Proof of concept with key oncology lead

RNS Number : 0573Z

Redx Pharma plc

24 May 2016

 

24 May 2016

AIM: REDX

 REDX PHARMA PLC

("Redx" or "the Company")

Proof of concept with key oncology lead

Redx, the drug discovery and development company, is pleased to announce that it has reached pre-clinical proof of concept stage with an oncology lead that has the potential to treat leukaemia and other blood cancers. The lead, a reversible BTK inhibitor, offers exciting potential to treat Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia ("CLL") patients who have become resistant to the gold standard therapy, Imbruvica^TM(ibrutinib). This is the seventh program to have advanced through Redx's innovative development pipeline to pre-clinical proof of concept and has been achieved in 20 months, ahead of standard industry averages.

BTK (Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase) is an important enzyme in the B-cell receptor signalling pathway and is implicated in blood cancers such as CLL.  Ibrutinib, a key therapy for treating CLL, irreversibly inhibits BTK. However, a significant proportion of CLL patients taking ibrutinib become resistant to therapy due to a genetic mutation that renders ibrutinib ineffective in these patients. Redx is seeking to develop a best-in-class reversible BTK inhibitor which is both active in patients that have acquired resistance to ibrutinib and offers a reduced side-effect profile compared to ibrutinib.

Neil Murray, Chief Executive of Redx, commented:

"We are delighted to announce that we have reached pre-clinical proof of concept for an oncology lead that has the potential to treat leukaemia and other blood cancers.  CLL is one of the most common types of leukaemia in adults and is not usually curable, with high rates of recurrence. What is particularly exciting about our lead compound, a reversible BTK inhibitor, is that it has the potential to treat ibrutinib resistant CLL patients.

As many as 60% of patients with progressive CLL have developed a resistance to ibrutinib. This presents an urgent need for new treatments that overcome the issue of resistance, and Redx is seeking to develop a best-in-class reversible inhibitor specifically designed to meet this need.

This is the seventh program to have advanced through Redx's innovative pipeline to pre-clinical proof of concept. Once again, we have reached this stage ahead of industry average, achieving pre-clinical proof of concept in 20 months."

For further information, please contact:

Redx Pharma Plc	T: 0151 706 4747
Neil Murray, Chief Executive Company website: redxpharma.com
Cantor Fitzgerald Europe (Nomad & Broker)	T: 020 7894 7000
Phil Davies / Michael Reynolds
KTZ Communications	T: 020 3178 6378
Katie Tzouliadis/ Viktoria Langley/ Emma Pearson

About Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia ("CLL")

CLL is one of the most common types of leukaemia in adults. In the US, it is estimated that there will be approximately 19,000 cases of CLL diagnosed in 2016.  Around 3,400 new cases of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia were diagnosed in the UK in 2013. 

CLL occurs where the body produces abnormal levels of white blood cells - specifically B cells. As the disease progresses, the B cells crowd out healthy cells in the blood and bone marrow leaving the body unable to fight infection.

CLL is currently treated by ibrutinib (an orally-administered covalent BTK inhibitor) and rituxan (a monoclonal antibody that binds to the CD20 antigen). However, recent studies have shown that as many as 60% of patients with progressive CLL, after being on ibrutinib therapy for a period of time, had a single genetic mutation that rendered ibrutinib ineffective (Byrd, AACR2016).  The high levels of resistance mean that there is an urgent need for new treatments that overcome this issue.

Additional sources:

National Cancer Institute (US) - http://www.cancer.gov/types/leukemia/research/ibrutinib-cll

Cancer Research UK - http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/leukaemia-cll#heading-Zero

About Redx Pharma Plc

www.redxpharma.com

Redx is focused on the discovery and development of proprietary, small molecule therapeutics to address areas of high, unmet medical need, principally in cancer, infection and immunology, providing a pipeline of assets to larger and emerging companies. By improving the characteristics of existing drug classes to create highly differentiated, novel, best-in-class drugs, Redx has already established a portfolio of 14 proprietary (patent‑protected) drug programs. Seven proof of concepts have been achieved across five programs, with relevance for respective therapies to treat MRSA, bone tumours, skin, brain, breast, pancreatic and blood cancers.

 

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