SINGAPORE, Nov. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- S*BIO Pte Ltd today announced the expansion of its proprietary pipeline, with its third development candidate, SB1317. This is a novel orally-available small molecule compound targeted for the treatment of acute leukemias.
SB1317 is designed to selectively inhibit major signalling pathways involving Flt3 and CDK, which impact disease progression in acute leukemias. Flt3 mutations are the most frequent genetic alterations reported in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and are associated with a poor prognosis. In addition, over-expression of wild type Flt3 has been found in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. Cyclin-dependent kinases or CDKs play important roles in cell cycle control. By inhibiting both Flt3 and CDK kinases, SB1317 is uniquely positioned as a "first-in-class" compound to treat relapsed and refractory acute leukemias. SB1317 has already entered preclinical development.
"The ability to maintain long-term control in AML and ALL remains one of the most significant unmet medical needs in the adult leukemia market. SB1317 has been designed with this in mind, and we believe it has the potential to become a first of its kind Flt3 inhibitor to specifically target this group of patients," said Dr. Jan-Anders Karlsson, CEO of S*BIO, "With its ideal profile for treating relapsed and refractory AML and ALL, SB1317 provides an opportunity for S*BIO to expand its portfolio of new targeted therapies for hematological disorders."
Approximately 300,000 new cases of leukemia are diagnosed worldwide each year, and there are about 36,000 new cases of acute leukemia in the seven major pharmaceutical markets*. Acute leukemia is characterized by rapid growth and accumulation of immature blood cells in the bone marrow. This results in fewer normal blood cells. Relapse rates following conventional leukemia treatments remain high and limited treatment options exist for patients who relapse after standard induction and post-remission chemotherapy. The 5 year overall survival rate for elderly patients with AML is 5-15% and about 30% in younger adults*.
About S*BIO Pte Ltd
S*BIO is a privately-held biotech company focused on the research and clinical development of novel targeted small molecule drugs for the treatment of cancer with leading programs around histone deacetylases (HDAC) and kinases. Its lead candidate, SB939, has entered the clinic in 2Q 2007. It recently announced that a second compound, SB1518, would enter the clinic in 1H 2008.
In line with its vision to be a leading fully-integrated oncology-focused biotech company in Asia Pacific, S*BIO has established a state-of-the-art R&D infrastructure, complemented by a strong clinical development team. S*BIO has strong linkages with a network of medical oncologists in Asia Pacific and its investors include Bio*One Capital, Novartis Bioventures and other international funds. More information about S*BIO can be found at www.sbio.com.
Stephen_rhind@sbio.comTony.Russo@russopartnersllc.comAndreas.Marathis@russopartnersllc.com
CONTACT: Stephen Keith Rhind, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Corporate
Development, S*BIO Pte Ltd., +65 6827 5000 Singapore,
Stephen_rhind@sbio.com; or Tony Russo, +1-212-845-4251,
Tony.Russo@russopartnersllc.com, or Andreas Marathovouniotis,
+1-212-845-4253, Andreas.Marathis@russopartnersllc.com, both of Russo
Partners for S*BIO Pte Ltd
Web site: http://www.sbio.com/
