GenFleet and Innovent Starts First-in-human Phase I/II Trial of KRAS G12C Inhibitor

GenFleet
Sep 30, 2021
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GenFleet Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focusing on cutting-edge therapies in oncology and immunology, and Innovent Biologics (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high quality medicines for the treatment of cancer, metabolic, autoimmune and other major diseases, today announced that the first patient with KRAS G12C mutation has been dosed in the first-in-human trial of GFH925(ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05005234). 

Led by Professor Yilong Wu of Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, it is an open label, multicenter study treating advanced solid tumors patients with KRAS G12C mutation. 

Designed to enroll over 100 patients with late stage NSCLC and gastrointestinal cancer, the study will evaluate the safety/tolerability/efficacy and characterize the pharmacokinetics profile of GFH925 administered orally to patients with KRAS G12C mutation. Moreover, this study will explore the potential mechanisms of primary and acquired resistance to KRAS inhibitors.  

Based on emerging data of GFH925 and other KRAS inhibitors including biomarkers, investigators will look to further optimize the precision treatment plans and the potential for combination therapies.

"KRAS mutation is widespread among patients of non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, etc. Preclinical data has shown that GFH925 is differentiated from other KRAS G12C inhibiting products, and we look forward to positive results of GFH925's safety/tolerability and efficacy to benefit patients with KRAS G12C gene mutation." said Professor Yilong Wu, Director of Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute. 

“Current data demonstrates the higher response to selective KRAS G12C inhibitors in population of lung cancer patients with KRAS G12C mutation. The first patient with KRAS G12C mutation administrated after precision screening is a key milestone in the clinical development of GFH925. Thanks to our joint efforts with investigators from our sites, we have completed program initiation and began patient screening in a very short amount of time. We are also confident that our collaboration with Innovent, with its successful track records of developing and commercializing novel therapies, will speed up the study process in order to bring this life-saving treatment to patients across the globe.” said Yu Wang, M.D./Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer of GenFleet Therapeutics. 

“KRAS G12C is one of the most frequently mutated oncogenes in human cancer cells and RAS used to be an undruggable target over decades. So far there have been few treatments for patients with this mutation and we can see huge unmet medical needs. We are pleased to achieve the dosing of the first patient and it's an important milestone in the development ofIBI351 (GenFleet R&D code: GFH925). Based on preclinical data, we believe that the clinical research of IBI351 in China will benefit more patients with KRAS G12C mutant lung cancer and other solid tumors and deliver more effective therapies for doctors in the world.” said Hui Zhou, Senior Vice President of Clinical Development of Innovent. 

About GFH925

Being developed by GenFleet Therapeutics, GFH925 is a novel, orally active, potent KRAS G12C inhibitor designed to effectively target the GTP/GDP exchange, an essential step in pathway activation, by modifying the cysteine residue of KRAS G12C protein covalently and irreversibly. Preclinical cysteine selectivity studies demonstrated high selectivity of GFH925 towards G12C. Subsequently, GFH925 effectively inhibits the downstream signal pathway to induce tumor cells' apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.

GenFleet Therapeutics and Innovent Biologics entered into an exclusive license agreement in early September for the development and commercialization of GenFleet's lead KRAS G12C candidate, GFH925 in China, including the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan with additional option-in rights for global development and commercialization.