Download Cylene Builds on Success, Presents Second CK2 Inhibitor at AACR

Cylene Builds on Success, Presents Second CK2 Inhibitor at AACR
Meeting
CK2 Ideally Suited for Rational Drug Combination Therapy
San Diego, April 3, 2012 – Cylene Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is developing a second
generation compound, building on the success of its first-in-class CK2 inhibitor, CX4945, the company announced today. Dr. Denis Drygin, Cylene’s VP of Biology, will
profile the small molecule CK2 inhibitor, CX-8184, at the 2012 American Association
for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting, held from March 31 to April 4 in Chicago,
IL. The presentation will highlight the agent’s potent and sustained suppression of protein
kinase CK2, its impact on multiple key pathways and the potential of CK2 inhibitors in
the combination treatment of cancer.
CK2 is a newly validated cancer target ideally suited for rational drug combination therapy
as it is overexpressed in tumors and drives multiple oncogenic pathways. CX-8184 is an
orally delivered small molecule that has a distinct chemical and pharmaceutical profile and
produces sustained inhibition of multiple CK2 dependent pathways. A poster entitled
“Discovery and Biological Characterization of CX-8184, A Potent Inhibitor of Protein
Kinase CK2”, will be presented on Tuesday, April 3 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM in
McCormick Place West (Hall F), Poster Board 30, Section 29.
Cylene pioneered CK2 in the clinic with CX-4945, proving that single agent treatment with
an oral inhibitor is safe and effective, resulting in inhibition of CK2 and CK2-driven
pathways, inhibition of tumor-based markers and reductions in tumor size. “We are
delighted to showcase the promising preclinical profile of our second generation inhibitor,
CX-8184, demonstrating our commitment to exploiting the CK2 target for cancer
combination therapy,” commented William G. Rice, Ph.D., President and CEO of Cylene
Pharmaceuticals. “As the limitations of suppressing a single target are becoming clear, the
need for agents that hit multiple key cancer processes becomes ever more pressing.
Cylene’s CK2 platform is exploiting the unique properties of CK2 as a drug target to
deliver agents that can play a major role in future cancer combination strategies.”
About CK2
Protein kinase CK2 has emerged as a validated drug target for cancer therapy due to its
dysregulation and overexpression in tumors, and its regulatory roles in multiple oncogenic
pathways including EGFR-regulated pathways, Akt and WNT signaling cascades, NF-κB
transcription, angiogenesis, Hsp90 chaperone pathway and the DNA damage response.
CK2 activity and levels are elevated in many cancers of diverse genetic background and
this overexpression leads to a dependence on its continued expression and activity. Because
CK2 is essential for cancer cell survival, is up-regulated in many different cancers and is
not mutated, it is a cancer target ideally suited for the development of a dynamic
combination agent. Cylene’s leadership in exploiting CK2 pathways for rational
combination therapies identifies and enables numerous drug combinations for improved
treatment outcomes.
About Cylene Pharmaceuticals
Cylene Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage private company developing small molecule
drugs against newly validated cancer targets. Cylene’s leadership in exploiting CK2
pathways enables rational drug combinations for improved treatment outcomes against
many cancer indications. The Company’s Pol I program provides a non-genotoxic
mechanism for activating p53 to kill cancer cells. Cylene’s unique approaches deliver
innovative cancer agents that can enable pharmaceutical companies to expand their
portfolios and extend the efficacy, lifecycle and reach of current cancer therapeutics. For
more information on Cylene and its programs, please visit www.cylenepharma.com.
For more information and images, quotes and links, please visit the social media news
release at http://prst.co/2Mk.
Contact:
Sean E. O’Brien, Ph.D.
VP, Research and Business Development
Cylene Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
5820 Nancy Ridge Drive, Suite 200
San Diego, CA USA 92121
Tel: (858) 875 5100
Fax: (858) 875 5101
[email protected]