Ascent Therapeutics announced today that the Company has demonstrated efficacy in preclinical models in two Pepducin™ projects. One of the projects targets CXCR4, a key regulator of stem cell and inflammatory cell homeostasis. A second project has yielded the first potent Pepducin agonists for an undisclosed cardiovascular target. The Company also announced that Kenneth Carlson, PhD has joined the senior management team as Senior Director, Head of Biology and that the Company will be presenting at multiple business development events in the coming months.
“These studies demonstrated Pepducin activity in the CXCR4 compounds that is equal or better than the current standard of care,” commented Stephen Hunt, PhD, Sr. Vice President, Discovery Research for Ascent. “Our academic founders had seen signs of Pepducin efficacy in their early studies, and we have now significantly extended that work by demonstrating efficacy levels that meet pharmaceutical industry standards, thus supporting continued development of these agents as therapeutics. We are encouraged by this evidence that the Pepducin platform, which is entirely novel, will stand up well as a solid drug discovery technology. Based on preclinical results, we believe that Pepducins can target G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that are of high importance to the pharmaceutical industry, including many that have been difficult to address with conventional approaches.”
In the CXCR4 project, the in vivo results achieved with Ascent’s novel lipopeptide Pepducins were at least as efficacious as those seen with Mozobil®, a small molecule drug marketed by Genzyme which was recently approved for stem cell mobilization prior to bone marrow transplantation. Modulation of CXCR4 activity may also be useful in treating a variety of cancers such as leukemia and multiple myeloma. Potency and specificity criteria were achieved for advancement of the Pepducin leads in both projects. Importantly, details of a structure-activity relationship have begun to emerge. Knowledge gained from preliminary studies of Pepducin half-lives, metabolism, distribution and formulation also supports the continued development of these compounds.
Management Team Addition