been enrolled. Of these patients, 20 were evaluable per-protocol for response from the every 2- or 3-week schedule; nine of 20 patients had stable disease for a disease control rate of 45%. In addition, one of these subjects has been on treatment for over 300 days and four additional patients were on study for more than 120 days, demonstrating promising monotherapy duration of response in patients with advanced cancer. VIP236 continued to show a favorable safety and tolerability profile in these 29 patients, with no instances of the dose-limiting side effects commonly associated with camptothecins, such as life-threatening diarrhea, severe stomatitis/mucositis, or interstitial lung disease. These results support the potential role of VIP236 as a strong combination agent for the treatment of advanced cancers. Considering the promising VIP236 clinical data, the Company intends to pursue a strategic partner to champion its future development for the benefit of patients. “We've made significant progress in identifying an effective dose and schedule. We believe it is now crucial to study VIP236 in the right patient population, which could include triple-negative breast cancer and gastric cancer, where camptothecins are used, especially in combination with other anticancer agents,” added Dr. Hamdy. By transitioning VIP236 to a partnering asset, the Company plans to streamline its operations and focus its efforts on the continued development of its lead ADC, VIP943. Enitociclib, a highly selective CDK9 inhibitor, is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 dose-escalation study in combination with venetoclax and prednisone for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As of September 2024, the study reported four partial responses (PRs) in seven patients (57% overall response rate), including one patient with double hit lymphoma (DH-DLBCL) and three patients with PTCL. All responses occurred in patients considered refractory by SCHOLAR-1 criteria and included one patient with prior CAR-T therapy. The study is currently enrolling in the third dose level (enitociclib 30 mg [efficacious dose] and venetoclax 600 mg) with two patients enrolled to date. Additionally, in a separate Phase 1 study of enitociclib as a monotherapy (30 mg), one patient with transformed follicular lymphoma achieved a metabolic PR. As of September 2024, this patient remains on enitociclib monotherapy after more than 26 months. Overall, these clinical results continue to show the promising safety, tolerability, and efficacy of enitociclib for the treatment of relapsed/refractory lymphoma. The Company is actively focused on finding a strategic partner to continue the development of this asset. VIP236, the first-in-class SMDC from the VersAptx Platform, consists of an αvβ3 integrin binder, a neutrophil elastase linker cleaved in the tumor microenvironment, and a camptothecin payload optimized for high permeability and low active efflux. VIP236 was designed to deliver its payload to advanced/metastatic solid tumors that express αvβ3. VIP236 is being evaluated in a first-in-human, Phase 1 dose escalation study in patients with advanced malignancies (NCT05712889). VIP943, the first ADC from the VersAptx platform, consists of an anti-CD123 antibody, a unique linker cleaved intracellularly by legumain, and a novel kinesin spindle protein inhibitor (KSPi) payload enhanced with Vincerx’s CellTrapper™ technology. Vincerx’s proprietary effector chemistry (linker + payload) was designed to reduce non-specific release of the payload and ensure payload accumulation in cancer cells versus healthy cells. The increased therapeutic index has the potential to address challenges associated with many ADCs by improving efficacy and reducing severe toxicities. VIP943 is being evaluated in a Phase 1 dose-escalation trial in patients with relapsed/refractory AML, HR-MDS, and B-ALL who have exhausted standard therapeutic options (NCT06034275). Enitociclib, a highly selective CDK9 inhibitor, is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 dose-escalation study (NCT05371054) in combination with venetoclax and prednisone for DLBCL and PTCL, in collaboration with the NIH. Enitociclib has demonstrated favorable safety and PK, with significant clinical benefits across various indications, including durable complete metabolic remissions in patients with double-hit (DH)-DLBCL and stable disease in solid tumors, notably in ovarian cancer, suggesting promising potential for future combination studies. VersAptx is a versatile and adaptable next-generation bioconjugation platform. The modular nature of this innovative platform allows the combination of different targeting, linker, and payload technologies to develop bespoke bioconjugates that address different cancer biologies. With this platform, (i) antibodies and small molecules can be used to target different tumor antigens, (ii) linkers can be designed to reduce non-specific release of the payload, cleave intracellularly or extracellularly, and conjugate to single or multiple payloads, and (iii) payloads can be designed with reduced permeability using our CellTrapper technology to ensure accumulation in cancer cells or to be permeable for release in the tumor microenvironment. The VersAptx platform allows the development of bioconjugates designed to address the safety and efficacy challenges of historical ADCs. Vincerx Pharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to developing differentiated and novel therapies to address the unmet medical needs of patients with cancer. Vincerx has assembled a seasoned management team with a proven track record of successful oncology drug development, approvals, and value creation. Vincerx’s diverse pipeline consists of the next-generation antibody-drug conjugate, VIP943, in Phase 1; small molecule-drug conjugate, VIP236, in Phase 1; preclinical antibody-drug conjugate, VIP924; CDK9 inhibitor, enitociclib, in an NIH-sponsored Phase 1; and VersAptx, its versatile and adaptable, next-generation bioconjugation platform. The content above comes from the network. if any infringement, please contact us to modify.