Kancera unveils preclinical findings for its lead compound, KAND567, at world’s largest cardiovascular conference

Kancera was invited by ESC to make the oral presentation based on the “outstanding quality” of the company’s research, which shows KAND567 has anti-inflammatory action that protects the heart and blood vessels from damage in myocardial infarction and atherosclerosis, respectively.

The oral presentation entitled “KAND567, the first selective small molecule CX3CR1 antagonist in clinical development, mediates anti-inflammatory cardioprotective effects in rodent models of atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction” was held at session 552, “Emerging Treatments for ACS”, Sofia Village 8 at 12.00 Noon CET on 3 Sept.

The presentation was given by co-author Ioakim (Kim) Spyridopoulos, a professor of cardiovascular gerontology at Newcastle University and director of the university’s Cardiovascular Research Centre. Co-authors on the scientific work include researchers at Newcastle University, Karolinska Institute, AstraZeneca plc and Kancera.

About KAND567 and the fractalkine system
Kancera has KAND567 in clinical testing for myocardial infarction. The small molecule blocks signaling at the fractalkine receptor, also called CX3CR1, that drives immune cell responses at the infarction site during the minutes and hours after a heart attack. Blocking the action of these cells reduces the acute inflammation behind the cardiovascular damage that contributes to the risk of subsequent heart attacks and heart failure, as well as morbidity and poor quality of life, in these patients.

“The fractalkine system blocker KAND567 is expected mainly to act as a ‘first line of defense’ controlling the entrance of these intruder cells, rather than eliminating them,” said Kancera CEO Thomas Olin. “Moreover, as inflammation in general can be both beneficial and a threat, healthcare and the industry are looking to develop new treatments that are more specific on both mechanisms and timing aspects.”

Other clinical studies in heart attack patients have demonstrated ischemia/reperfusion injury is associated with high levels of fractalkine signaling and low numbers of circulating immune cells expressing the fractalkine receptor. While the number of these cells return to normal about 24 hours after infarction, the transient drop in cell counts is a strong predictor of survival three and six years later.

If successful, Kancera’s program could change the paradigm of heart attack treatment by stopping the damaging inflammation before it starts.

Kancera has KAND567 in an ongoing Phase Ib trial in healthy subjects to study the safety and tolerability of the compound and to generate information on optimal infusion rate to quickly reach a specific desired plasma concentration. In June, Kancera announced positive interim results from the trial. Last week, the company announced development of a new dosing strategy for the trial that would combine intravenous and oral dosing of KAND567, in line with clinical practice for infarction patients, to improve tolerability. Kancera expects to report results from the Phase Ib trial in December and enter Phase II for myocardial infarction in the first half of 2020.

Kancera has KAND145, a second-generation fractalkine receptor antagonist, in development for inflammatory diseases.

About Kancera
Kancera develops drugs that counteract damage during acute and chronic inflammation. The Fractalkine blocker KAND567 is primarily developed to effectively and selectively reduce the inflammation of the heart and vessels following a heart attack and is expected to enter the clinical phase II study during the first half of 2020. Since scientific studies have shown elevated levels of fractalkine not only in heart attacks but also in inflammatory diseases and certain forms of cancer, there are several possible development opportunities for the fractalkine blockers KAND567 and KAND145. Kancera also develops preclinical drug projects against cancer aimed at stopping survival signals in the cancer cell and preventing the cancer cell’s ability to be repaired. Kancera operates at Karolinska Institutet Science Park in Stockholm. The share is traded on Nasdaq First North. FNCA Sweden AB (tel. 08-528 00 399, info@fnca.se) is the company’s Certified Adviser. MD PhD Charlotte Edenius, MD PhD Anders Gabrielsen, Professor Carl-Henrik Heldin and Professor Håkan Mellstedt are all scientific advisors and board members of Kancera AB. 

For further information, contact:
Thomas Olin, CEO: +46-(0)735-20 40 01
Address:
Kancera AB (publ)
Karolinska Institutet Science Park
Banvaktsvägen 22
SE 171 48 Solna
Sweden.

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