Full Press Release Details
Ikena Oncology Shares Differentiation Profile of IK-930, a Novel
Hippo-Pathway Inhibitor, Including
Projected Therapeutic Index Advantages and Breadth of Patient Populations at AACR 2023 Annual
IK-930 is a potent Hippo-pathway inhibitor that selectively binds TEAD1 and broadly represses oncogenic
IK-930 s differentiated paralog selectivity and robust repressor activity in complex with VGLL4 are key
characteristics for potential tumor impact and increased therapeutic index
Non-human primate data demonstrate treatment with IK-930
does not result in any clinical signs of renal
toxicity at all doses, in contrast to panTEAD inhibition
Robust preclinical data from IK-930 combinations to combat therapeutic resistance to other targeted
therapies suggests broad applicability beyond initial Hippo-altered cancers, including EGFR and RAS
2023, Ikena Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: IKNA, Ikena ), a targeted oncology company forging new territory in patient-directed cancer treatment, today announced that it will present preclinical data in two poster presentations
highlighting the Company s novel Hippo pathway inhibitor, IK-930, at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting taking place in Orlando, FL from April 14-19, 2023.
Data being shared today reveals that IK-930 selectively binds and
inhibits TEAD1 and further describes the mechanism for its antitumor activity. Key advantages demonstrated in the nonclinical studies include IK-930 s superior tolerability and comparable antitumor
activity compared to panTEAD inhibition, resulting in a significantly improved projected therapeutic window in cancer patients. IK-930 was designed as a TEAD1-selective inhibitor to avoid on-target renal toxicity expected from panTEAD inhibition. TEAD1 is the most highly expressed TEAD paralog in mesothelioma and epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE). The data being presented support the ongoing IK-930 Phase 1 program in patients with Hippo mutated cancers and the planned expansion into combinations of IK-930 with other targeted therapies in multiple cancer types,
including across EGFR and RAS mutated cancers, to potentially delay or even reverse therapeutic resistance.
IK-930 s selectivity profile is the ultimate example of what we are aiming to do at Ikena creating
effective and safe targeted oncology treatments that have the potential to benefit both patients with primary-defined cancers and prevent resistance to other targeted therapies. Targeted oncology came to fruition as a way to develop highly specific
therapies that can benefit patients to spare healthy tissue instead of causing widespread toxicity it is crucial to take into account a target s function outside of a patient s cancer, said Mark Manfredi, Ph.D., Chief
Executive Officer of Ikena Oncology. Tolerability across multiple nonclinical species, including non-human primates, was central to our design of IK-930 and our
enthusiasm about its potential in the clinic.
Highlights from the data in today s poster include:
In addition, tomorrow the
Company will present a poster that highlights IK-930 s ability to reduce and reverse resistance to other targeted therapies in preclinical models. Highlights include:
IK-930 was designed by leveraging TEAD biology to rebalance the oncogenic activity of the Hippo pathway, providing a potentially differentiated and tolerable therapeutic option for patients, added Jeff
Ecsedy, Ph.D., Ikena Chief Development Officer. The data presented at AACR today demonstrate the beauty of IK-930 s ability to preferentially keep TEAD1 in a transcriptionally repressive state, and
to likely block other TEAD paralogs from activating oncogenic transcription. We are thrilled to be able to share this essential differentiation today and look forward to sharing more later this year from our progress with IK-930 in the clinic.
Presentation Details:
Poster Title: IK-930 A TEAD Paralog Selective Inhibitor for Treating YAP/TAZ-TEAD Dependent Cancers
Session: Novel Antitumor Agents 4
Presenter: Nathan Young, Ph.D., Associate Director of Molecular and Cellular Oncology at Ikena Oncology
Date: Monday, April 17, 2023
Time: 9:00 AM 12:30 PM ET
Poster Title: IK-930, A Paralog Selective Novel TEAD-Inhibitor, Effectively Attenuates
Drug-Tolerant Persister Cell Proliferation
Session: Drug Resistance in Molecular Targeted Therapies 3
Presenter: Daniel Hidalgo, Ph.D., Scientist I, Translational Science at Ikena Oncology
Date: Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Time: 9:00 AM 12:30 PM ET
posters will be available on Ikena s Resources Page on their website following the conference.
IK-930 is an oral, paralog-selective TEAD inhibitor targeting
the Hippo signaling pathway. IK-930 selectively binds to TEAD1 and prevents transcription of multiple genes that drive cancer progression. By targeting the Hippo pathway, a key driver of cancer pathogenesis
that is genetically altered in approximately 10% of all cancer types, IK-930 could have a differentiating impact across many cancers with high unmet need. Ikena is advancing
IK-930 both as a monotherapy in patients with Hippo pathway
mutated cancers and in combination with other approved targeted therapies to combat therapeutic resistance. IK-930 is currently being studied in a Phase 1
clinical trial as a monotherapy in patients with advanced solid tumors with or without gene alterations in the Hippo pathway, including NF2-deficient malignant mesothelioma, Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma
(EHE) with documented TAZ/CAMTA1 fusion genes as well as other solid tumors with either NF2 deficiency or with YAP/TAZ genetic fusions (NCT05228015).
About Ikena Oncology
Ikena OncologyTM is focused on developing differentiated therapies for patients in need that target nodes of cancer growth, spread, and therapeutic resistance in the Hippo and RAS onco-signaling network. The
Company s lead targeted oncology program, IK-930, is a paralog-selective TEAD inhibitor addressing the Hippo signaling pathway, a known tumor suppressor pathway that also drives resistance to multiple
targeted therapies. The Company s additional research spans other targets in the Hippo pathway as well as the RAS signaling pathway, including developing IK-595, a novel
MEK-RAF inhibitor. Additionally, IK-175, an AHR antagonist, is being developed in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb. Ikena aims to utilize their depth of
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation, statements regarding: the timing and advancement of our targeted oncology programs, including the
timing of updates; our expectations regarding the therapeutic benefit of our targeted oncology programs; our ability to efficiently discover and develop product candidates; our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of our product
candidates; the implementation of our business model, and strategic plans for our business and product candidates. The words may, will, could, would, should, expect,
plan, anticipate, intend, believe, estimate, predict, project, potential, continue, target and similar expressions are intended
to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management s current expectations and beliefs and are subject
to a number of risks, uncertainties and important factors that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, including, without limitation,
those risks and uncertainties related to the timing and advancement of our targeted oncology programs; our expectations regarding the therapeutic benefit of our targeted oncology programs; expectations regarding our new executive officer; our
ability to efficiently discover and develop product candidates; the implementation of our business model, and strategic plans for our business and product candidates, and other factors discussed in the Risk Factors section of
Ikena s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, which is on file with the SEC, as updated by any subsequent SEC filings. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking
statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. We disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any such statements to reflect any change in expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements may
be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent our views only as of the date hereof and
should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. We explicitly disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
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