Kancera announces approval for the start of clinical trial of KAND567

2017-05-09

The Medical Ethics Committee (METC) at the University Medical Center in Groningen, The Netherlands, has approved the start of clinical Phase I study of KAND567. The first dose to humans will be given within the next few weeks.

KAND567 works by blocking the Fractalkine system and has been demonstrated in preclinical disease models to effectively combat relapses in autoimmune disease as well as nerve inflammation and pain associated with chemotherapy against cancer.

In the clinical study KAND567 is administered orally to a total of 80 subjects, first in single doses and then in multiple doses. The purpose of the study is to evaluate KAND567 in healthy volunteers in terms of safety, tolerance and pharmacokinetics (drug absorption, exposure and excretion) as well as food interaction (how food affects the absorption of the drug in the body).

The study will be carried out at the QPS facility in Groningen. QPS is an internationally established contract research company that performs clinical studies, develops drug preparations and conducts laboratory analyses according to GLP and GCP quality standards (Good Laboratory Practice and Good Clinical Practice).

About the Fractalkine project 
KAND567 is an orally available small molecule that blocks CX3CR1, the Fractalkine receptor. Fractalkine is an immune-modulating factor, a so-called chemokine, which transmits signals via the CX3CR1 receptor, thereby controlling the function of immune cells and cancer cells. The levels of Fractalkine molecules and CX3CR1 receptors have been shown to be elevated in several inflammatory diseases, in cancer and in chronic pain conditions.

Kancera’s drug candidate KAND567 is the most advanced drug candidate against CX3CR1 and has been shown to be effective against inflammation and pain in multiple preclinical disease models.

In the healthy individual, Fractalkine and its receptor, CX3CR1, regulate migration of immune cells from the blood capillary wall into areas where the immune system is needed. Animal studies show that Fractalkine’s receptor is not essential for survival and that important immune functions remain intact despite the lack of receptor. The basis for successful development of KAND567 lies in effectively addressing local inflammation while maintaining a healthy immune system.

In clinical trials, blocking of the Fractalkine system has been shown to have the desired effect against auto-immune diseases such as Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis in refractory patients. These studies have been conducted by the pharmaceutical company Eisai using a monoclonal antibody. The results of these studies indicate that the probability increases for the Kancera AB drug candidate KAND567 to achieve clinical and commercial success as the first small-molecule drug that works through the Fractalkine system to combat many common diseases.

About Kancera AB (publ)
Kancera develops the basis for new therapeutics, starting with new treatment concepts and ending with the sale of a drug candidate to international pharmaceutical companies. Kancera is currently developing drugs for the treatment of leukemia and solid tumors, by regulating the immune system, blocking survival signals in the cancer cell and on addressing cancer metabolism. Kancera’s operations are based in the Karolinska Institutet Science Park in Stockholm and the company employs around 18 people. Kancera shares are traded on NASDAQ First North and the number of shareholders were more than 7700 as of January 13th, 2017. FNCA is Kancera’s Certified Adviser. Professor Carl-Henrik Heldin, Professor Håkan Mellstedt, and MD PhD Charlotte Edenius are board members and Kancera´s scientific advisers.

For further information contact,
Thomas Olin, CEO: +46-735-20 40 01

Address:
Kancera AB (publ)
Karolinska Institutet Science Park
Banvaktsvägen 22
SE 171 48 Solna

Visit our home page at: http://www.kancera.com

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