CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 28, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aileron Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ALRN), the clinical-stage leader in the field of stapled peptide therapeutics for cancers and other diseases, today announced that three leading oncology experts have joined its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).
“We are honored that world-class scientists and physicians with the accomplishments of Drs. Druker, List and Prives are joining our advisory board,” commented Joseph A. Yanchik III, President and CEO of Aileron. “Aileron’s mission is to develop solutions for patients utilizing a groundbreaking drug platform to target what are believed to be undruggable targets and cellular functions. In order to achieve our mission, we need to be successful in enlisting experts with a track record of breakthrough science and drug development as we have done with these new advisors.”
The additions to Aileron’s SAB include:
- Brian Druker, M.D., is the Director of the Knight Cancer Institute, Associate Dean for Oncology of the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) School of Medicine, JELD-WEN Chair of Leukemia Research and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. His research is focused on translating the knowledge of the molecular pathogenesis of cancer into specific therapies and investigating the optimal use of these molecularly targeted agents. He performed preclinical studies that led to the development of imatinib (Gleevec®) for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and then spearheaded the highly successful clinical trials of imatinib, which led to FDA approval of the drug in record time. This work changed the life expectancy of patients with CML from an average of three to five years to a 95% five-year survival, and has resulted in a paradigm shift in cancer treatment from non-specific chemotherapy to highly targeted therapeutic agents. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences and, among numerous awards, is the recipient of the 2009 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award.
- Alan List, M.D., is the President and CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center and Senior Member in the Department of Malignant Hematology and the Experimental Therapeutic Program, and a Professor of Internal Medicine and Oncology at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. Dr. List is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to the development of novel therapeutics for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), including Revlimid® (lenalidomide) for MDS and multiple myeloma. Dr. List has received several awards, and serves as a member of the Myelodysplastic Syndrome Foundation Board of Directors and is the President-Elect (2017-18) for the Society of Hematologic Oncology.
- Carol Prives, Ph.D., is the DaCosta Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University. She is widely recognized for her work in characterizing the structure and function of tumor suppressor protein p53, illuminating its central role in preventing cancer initiation and progression. Her current research is focused on p53’s regulatory signaling pathways, including the p53 negative regulator proteins, MDMX and MDM2. She has won multiple awards for her biomedical research, served on the editorial boards of ten peer-reviewed journals and been a scientific advisor to numerous academic, commercial and government institutions. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Microbiology and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
“The additions of high-caliber advisors to our existing Scientific Advisory Board, which is chaired by preeminent researchers like Dr. Michael Kastan at Duke Cancer Center and Dr. Loren Walensky at Dana-Farber, underscores our commitment to the development of innovative cancer therapeutics,” said Manuel Aivado, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical and Scientific Officer of Aileron. “We are committed to the discovery of transformative treatments for patients with a wide variety of cancers starting with ALRN-6924, a first of its kind stapled peptide therapeutic targeting MDMX and MDM2, the primary suppressors of p53 which is one of the most sought-after cancer drug targets.”
About ALRN-6924
ALRN-6924 is a first-in-class product candidate designed to reactivate wild type p53 tumor suppression by disrupting the interactions between the two primary p53 suppressor proteins, MDMX and MDM2. Aileron believes ALRN-6924 is the first and only product candidate in clinical development that can equipotently bind to and disrupt the interaction of MDMX and MDM2 with p53. Based on preclinical data and preliminary evidence of safety and anti-tumor activity in its ongoing clinical trials, there may be a significant opportunity to develop ALRN-6924 as a monotherapy or combination therapy for a wide variety of solid and liquid tumors. ALRN-6924 is currently being evaluated in multiple clinical trials for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), advanced myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). For information about its clinical trials, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.
About Aileron
Aileron is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing stapled peptides, a novel class of therapeutics for cancers and other diseases. Stapled peptides are chemically stabilized alpha-helical peptides that are modified to improve their stability and cell penetrability while maintaining high affinity for large protein surfaces. Our goal is to use our proprietary stapled peptide drug platform to create first-in-class therapeutics, like ALRN-6924, that may be able to address historically undruggable targets and complex mechanisms that underlie many diseases with high unmet medical need. Our platform enables us to chemically stabilize and improve the performance and activity of a broad range of alpha-helical peptides that we believe can potentially activate and inhibit key cellular functions that are otherwise difficult to target with existing drug technologies, including small molecules and monoclonal antibodies. For more information, visit www.aileronrx.com.
Forward-looking Statements
Statements in this press release about Aileron’s future expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including whether Aileron’s cash resources will be sufficient to fund its continuing operations for the period anticipated; whether results obtained in preclinical studies and clinical trials will be indicative of results obtained in future clinical trials; whether Aileron’s product candidates will advance through the clinical trial process on a timely basis, or at all; whether the results of such trials will warrant submission for approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies; whether Aileron’s product candidates will receive approval from regulatory agencies on a timely basis or at all; whether, if product candidates obtain approval, they will be successfully distributed and marketed; and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of Aileron’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2017, filed on November 9, 2017, and risks described in other filings that Aileron may make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Aileron specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise.
Source: Aileron Therapeutics
CONTACT: Contacts: Investors Aileron Therapeutics Don Dougherty, CFO 617-995-0900 ddougherty@aileronrx.com Media BMC Communications Brad Miles, 646-513-3125 bmiles@bmccommunications.com
