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Funding to Advance Novel Treatments and Strengthen MECC's Robust Patient Navigation Program BRONX, N.Y., Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Cancer Society (ACS) has awarded Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center (MECC) more than $2.1 million to support cancer research and reduce individual and systematic barriers that prevent people from accessing cancer care. Continue Reading Edward Chu, M.D., M.M.S., director of the MECC; vice president for cancer medicine at Montefiore Health System; and the Carol and Roger Einiger Professor of Cancer Medicine and professor of medicine, of oncology, and of molecular pharmacology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine Connie Bordenga, MD, MS, Cancer Support Strategic Partnerships Manager at the American Cancer Society Approximately 40% of people born in the United States will receive a cancer diagnosis. In the Bronx—the nation's poorest urban county where 29.7% of residents live below the poverty line—MECC sees more than 3,500 people with new cancer diagnoses each year. Bronx residents are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages of disease, compared to the national average. This disparity is consistent with other historically marginalized communities and is an area of active research at the cancer center. Developing New Cancer Treatments The largest ACS grants—for $792,000 and $660,000—support research by Haiying Cheng, M.D., Ph.D., and Kira Gritsman, M.D., Ph.D., respectively. Dr. Cheng, a member of MECC and associate professor of oncology and of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, focuses on people with lung cancer, the majority of whom develop metastatic disease. She found that a gene called RICTOR is amplified in a group of lung cancer patients who face a high risk that their lung tumors will spread to the brain. With her ACS grant, Dr. Cheng hopes to determine if targeting RICTOR can treat lung cancer metastases or even prevent them from forming. In studies of blood cancers called myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), Dr. Gritsman, co-leader of MECC's stem cell and cancer biology research program and professor of oncology, of medicine, and of cell biology at Einstein, found that crizotinib—a drug approved for treating lung cancer—proved effective in a people with a type of MPN. The ACS support assists her lab in determining if crizotinib prevents out-of-control blood-cell division in mouse models of MPN, with the goal of moving the drug swiftly into clinical trials. In addition, she will investigate a protein inhibited by crizotinib, RON kinase, as a new target for MPN. Addressing Socioeconomic Barriers The ACS grants will also enable MECC to add navigators to streamline appointments, such as imaging studies, lab assessments and treatments, for individuals with locally advanced, non-metastatic cancer who would benefit from neoadjuvant therapy (NAT), which is intended to shrink a tumor prior to surgery. This new initiative is particularly important in the Bronx, where only 60% of MECC's patients complete all intended NAT visits and up to 40% miss at least one due to treatment toxicity or socioeconomic factors. "We pride ourselves on delivering the most research-driven cancer care, but if we don't fully understand and address the social factors that interfere with scheduling and attending appointments, we're never going to reach our ultimate goal – healing people so they can return to living their lives," said Edward Chu, M.D., M.M.S., director of the MECC; vice president for cancer medicine at Montefiore Health System; and the Carol and Roger Einiger Professor of Cancer Medicine and professor of medicine, of oncology, and of molecular pharmacology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "By deepening our partnership with the ACS, we're advancing our ability to recognize infrastructural biases, identify new treatments relevant to our community and provide the very best support to our patients and their families." The ACS funding is also helping MECC tackle transportation barriers, which are strongly associated with no-show visits, and is adding more free cancer screenings and continuing education courses for doctors and nurses aimed at improving racial equity. "As a nationwide leader in cancer education and advocacy, we are proud to partner with Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center to better understand the biology of cancer and how socioeconomic factors impact care access and cancer outcomes," said Connie Bordenga, MD, MS, Cancer Support Strategic Partnerships Manager at the American Cancer Society. "Our work in tackling inequities is only the beginning of a larger shift in how we as a country will redefine the future of cancer care." About Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center (MECC) is a national leader in cancer research and care located in the ethnically diverse and economically disadvantaged borough of the Bronx, N.Y. MECC combines the exceptional science of Albert Einstein College of Medicine with the multidisciplinary and team-based approach to cancer care of Montefiore Health System. Founded in 1971 and a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Cancer Center since 1972, MECC is redefining excellence in cancer research, clinical care, education and training, and community outreach and engagement. Its mission is to reduce the burden of cancer for all, especially people from historically marginalized communities. About the American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society is on a mission to free the world from cancer. We invest in lifesaving research, provide 24/7 information and support, and work to ensure that individuals in every community have access to cancer prevention, detection, and treatment. For more information, visit cancer.org. SOURCE Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center

SHANGHAI and HONG KONG, April 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Antengene Corporation Limited ("Antengene", SEHK: 6996.HK), a leading innovative biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing and commercializing global first-in-class and/or best-in-class therapeutics in hematology and oncology, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in a phase II trial (BUNCH) in China of ATG-008 (onatasertib), a second-generation mTORC1/2 inhibitor, for the treatment of advanced solid tumors harboring NFE2L2, STK11, RICTOR or other specific genetic alterations. The purpose of the single-arm, open-label trial is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ATG-008 in patients with such advanced solid tumors that may be predictably sensitive to inhibition of mTORC1/2. According to the latest report by the World Health Organization, there were an estimated 19.3 million newly diagnosed cancer cases and 10 million cancer-related mortalities in 2020 globally. Furthermore, the report also projected a 47% increase in cancer-related disease burden in the coming 20 years. China now ranks number one in both cancer incidence and mortality rates[i]. This reminds us of the daunting challenges in cancer treatment and the ever more urgent need for effective novel anti-cancer therapies in China. There is a close association between the mTOR signaling pathway and genetic mutations in NFE2L2, STK11 and RICTOR. ATG-008, a potent selective inhibitor of mTOR kinase that is currently under clinical development, may induce the cell death of multiple tumor types through the dual-inhibition of mTORC1 and mTORC2. Therefore, mTOR inhibitor ATG-008 has the potential to offer a new treatment option for patients with advanced solid tumors with such genetic alterations. Moreover, preclinical and clinical data also demonstrated the potent antitumor activity of ATG-008 in multiple tumor types. Dr. Jay Mei, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Antengene, commented: "There are urgent needs for more effective treatment options for patients with various advanced solid tumors. We believe ATG-008 has strong potential to address a serious unmet medical need in a hard-to-treat group of cancers. This trial also marks an important step in the development of our innovative pipeline for the treatment of patients with solid tumors in China. We look forward to producing important clinical data to guide the further development and continue to demonstrate Antengene's leadership in drug development for mTORC1/2 inhibitors." Antengene has initiated several clinical trials in China and other Asia Pacific countries and regions with ATG-008 in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and in combination with an anti-PD-1 antibody in advanced solid tumors including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). About ATG-008 (onatasertib) ATG-008 (onatasertib) is a second-generation mTORC1/2 inhibitor, for which development and commercialization rights in Asia Pacific were licensed from Celgene (now Bristol Myers Squibb). ATG-008 is currently being studied in multi-regional clinical trials for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as well as non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), advanced solid tumors harboring NFE2L2, STK11, RICTOR or other specific genetic alterations and other cancers as a single agent or in combination with an anti-PD-1 antibody. About Antengene Antengene Corporation Limited ("Antengene", SEHK: 6996.HK) is a leading clinical-stage R&D driven biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative medicines for oncology and other life threatening diseases. Antengene aims to provide the most advanced anti-cancer drugs to patients in the Asia Pacific Region and around the world. Since its establishment in 2017, Antengene has built a broad and expanding pipeline of clinical and pre-clinical stage assets through partnerships as well as in-house drug discovery, and obtained 13 investigational new drug (IND) approvals and submitted 5 new drug applications (NDA) in multiple markets in Asia Pacific. Antengene's vision is to "Treat Patients Beyond Borders". Antengene is focused on and committed to addressing significant unmet medical needs by discovering, developing and commercializing first-in-class/best-in-class therapeutics. For more information, please visit: . Forward-looking statements The forward-looking statements made in this article relate only to the events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this article. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should read this article completely and with the understanding that our actual future results or performance may be materially different from what we expect. In this article, statements of, or references to, our intentions or those of any of our Directors or our Company are made as of the date of this article. Any of these intentions may alter in light of future development. [i] Global Cancer Statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN Estimates of Incidence and Mortality Worldwide for 36 Cancers in 185 Countries. View original content: SOURCE Antengene Corporation Limited Company Codes: HongKong:6996