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Next Steps forAG-270 Clinical Development
Patients are currently enrolling in the two combination arms of the Phase 1 study.
| • | | One arm will testAG-270 in combination with docetaxel in up to 40 patients withMTAP-deletednon-small cell lung cancer who have had no more than two prior lines of cytotoxic therapy. |
| • | | The second arm will testAG-270 in combination withnab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine in up to 45 patients withMTAP-deleted pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who have had no more than one prior line of cytotoxic therapy. |
The goal of these arms is to further characterize the safety, tolerability, PK and PD, and to detect preliminary evidence of anti-tumor activity for the combinations.
Targeting MAT2A in Cancers withMTAPDeletion
Homozygous deletion ofMTAP, the gene encoding the metabolic enzyme methylthioadenosine phosphorylase, occurs in ~15% of human malignancies.MTAP deletion almost always coincides with the loss of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A), a well known negative prognostic factor in cancer. Deletion ofMTAP results in the accumulation of the enzyme’s substrate, methylthioadenosine (MTA). Increased concentrations of MTA partially inhibit the activity of protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5), while other methyltransferases are relatively unaffected. Further reduction of PRMT5 activity can be achieved through modest reductions in the concentration of its normal substrate, the methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM). Inhibition of PRMT5 activity results in a reduction in symmetrically demethylated arginine residues (SDMAs) on target proteins, many of which are involved in mRNA splicing.AG-270 is afirst-in-class, oral, potent, reversible inhibitor of methionine adenosyltransferase 2A (MAT2A), the key enzyme responsible for SAM synthesis.
Investor Event and Webcast Information
Agios will host an investor event today at 6:30 p.m. ET in Boston to review theAG-270 Phase 1 dose-escalation data andpre-clinical research. The event will be webcast live and can be accessed under “Events & Presentations” in the Investors section of the company’s website at www.agios.com. The archived webcast will be available on the company’s website beginning approximately two hours after the event.
About Agios
Agios is focused on discovering and developing novel investigational medicines to treat cancer and rare genetic diseases through scientific leadership in the field of cellular metabolism and adjacent areas of biology. In addition to an active research and discovery pipeline across both therapeutic areas, Agios has two approved oncology precision medicines and multiplefirst-in-class investigational therapies in clinical and/or preclinical development. All Agios programs focus on genetically identified patient populations, leveraging our knowledge of metabolism, biology and genomics. For more information, please visit the company’s website atwww.agios.com.
About Agios/Celgene Collaboration
AG-270 is part of our 2016 global research collaboration agreement with Celgene Corporation focused on metabolic immuno-oncology. Celgene has the option to participate in a worldwide 50/50 cost and profit share with Agios, under which Agios is eligible for up to $169 million in clinical and regulatory milestone payments for the program.