On March 22, 2016 Verastem, Inc. (NASDAQ:VSTM), focused on discovering and developing drugs to treat cancer, reported the presentation of scientific data at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology’s 2016 Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer being held March 19-22, 2016 in San Diego, CA (Press release, Verastem, MAR 22, 2016, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2150260 [SID:1234509826]).

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"The data presented today at SGO 2016 are important because they provide further scientific evidence that chemotherapy can lead to an increase in ovarian cancer stem cells (CSCs), making the tumor more aggressive and resistant to further treatment," said Dr. Jonathan Pachter, Verastem Head of Research. "At Verastem, we believe that our compounds in development may be especially beneficial as therapeutics when used in combination with other agents, including current and emerging standard of care treatments and immunotherapies, and have the potential to create a more durable clinical response. We look forward to the initiation of a Phase 1/1b clinical trial of the combination of VS-6063 and avelumab, in collaboration with Pfizer and Merck KGaA, for patients with ovarian cancer in the second half of this year."

Verastem, and its collaborators, are presenting these scientific data in support of Verastem’s development programs which utilize a multi-faceted approach to treat cancer by reducing cancer stem cells, enhancing anti-tumor immunity, and modulating the local tumor microenvironment. The Company’s most advanced clinical product candidates are the Focal Adhesion Kinase inhibitors, VS-6063 and VS-4718, and the dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, VS-5584. Research on the FAK and PI3K/mTOR signaling pathways has revealed critical roles for each in cancer stem cell survival and disease progression.

Details for the SGO presentation are as follows:

Oral Presentation

Title: Standard chemotherapy for ovarian cancer increases expression of cancer stem cell biomarkers which is predictive of survival

Session: Scientific Plenary IX: Ovary

Date and time: Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at 8:30 – 10:05 AM

Location: Hall A

Summary: In ovarian cancer, certain molecular mediators are thought to possess CSC characteristics and the presence of these mediators, which is linked to earlier recurrence and shorter survival, is possibly brought about by chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of chemotherapy on ovarian cancer stem-like mediators and to determine if there was a relationship to survival. Researchers obtained matched pre- and post-chemotherapy tumor specimens from stage IIIC/IV ovarian cancer patients (n=22) who all underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy with interval debulking surgery. Samples were then analyzed for expression of 27 CSC markers. CSC markers were then validated in tumorsphere model and in vivo tumor initiating studies.

All 27 CSC markers demonstrated a mean increase in gene expression after exposure to chemotherapy. A 3-fold or greater increase in gene expression after exposure to chemotherapy was seen in 8 of 27 (30%) markers: ABCG2, ALDH1A1, CTGF, DPP4, MYC, CD133, SOX2, and POSTN. Three markers demonstrated a significant fold increase that correlated with platinum resistance: POSTN (4.1-fold), ALDH1A1 (5-fold), and SOX2 (14.5-fold). When implanted into immunocompromised mice, SOX2(hi) cells exhibited significantly higher levels of tumorsphere forming potential than SOX2(lo) cells and were more tumorigenic. High gene expression in these 3 markers demonstrated shorter progression free survival, compared to low expression. These results support the further investigation of directed agents to inhibit these CSC markers to potentially extend survival for patients with ovarian cancer.

A copy of the oral presentation will be available at http://bit.ly/R3M6wc