Kancera AB (publ) Reports Positive Results from a Phase I Study in Healthy Subjects With its Lead Immunoregulating Drug Candidate KAND567

STOCKHOLM, February 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

KAND567 is an orally available small molecule that blocks CX3CR1, the Fractalkine receptor. Fractalkine is an immunomodulating factor, known as a chemokine, which transmits signals via the CX3CR1 receptor, thereby controlling the function of immune cells and cancer cells. The amount of Fractalkine and its receptor CX3CR1 has been shown to be elevated in several cancers, inflammatory diseases and heart disease and is attracting growing interest as a druggable target. The company is now evaluating the conditions for continued clinical development of KAND567 against cancer and inflammatory cardiovascular injuries, e.g. in connection with infarction.

The study shows that KAND567 is safe and well-tolerated up to 500 mg twice daily for 7 days. The plasma levels achieved with KAND567 at that dose are five to ten times higher than the calculated effective level for therapeutic effect in humans. Upon further increase of the dose, a reversible increase in markers for liver effects was noted. The results also showed that KAND567 blocks the Fractalkine system by reducing the number of Fractalkine receptors on the surface of immune cells. Furthermore, results are reported from three preclinical disease models showing cardiovascular protection properties of KAND567.

"It is encouraging that the results of the Phase I study show that KAND567 blocks the Fractalkine system as hoped and the drug candidate is well tolerated in doses up to levels that are five to ten times above the calculated effective dose," says Thomas Olin, CEO Kancera."We will now continue to deepen our understanding of how KAND567 affects the liver in relation to the desired pharmacological effects to develop a clinical development plan for both chronic and acute treatment of inflammatory diseases and cancer, eg lymphoma. There is support for the benefits of short-term treatment with KAND567 against, for example, myocardial infarction, giving the project additional opportunities because of the good safety margin we have seen in short term treatment." 

The clinical development plan under consideration has the potential to result in two innovative  products; a tablet for oral longer-term treatment of lymphoma and a product for short term treatment following myocardial infarction.

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

SOURCE Kancera AB