Debiopharm Group (Debiopharm), a global biopharmaceutical development specialist that focuses on serious medical conditions and particularly oncology, and Ascenta Therapeutics, Inc. (Ascenta), a privately-held, biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of new medicines to treat cancer, have entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement concerning the development and commercialization of AT-406 (called Debio 1143 by Debiopharm) a small molecule IAP inhibitor (Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein) currently in phase I development. By targeting inhibitors of apoptosis proteins, AT-406 (or Debio 1143) can induce cancer cell death and/or potentiate the efficacy of other treatments and is expected to be effective in the treatment of various cancers in combination with anti-cancer therapies.

“We are very excited about this collaboration with Ascenta Therapeutics. This company has an impressive scientific team and expertise in the field of apoptosis”, said Dr Rolland-Yves Mauvernay, president and founder of Debiopharm, who added “it should be possible to combine AT-406 (or Debio 1143) with other pro-apoptotic agents, which can potentially bring huge benefits to patients by enhancing the efficiency of the treatment.”

“Ascenta is pleased to form this partnership with Debiopharm, a company that has demonstrated a commitment to and expertise in the development of medicines to help cancer patients,” noted Dr Mel Sorensen, president and CEO of Ascenta.

AT-406 is an orally available small molecule that neutralizes major inhibitors of apoptosis. Apoptosis, or “programmed cell death,” is a precisely regulated, complex process ensuring that defective, damaged or superfluous cells are eliminated. Evasion of apoptosis is a hallmark of cancer, enabling cancer cells to live indefinitely and grow uncontrollably. Most current cancer therapies, including chemotherapeutic agents, radiation, and immunotherapy, work by inducing apoptosis. However, because of molecular alterations in the apoptotic pathways, many cancer cells are resistant or develop resistance to these agents. A promising new direction for drug development involves targeting apoptotic pathways directly to induce cell death and/or restore sensitivity to other treatments. AT-406 was discovered in the laboratory of Dr Shaomeng Wang at the University of Michigan.