Ascentage Pharma Announces Promising Phase 1 Interim Results in Two Clinical Programs to Be Presented at 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting

ROCKVILLE, Md. and HONG KONG, CHINA /PRNewswire/ – Ascentage Pharma, a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing apoptosis-targeted therapies for cancers and other diseases, today announced that interim results from two clinical programs will be presented at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago, June 1-5, 2018.

The poster sessions of APG-1252, a novel dual inhibitor of Bcl-2/Bcl-xL, and APG-1387, a IAP inhibitor, will be held on June 4.

“We are excited to present initial clinical experience with two of our pipeline candidates,” commented Dr. Dajun Yang, Chairman and CEO of Ascentage. “These unique small molecules address complex, protein-protein interactions involved in apoptotic pathways in cancer. We look forward to continuing these single agent studies as well as combination trials with immunotherapy treatments and reporting results later in the year.”

ASCO abstracts include:

  • Title: A Phase 1 Study of Novel dual Bcl-2/Bcl-xL Inhibitor APG-1252 in Patients with Advanced Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) or Other Solid Tumor
    Session Date and Time: Monday, June 4 at 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. CDT
    Abstract Number: 2594

APG-1252 was designed to reduce the target platelet toxicity seen with dual inhibitors Bcl-2/Bcl-xL, while maintaining strong antitumor activity. Preliminary results showed that APG-1252 was well-tolerated with no hematologic toxicity reported. There was one confirmed partial response in a metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patient. Dose escalation continues in SCLC and other solid tumors.、

  • Title: A Phase 1 Study of a Novel IAP Inhibitor APG-1387 In Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors
    Session Date and Time: Monday, June 4 at 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. CDT
    Abstract Number: 2593

APG-1387 was well-tolerated with manageable adverse events. Preliminary responses indicated positive host immune responses, suggesting synergy with immunotherapy agents. Studies are continuing with APG-1387 in combination with immunotherapy agents in patients with advanced solid tumors or hematologic malignancies.