Full Press Release Details
Ascentage Pharma Presents Results from Five
Preclinical Studies at 2025 American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, Highlighting Strong Synergistic Effects of
Olverembatinib Combined with Lisaftoclax
ROCKVILLE, MD, and SUZHOU, China, April 28,
2025-Ascentage Pharma (NASDAQ: AAPG; HKEX: 6855), a global biopharmaceutical
company engaged in discovering, developing, and commercializing therapies to address global unmet medical needs primarily for hematological
malignancies, today announced that it has presented results from five preclinical studies during poster presentations at the 2025 American
Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, taking place April 25-30, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
These poster presentations feature five of the company's drug
candidates: novel tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) olverembatinib (HQP1351), Bcl-2 inhibitor lisaftoclax (APG-2575), FAK/ALK/ROS1 TKI APG-2449,
embryonic ectoderm development (EED) inhibitor APG-5918, and IAP antagonist AS03157.
Dr. Yifan Zhai, Chief Medical Officer of Ascentage
Pharma, said, "The encouraging data from our investigational assets, presented at this year's AACR Annual Meeting, are another
testament to our strong and innovative pipeline. In particular, the combination of olverembatinib and lisaftoclax, two of our key drug
candidates, has demonstrated strong synergistic effects in preclinical models of acute myeloid leukemia and T-cell acute lymphoblastic
leukemia. These preclinical studies are expected to complement and further catalyze our clinical development. Moving forward, we will
actively advance the clinical development of these programs in order to bring more treatment options to patients in need."
Detailed data presented at this year's AACR Annual Meeting are
Olverembatinib (HQP1351) in combination with
lisaftoclax (APG-2575) overcomes venetoclax resistance in preclinical models of acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
Effects of olverembatinib (HQP1351) in combination
with BCL-2 inhibitor lisaftoclax (APG-2575) in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL)
Embryonic ectoderm development protein (EED)
inhibitor APG-5918 exhibits potent antitumor activity and synergizes with androgen receptor (AR) inhibitor enzalutamide in preclinical
prostate cancer (PCa) models
APG-2449, a novel focal adhesion kinase (FAK)
inhibitor, enhances the antitumor activity of chemotherapy in preclinical models of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) with activated FAK
Discovery of AS03157 as a highly potent and
orally active antagonist of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs)
* Olverembatinib, lisaftoclax, APG-2449, APG-5918
and AS03157 are all investigational drugs and have not been approved by the U.S. FDA.
About Ascentage Pharma
Ascentage Pharma is a global, integrated biopharmaceutical
company engaged in discovering, developing and commercializing therapies to address global unmet medical needs primarily in hematological
malignancies. Ascentage Pharma has been listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited with the stock code 6855.HK
since October 2019 and has also been listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol "AAPG" since January 2025.
The company has built a rich pipeline of innovative
drug candidates that includes inhibitors targeting key proteins in the apoptotic pathway, such as Bcl-2 and MDM2-p53; and next-generation
TKIs that target kinase mutants emergent during cancer treatment. Ascentage Pharma is also the only company in the world with active clinical
programs targeting all known key apoptosis regulators.
Olverembatinib, one of the company's lead
assets, is already approved in China with all of its approved indications included into the China National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL).
Meanwhile, a New Drug Application (NDA) for another one of Ascentage Pharma's key drug candidates, the novel Bcl-2 selective inhibitor
lisaftoclax (APG-2575), has already been accepted and granted the Priority Review designation by the China CDE.
To date, Ascentage Pharma has obtained a total
of 16 ODDs from the US FDA and 1 Orphan Designation from the EMA of the EU for 4 of the company's investigational drug candidates.
Leveraging its robust R&D capabilities, Ascentage Pharma has built a portfolio of global intellectual property rights and entered
into global partnerships and other relationships with numerous leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies such as Takeda, AstraZeneca,
Merck, Pfizer and Innovent; and research and development relationships with leading research institutions such as Dana-Farber Cancer Institute,
Mayo Clinic, National Cancer Institute and the University of Michigan.
The company has built a talented team with a wealth
of global experience in the discovery and development of innovative drugs and fully functional commercial manufacturing and Sales &
Marketing teams. One pivotal aim of Ascentage Pharma is to continuously strengthen its R&D capabilities and accelerate its clinical
development programs, in order to fulfil its mission of addressing unmet clinical needs in China and around the world for the benefit
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained
in this press release may be forward-looking statements, including statements that express Ascentage Pharma's opinions, expectations,
beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or projections regarding future events or future results of operations or financial condition.
These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties as discussed in Ascentage Pharma's filings with
the SEC, including those set forth in the sections titled "Risk factors" and "Special note regarding forward-looking
statements and industry data" in its Registration Statement on Form F-1, as amended, filed with the SEC on January 21, 2025 and
the Form 20-F filed with the SEC on April 16, 2025, the sections headed "Forward-looking Statements" and "Risk Factors"
in the prospectus of the Company for its Hong Kong initial public offering dated October 16, 2019, and other filings with the SEC and/or
The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited we made or make from time to time that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance
or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking
statements contained in this presentation do not constitute profit forecast by the Company's management.
As a result of these factors, you should not rely
on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are
based on Ascentage Pharma's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects and speak
only as of the date of such statements. Ascentage Pharma does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Hogan Wan, Head of IR and Strategy
Stephanie Carrington