S*BIO Expands Pipeline With the Development of a Unique Flt3 -CDK Inhibitor as a Targeted Therapy for Acute...( SINGAPORE Nov. 27 /- S*BIO Pte Lt...),Health

SINGAPORE, Nov. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- S*BIO Pte Ltd today announced the expansion of its proprietary pipeline, with its third development candidate, SB1317. This is a novel orally-available small molecule compound targeted for the treatment of acute leukemias.

SB1317 is designed to selectively inhibit major signalling pathways involving Flt3 and CDK, which impact disease progression in acute leukemias. Flt3 mutations are the most frequent genetic alterations reported in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and are associated with a poor prognosis. In addition, over-expression of wild type Flt3 has been found in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. Cyclin-dependent kinases or CDKs play important roles in cell cycle control. By inhibiting both Flt3 and CDK kinases, SB1317 is uniquely positioned as a "first-in-class" compound to treat relapsed and refractory acute leukemias. SB1317 has already entered preclinical development.

"The ability to maintain long-term control in AML and ALL remains one of the most significant unmet medical needs in the adult leukemia market. SB1317 has been designed with this in mind, and we believe it has the potential to become a first of its kind Flt3 inhibitor to specifically target this group of patients," said Dr. Jan-Anders Karlsson, CEO of S*BIO, "With its ideal profile for treating relapsed and refractory AML and ALL, SB1317 provides an opportunity for S*BIO to expand its portfolio of new targeted therapies for hematological disorders."

Approximately 300,000 new cases of leukemia are diagnosed worldwide each year, and there are about 36,000 new cases of acute leukemia in the seven major pharmaceutical markets*. Acute leukemia is characterized by rapid growth and accumulation of immature blood cells in the bone marrow. This results in fewer normal blood cells. Relapse rates following conventional leukemia treatments remain high and limited treatment options exist for patients who relapse after standard
'/>"/>