On August 26, 2015 Verastem, Inc. (NASDAQ:VSTM), focused on discovering and developing drugs to treat cancer by the targeted killing of cancer stem cells, reported oral and poster data presentations at the 16th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) being held September 6-9, 2015 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, CO (Press release, Verastem, AUG 26, 2015, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2082044 [SID:1234507338]).

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The details for the data presentations at WCLC are as follows:

Oral Presentations

Title: Phase 2 study of defactinib, VS-6063, a focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor, in patients with KRAS mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
Date and time: Wednesday, September 9, 2015, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm MT
Location: Four Seasons Ballroom F3 and F4
Session info: Mini oral 30: New Kinase Targets; Track: Treatment of Advanced Diseases – NSCLC

Title: FAK inhibitor VS-6063 targets mesothelioma cancer stem cells: Rationale for maintenance therapy after conventional chemotherapy
Date and time: Wednesday, September 9, 2015, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm MT
Location: Rooms 702, 704 and 706
Session info: Mini oral 38: Biology and Prognosis; Track: Thymoma, Mesothelioma and Other Thoracic Malignancies

Title: The cancer stem cell inhibitors VS-6063 (defactinib) and VS-5584 exhibit synergistic anticancer activity in pre-clinical models of mesothelioma
Date and time: Wednesday, September 9, 2015, 4:45 pm – 6:15 pm MT
Location: Rooms 702, 704 and 706
Session info: Oral session 40: Biology 1; Track: Thymoma, Mesothelioma and Other Thoracic Malignancies

Title: Targeting cancer stem cells in small cell lung cancer
Date and time: Wednesday, September 9, 2015, 4:45 pm – 6:15 pm MT
Location: Rooms 605 and 607
Session info: Mini oral 27: Biology and other issues in SCLC; Track: Small Cell Lung Cancer
Poster Presentations

Title: Trials in progress: A Phase 1 dose escalation study of VS-5584, a PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, administered with VS-6063, a focal adhesion kinase inhibitor, in mesothelioma
Date and time: Tuesday, September 8, 2015, 9:45 am – 10:45 am and 3:45 pm – 4:45 pm MT
Location: Exhibit Hall (Hall B+C); Poster # P2.08.008
Session info: Thymoma, Mesothelioma and Other Thoracic Malignancies – Mesothelioma

Title: Trials in progress: COMMAND: A Phase 2 randomized, double-blind, study of defactinib (VS-6063) as maintenance therapy in malignant pleural mesothelioma
Date and time: Wednesday, September 9, 2015, 9:45 am – 10:45 am and 3:45 pm – 4:45 pm MT
Location: Exhibit Hall (Hall B+C); Poster # P3.08.014
Session info: Thymoma, Mesothelioma and Other Thoracic Malignancies – Mesothelioma

About VS-6063
VS-6063 (defactinib) is an orally available compound designed to target cancer stem cells through the potent inhibition of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Cancer stem cells are an underlying cause of tumor resistance to chemotherapy, recurrence and ultimate disease progression. Research has demonstrated that FAK activity is critical for the growth and survival of cancer stem cells. VS-6063 is currently being studied in the registration-directed COMMAND trial in mesothelioma (www.COMMANDmeso.com), a "Window of Opportunity" study in patients with mesothelioma prior to surgery, a Phase 1/1b study in combination with paclitaxel in patients with ovarian cancer, a trial in patients with KRAS-mutated non-small cell lung cancer and a trial evaluating the combination of VS-6063 and VS-5584 in patients with relapsed mesothelioma. VS-6063 has been granted orphan drug designation for use in mesothelioma in the U.S. and EU.

About VS-5584
VS-5584 is an orally available compound that has demonstrated potent and highly selective activity against class 1 PI3K enzymes and dual inhibitory actions against mTORC1 and mTORC2. In preclinical studies, VS-5584 has been shown to reduce the percentage of cancer stem cells and induce tumor regression in chemotherapy-resistant models. Verastem is currently conducting a dose escalation trial of VS-5584 in patients with advanced solid tumors as a single agent and a combination trial of VS-5584 and VS-6063 in patients with relapsed mesothelioma. VS-5584 has been granted orphan drug designation for use in mesothelioma in the U.S. and EU.