SignalChem Announces Patients Enrollment in Clinical Trial of AXL Inhibitor SLC-391 in Combination with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) for Advanced or Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
- SignalChem Announces Patients Enrollment in Clinical Trial of AXL Inhibitor SLC-391 in Combination with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) for Advanced or Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
VANCOUVER, BC — SignalChem Lifesciences Corp. is pleased to announce the enrollment of the first three patients in its phase Ib clinical trial in The United States and Canada, evaluating the efficacy and safety of AXL inhibitor SLC-391 in combination with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, for the treatment of advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
AXL is a receptor tyrosine kinase that has been implicated in tumor growth and metastasis, immune evasion, and resistance to therapy in various cancers, including NSCLC. By inhibiting AXL signaling, SLC-391 has the potential to enhance the anti-tumor immune response and sensitize cancer cells to immune checkpoint inhibitors like KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab).
“We are excited to initiate this clinical trial exploring the combination of AXL inhibitor SLC-391 with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer,” said Mr. Jun Yan, President and CEO of SignalChem. “We believe that targeting AXL signaling alongside immune checkpoint inhibition holds promise for improving treatment outcomes in this challenging disease.”
The multicenter, open-label phase 1b study will enroll up to 30 patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC. The objectives include determining the safety and recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) of SLC-391 in combination with pembrolizumab and evaluating the pharmacokinetics (PK) of SLC-391 when administered in combination with pembrolizumab.
SignalChem is committed to advancing the field of oncology and addressing the unmet needs of cancer patients through its innovative pipeline of targeted therapies. The initiation of this clinical trial represents a significant milestone in the company’s mission to develop novel treatment options for individuals battling advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
KEYTRUDA® is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA.
About Lung Cancer
Lung cancer, which forms in the tissues of the lungs, typically within cells lining the air passages, is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Each year, more people die of lung cancer than colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for 84% of all lung cancer diagnoses. The overall 5-year survival rate for NSCLC is 24%, ranging from 61% for localized NSCLC to 6% for metastatic disease.
About SLC-391
SLC-391 is a potent, selective and orally bioavailable small molecule AXL inhibitor. Currently, phase Ib/II clinical trial is ongoing in Canada and US to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK) and efficacy of SLC-391 in combination with pembrolizumab in advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
About SignalChem
SignalChem Lifesciences Corporation (“SLC”), headquartered in British Columbia, Canada, is a clinical-stage company developing novel targeted therapies for oncology. SLC has a strong small-molecule drug development pipeline (https://signalchemlifesciences.com/pipeline.php). Our novel targeted compounds are designed internally by a group of scientists with expertise and experience in kinase biology and drug discovery. SLC is seeking strategic partners to aid in bringing our clinical-stage drug pipeline to the market.
SignalChem (https://www.signalchem.com), a separate division from SignalChem Lifesciences, is a biotech company focused on the research, development and production of innovative and high-quality human recombinant cell signaling products. Throughout the years, SignalChem has capitalized on its core expertise in cellular signaling, molecular biology and protein biochemistry to generate more than 2,000 functional protein products.
SignalChem strives to support scientists in academia, pharma and biotech companies around the world by creating effective research tools to advance the basic research in life sciences and to facilitate the efforts in drug discovery and development.
For more information, please visit https://www.signalchemlifesciences.com.
Forward-Looking Statements and Information
This release contains forward-looking statements that are not based on historical facts. These forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, events or developments to be materially different from those expressed or implied. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.
Contact:
Zaihui Zhang, PhD
CSO, VP R & D
SignalChem Lifesciences Corp.
+ 604 232 4600 ext. 114