Hanmi Pharm Unveils New Innovative Anticancer Drug Project at US AACR

Introduction of 7 Research Projects at AACR... The Most in Korea
Announcement of Next-Generation Core R&D Projects

Hanmi Pharmaceutical announced on the 5th that it will unveil its innovative new drug pipeline in the oncology field at the 'American Association for Cancer Research (AACR 2023)' held in Orlando, Florida, USA, from the 14th to the 19th.

Hanmi Pharmaceutical AACR Presentation.
[Image provided by Hanmi Pharmaceutical]

At this AACR, Hanmi Pharmaceutical will present a total of seven research results in poster form, including ▲ two cases of LAPSIL-2analog (HM16390) ▲ EZH1/2 dual inhibitor (HM97662) ▲ SOS1 inhibitor (HM99462) ▲ YAP/TAZ-TEAD inhibitor ▲ messenger RNA (mRNA) cancer vaccine, as well as ▲ PD-L1/4-1BB BsAb (BH3120) based on the bispecific antibody platform (Pentambody) led by Beijing Hanmi Pharmaceutical.

First, Hanmi Pharmaceutical will reveal the antitumor efficacy research results of 'HM16390,' a next-generation interleukin-2 (IL-2) immuno-oncology drug, on the 17th. IL-2 is a substance that differentiates and activates cytotoxic lymphocytes. Currently approved recombinant human IL-2 has limitations in use due to severe side effects such as vascular leak syndrome when used at high doses. HM16390 is a candidate that optimizes the binding affinity between IL-2 receptors, improving not only potent antitumor efficacy but also safety. It is formulated for once-per-cycle subcutaneous administration, and toxicity studies for entry into phase 1 clinical trials are currently underway.

Additionally, research results confirming the anticancer effects of the EZH1/2 dual inhibitor 'HM97662' will be announced on the 19th. EZH2 is an enzyme that epigenetically methylates lysine on a protein called histone. Hanmi Pharmaceutical is developing HM97662 as a treatment for advanced solid tumors and this year will present its potential as a treatment for T-cell lymphoma to expand indications.

Research results on HM99462, which targets the most lethal KRAS mutation among oncogenic gene mutations, will be presented on the 17th. KRAS, a protein that plays a crucial role in cell growth, differentiation, proliferation, and survival, causes cancer through various mutations. HM99462 is a candidate that inhibits the binding to SOS1, a protein that acts as a signaling relay to prevent KRAS activation. Hanmi Pharmaceutical explains that HM99462 is expected to enhance therapeutic effects against various KRAS activation-related cancers through combination with existing drugs while suppressing resistance development.

Hanmi Pharmaceutical will also unveil a new YAP/TAZ-TEAD inhibitor targeting solid tumors related to the Hippo signaling pathway. The Hippo signaling pathway in cells is known to regulate cell proliferation and stem cell function homeostasis. However, abnormalities in genes involved in the Hippo pathway cause it to stop functioning, allowing proteins YAP/TAZ to bind to the transcription factor TEAD, leading to various malignant tumors. The candidate developed by Hanmi Pharmaceutical reportedly showed strong TEAD inhibitory effects.

Moreover, Hanmi Pharmaceutical will present the therapeutic potential through immune responses of an mRNA-based cancer vaccine at this conference.

Research results of 'BH3120,' a next-generation immuno-oncology drug led by the R&D center of Beijing Hanmi Pharmaceutical, Hanmi Pharmaceutical Group’s local subsidiary in China, will be announced on the 17th. BH3120 is a new drug candidate applying the bispecific antibody platform 'Pentambody,' which allows a single antibody to simultaneously bind two different targets. Pentambody has advantages such as excellent immunogenicity, stability, and high production efficiency. Based on accumulated research results, Beijing Hanmi Pharmaceutical and Hanmi Pharmaceutical plan to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April.

A Hanmi Pharmaceutical official said, "This year’s AACR presentation by Hanmi can be described with the keywords innovation, expansion, and new modality," adding, "We will continue to discover new innovative programs while further advancing existing R&D projects."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.