Asana BioSciences to Present Phase 1 Clinical Safety and Efficacy Data of Oral, Once-Weekly, ASN007, a Novel ERK 1/2 Inhibitor, at the AACR-NCI-EORTC Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics Conference

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Asana BioSciences, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, announced that it will present ASN007 data on clinical safety and efficacy in solid tumor patients at the AACR-NCI-EORTC Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics Conference to be held in Boston, MA on October 26-30, 2019. The Scientific Committee selected the ASN007 late breaking abstract submission as one of the top ten abstracts for this year’s program and invited presentation as a short-talk.

The details of the presentation are as follows:

About ASN007

ASN007 is in Phase 1 clinical development. It is a potent inhibitor of the extracellular-signal-regulated kinases ERK1 and ERK2, which are key players in the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK (MAPK) signaling pathway. ASN007 shows activity in KRAS-driven models, irrespective of subtype mutation, and BRAF models, including RAF/MEK inhibitor-resistant melanoma. ASN007 has a long target residence time and shows activity in preclinical models using an intermittent dosing schedule. ASN007 is being evaluated in patients with advanced solid tumors, including BRAF- and KRAS-mutant cancers (NCT03415126). The once-weekly maximum tolerated dose is determined and selected for the ongoing dose expansion.

About Asana BioSciences, LLC

Asana BioSciences is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company based near Princeton, NJ. Asana is focused on discovery and development of novel targeted investigational medicines in immunology/inflammation and oncology.

Asana’s oncology pipeline includes ASN004, an Antibody Drug Conjugate (ADC) that targets the 5T4 oncofetal antigen, which is expressed in a wide range of malignant tumors but has very limited expression in normal tissues. ASN004 demonstrates robust and durable antitumor activity after single administration in multiple human tumor xenograft models. A First-in-Human Phase 1 trial is being planned.

Asana’s lead asset in the immunology/dermatology area is gusacitinib (ASN002), an oral potent inhibitor of the Janus Kinase (JAK) family (JAK1, JAK2, JAK3 and TYK2) and Spleen Tyrosine Kinase (SYK). Gusacitinib is being evaluated in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) (NCT03531957) and chronic hand eczema (NCT03728504) in separate Phase 2b studies.

Asana’s second dermatology asset ASN008 is a novel, topical sodium-channel blocker with high functional selectivity for itch- and pain-sensing neurons while sparing motor neurons. It is being developed for the treatment of chronic itch conditions and pain with rapid onset and long duration of action after a single application. A Phase 2a study to evaluate ASN008 topical gel in patients with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis is ongoing (NCT03798561).

ASN009, a highly-selective oral antagonist of the purinergic P2X3 ion channel that is activated by extracellular ATP and involved in various pain, urological and respiratory disease conditions. Preclinical proof-of-concept has been demonstrated with ASN009 in a rodent cough model. ASN009 is in the preclinical development stage and IND-enabling studies are in progress.

www.asanabiosciences.com

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