DEBIOPHARM
28.5.2024 14:15:27 CEST | Business Wire | Press release
Debiopharm (www.debiopharm.com), a privately-owned, Swiss-based biopharmaceutical company aiming to establish tomorrow’s standards of care to cure cancer and infectious diseases, today announced that it has entered a clinical collaboration with MEDSIR (www.medsir.org), a Spanish and US-based, international and innovative research organization in clinical oncology. The study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of Debio 0123 (Debiopharm's investigational, potential best-in-class WEE1 inhibitor) together with sacituzumab govitecan (Trodelvy®; an antibody-drug conjugate [ADC] owned and commercialized by Gilead Sciences, Inc. [Gilead]). Sites for this Phase 1b/2 investigator-initiated trial in patients with previously treated advanced breast cancer will be opened in Europe, UK, and the USA.
“We are thrilled about the launch of this study exploring the combination of our WEE1 inhibitor with Trodelvy and are looking forward to seeing the potential benefits in breast cancer patients” said Esteban Rodrigo Imedio, Executive Medical Director, Oncology, Debiopharm.
Hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/HER2- is the most common type of breast cancer and it accounts for 70% of all breast cancers. It groups estrogen-receptor (ER) and/or progesterone-receptor (PR) expressing cells. Almost one in three cases of early-stage breast cancer eventually become metastatic, and among patients with HR+/HER2- metastatic disease, the five-year relative survival rate is 30%. As patients with HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer become resistant to endocrine-based therapy, their primary treatment option is limited to single-agent chemotherapy. For patients treated with single-agent chemotherapy, the prognosis remains poor [1]. Despite having a more favorable outcome than other breast cancer subtypes like HER2-positive and triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC), relapse still occurs and there remains a high unmet medical need for this patient population [2-3]. TNBC is an aggressive type of breast cancer that accounts for 10-15% of all breast cancers. It is called “triple negative” as it does not express ER, PR or HER2 receptors. Because of its aggressive nature, TNBC has a high risk of metastasis either at diagnosis or at time of relapse after initial curative therapy, which explains the poor prognosis many TNBC patients face. Compared to other types of breast cancer, the relapse rate as well as the mortality rate in the 5 years after diagnosis is significantly higher [4-5].
“It’s great to see companies like Debiopharm that are open to investigating novel combination strategies to support breast cancer patients. I look forward to seeing potential benefits for patients” Dr. Tim Robinson, Principal Investigator, University of Bristol.
Sacituzumab govitecan is a Trop-2-directed ADC currently approved globally for patients with 2L metastatic TNBC and pre-treated HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer The clinical trial will enroll patients with HR[+]/HER2[-] metastatic breast cancer and metastatic TNBC, and will be sponsored by MEDSIR, and fully funded by Debiopharm. Gilead will provide supply of sacituzumab govitecan.
“We are honored to develop this Investigator Sponsor Trial (IST) in collaboration with Debiopharm and Gilead to explore new approaches to breast cancer treatment. Together, we're committed to advancing patient care and fostering important partnerships in the oncology field. I believe our work with Debio 0123 and sacituzumab govitecan holds great promise for patients” said Dr. Javier Cortés, MEDSIR Senior Scientific Lead.
The foundations for this clinical trial were set by the promising preclinical data suggesting an existing synergy between Debiopharm’s Debio 0123 and Gilead’s sacituzumab govitecan. These results will be disclosed at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting 2024 under the title “Anti-tumor activity of Debio 0123 in combination with sacituzumab govitecan in preclinical models of breast cancer” [6].
About Debio 0123
Debio 0123 is a brain-penetrant, highly selective WEE1 kinase inhibitor. WEE1 is a key regulator of the G2/M and S phase checkpoints, activated in response to DNA damage, allowing cells to repair their DNA before resuming their cell cycle. WEE1 inhibition, particularly in combination with DNA damaging agents, induces an overload of DNA breaks. In conjunction with abrogation of other checkpoints such as G1, the compound pushes the cells through cell cycle without DNA repair, promoting mitotic catastrophe and inducing apoptosis of cancer cells. Currently investigated in clinical trials for solid tumors in monotherapy and combination, Debio 0123 is being developed to respond to high unmet needs of patients living with the burden of difficult-to-treat cancers.
About MEDSIR
Founded in 2012, MEDSIR works closely with its partners to drive innovation in oncology research. Based in Spain and the United States, the company manages all aspects of clinical trials, from study design to publication, utilizing a global network of experts and integrated technology to streamline the process.
The company offers proof-of-concept support and a strategic approach that helps research partners experience the best of both worlds from industry-based clinical research and investigator-driven trials. To promote independent cancer research worldwide, MEDSIR has a strategic alliance with Oncoclínicas, the leading oncology group in Brazil with the greatest research potential in South America. Learn how MEDSIR brings ideas to life: www.medsir.org.
Debiopharm's Commitment to Patients
Debiopharm aims to develop innovative therapies that target high unmet medical needs in oncology and bacterial infections. Bridging the gap between disruptive discovery products and real-world patient reach, we identify high-potential compounds and technologies for in-licensing, clinically demonstrate their safety and efficacy, and then hand stewardship to large pharmaceutical commercialization partners to maximize patient access globally.
For more information, please visit www.debiopharm.com
We are on Twitter. Follow us @DebiopharmNews at http://twitter.com/DebiopharmNews.
Sources
[1] Rugo et al., ASCO 2022 Abstract #LBA1001
[2] American Cancer Society. 2021
[3] McAndrew NP, Finn RS. 2022
[4] Dass SA, Tan KL, Selva Rajan R, Mokhtar NF, Mohd Adzmi ER, Wan Abdul Rahman WF, Tengku Din TADA, Balakrishnan V. 2021
[5] American Cancer Society. 2023
[6] Piggott et al., AACR 2024 Abstract #3370
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240528066531/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Beerenberg Prevails in Patent Case Against Aspen Aerogels29.6.2026 07:00:00 CEST | Press release
The ruling confirms that Beerenberg did not infringe Aspen Aerogels’ patents. The Korean Patent Court has invalidated three of Aspen Aerogels’ patents related to improved hydrophobic aerogel material. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260628192007/en/ Beerenberg delivers high-end insulation solutions built for performance, reliability, and long-term value. (Photo: Beerenberg) The ruling confirms the conclusion of the Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board (IPTAB) that the patents did not meet the necessary requirements for patentability. Beerenberg, which specializes in high-end insulation products, welcomes the court’s decision. “We are pleased that the case has now been concluded and that any uncertainty regarding the infringement claims has been removed,” says CEO Arild Apelthun. About Beerenberg Beerenberg has delivered cost-efficient solutions to a wide range of industrial enterprises for 49 years. Th
Seiden Law LLP States: Cambodian Businessman Leak Yim, Wrongfully Accused in Thailand, Seeks Redress in U.S. Court29.6.2026 06:00:00 CEST | Press release
Seiden Law LLP (“Seiden Law”), legal counsel for Mr. Leak Yim, a Cambodia national, and his family, announces the filing of an application in U.S. federal district court in Washington D.C., seeking court-ordered discovery to uncover the false and misleading information that may have led to mistaken prosecution in Thailand of Mr. Yim as well as his unwarranted identification to Congress as being associated with scam centers in Asia. 28 U.S.C. § 1782 (“1782”) provides powerful evidence-gathering remedies, permitting an applicant to obtain evidence in the United States to assist international proceedings. Seiden Law, a U.S. law firm with significant experience in 1782 cases, has filed this application to compel production of documents and sworn testimony from persons in the U.S. that will shed light on the circumstances surrounding recent actions against Mr. Yim. “Mr. Yim and his young family are the apparent victims of guilt by association and political persecution,” said Robert Seiden,
Sultan Bin Ahmed Attends Media Master's Graduation in Spain28.6.2026 18:40:00 CEST | Press release
His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and President of the University of Sharjah (UOS), attended on Friday, at the University of Barcelona, the graduation ceremony of the first cohort of the Master of Science in Media Entrepreneurship and Digital Innovation programme, first of its kind, offered by the University of Sharjah's College of Communication in partnership with the University of Barcelona and with strategic support from Sharjah Media City (Shams). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260628429537/en/ Sultan Bin Ahmed attends Media Master's Graduation in Spain (Photo: AETOSWire) His Highness expressed his pride in their achievements and praised the strong partnership between the two universities, which share a commitment to knowledge, excellence and global understanding. His Highness stressed that graduation marks the beginning of a new journey rather than its con
VerSprite Launches Fork and Knife: AI-Driven Threat Modeling and Adversarial Testing Built for the Speed of Modern Software26.6.2026 23:28:00 CEST | Press release
Powered by the risk-centric PASTA methodology and two decades of accredited offensive security, the integrated platform lets enterprises threat model in a security sprint—then prove the risk through AI-led, human-on-the-loop testing. VerSprite, a global leader in risk-based threat modeling and the firm behind the PASTA (Process for Attack Simulation and Threat Analysis) methodology, today announced the general availability of Fork (www.forktm.com), a continuous application threat modeling platform, alongside Knife, an AI-led, human-on-the-loop adversarial testing platform for web applications and web API endpoints. Together, the two products operationalize a new model for product security—one where applications are securely designed, continuously modeled, and actively tested as part of the build process itself. The launch addresses a problem every security leader knows but few tools have solved: threat modeling is essential, never more so than in an AI-driven era, yet it has remained s
Venture Global Announces Closing of $1.5 Billion Senior Secured Vessel Financing Facility26.6.2026 22:30:00 CEST | Press release
Venture Global, Inc. (NYSE: VG) announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Venture Global Shipping Holdings, LLC (“VGSH”), has entered into a Credit and Guaranty Agreement providing for a senior secured term loan facility (the “Facility”) in an aggregate principal amount of up to $1,500,000,000. The Facility will mature on June 26, 2032. Deutsche Bank and ING acted as coordinating lead arrangers for the Facility. ING also serves as facility agent and security trustee. VGSH intends to use the net proceeds from the Facility for general corporate purposes, including to reimburse Venture Global LNG, Inc. for payments previously made by it or its affiliates in connection with the acquisition of nine LNG carriers, funding certain reserve accounts, and paying transaction fees and expenses. About Venture Global Venture Global is an American producer and exporter of low-cost U.S. liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) with over 100 MTPA of capacity in production, construction, or development. Ven
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom
