On April 28, 2021 BerGenBio ASA (OSE:BGBIO), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel, selective AXL kinase inhibitors for severe unmet medical need, reported that its abstract has been accepted for a poster presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, taking place online from 4-8 June 2021 (Press release, BerGenBio, APR 28, 2021, View Source [SID1234578636]).
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Abstract titles have been announced online at View Source and details of the presentation are below. Full abstracts will be published on the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) website on 19 May 2021.
Title: Ph I/II study of oral selective AXL inhibitor bemcentinib (BGB324) in combination with erlotinib in patients with advanced EGFRm NSCLC: End of trial update
Session Title: Lung Cancer – Non-Small Cell Metastatic
Abstract ID: 9110
Date/Time: Friday, June 4, 2021 at 9:00 AM (EDT)
About AXL
AXL kinase is a cell membrane receptor and an essential mediator of the biological mechanisms underlying life-threatening diseases.
In COVID-19, AXL has two synergistic mechanisms of action, it acts a co-receptor to ACE2, to which the spike protein of the Sars-Cov-2 virus attaches and enters the host cell, and AXL expression is upregulated that leads to suppression of the Type 1 Interferon immune response by host cells and in their environment. Research data confirms bemcentinib inhibits SARS-CoV-2 host cell entry and promotes the anti-viral Type I interferon response.
In cancer, increase in AXL expression has been linked to key mechanisms of drug resistance and immune escape by tumour cells, leading to aggressive metastatic cancers. AXL suppresses the body’s immune response to tumours and drives treatment failure across many cancers. High AXL expression defines a very poor prognosis subgroup in most cancers. AXL inhibitors, such as bemcentinib, therefore, have potential high value as monotherapy and as the cornerstone of cancer combination therapy, addressing significant unmet medical needs and multiple high-value market opportunities. Research has also shown that AXL mediates other aggressive diseases including fibrosis.
About Bemcentinib
Bemcentinib (formerly known as BGB324), is a potential first-in-class, potent and highly selective AXL inhibitor, currently in a broad phase II clinical development programme. It is administered as an oral capsule and taken once per day. Ongoing clinical trials are investigating bemcentinib in COVID-19, and multiple solid and haematological tumours, in combination with current and emerging therapies (including immunotherapies, targeted therapies and chemotherapy), and as a single agent. Bemcentinib targets and binds to the intracellular catalytic kinase domain of AXL receptor tyrosine kinase and inhibits its activity.