Aprea Therapeutics Announces FDA Clearance of IND for APR-1051, its Next Generation WEE1 Kinase Inhibitor for Cyclin E Overexpressing Cancers

On March 11, 2024 Aprea Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: APRE) ("Aprea", or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on precision oncology through synthetic lethality, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared its Investigational New Drug (IND) application (IND 169359) for APR-1051 (Press release, Aprea, MAR 11, 2024, View Source [SID1234641006]).

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"APR-1051 is a next-generation inhibitor of WEE1 kinase and, based on its unique characteristics, we believe it will be best in class," said Dr. Oren Gilad, President and CEO of Aprea. "The FDA’s clearance of our IND is a critical step in the APR-1051 development program. We look forward to evaluating therapeutic activity in patients, focusing on Cyclin E overexpressing cancers, including ovarian and breast cancers."

Based on preclinical studies, APR-1051 is differentiated from other WEE1 inhibitors in its:

Molecular structure;
Selectivity for WEE1 versus off-target inhibition of the polo-like kinase, or PLK, family of kinases;
Potentially superior pharmacokinetic (PK) properties;
Potential absence of QT prolongation at doses that significantly inhibit WEE1*
APR-1051 was discovered and preclinically evaluated by Aprea’s team of chemists and scientists. Aprea has conducted extensive pre-clinical studies with APR-1051, which have demonstrated that the molecule has potent anti-tumor activity, along with a favorable pharmacokinetic (PK) profile. Additionally, pre-clinical data show that APR-1051 may demonstrate less toxicity than other WEE1 inhibitors.*

Clearance of the IND application will allow Aprea to initiate the Phase 1 ACESOT-1051 dose escalation trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of APR-1051. Enrollment of the first patient in this study is expected in the first half of 2024 with an update expected in the fourth quarter of the year.

* No head-to-head studies have been conducted with APR-1051