S*BIO Pte Ltd has become Singapore's first biotechnology company to initiate a phase I clinical trial of a novel anti-cancer compound. The compound, SB939, belongs to a new class of targeted anti-cancer therapeutics called histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors.
SB939 is designed to be a "best-in-class" therapeutic amongst HDAC inhibitors being developed worldwide, and has demonstrated the potential to bring additional therapeutic benefits due to its high potency, superior oral availability and good tolerability, a S*BIO press release stated.
The phase I trial of SB939 is a dose-escalation study and is currently conducted at the Department of Haematology-Oncology, The Cancer Institute@National University Hospital (TCI@NUH) in Singapore. This study will evaluate the safety and tolerability, as well as determine the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of SB939 in cancer patients. SB939 has been found to be well tolerated in the first cohort of patients and the dosing continues with the next dose-groups. This clinical study
involves patients with either solid or haematological tumours.
"SB939 was discovered in Singapore and entered into the clinic within a short span of two years. This is a significant milestone for S*BIO as we make the transition into a clinical stage company and demonstrate the speed and rigor with which we move new discoveries into clinical testing. We are pleased to work with a team of experts at NUH who have a strong track record in clinical studies of novel anti-cancer compounds" said Dr. Jan-Anders Karlsson, CEO of S*BIO. "The preclinical data of SB939 are very promising and we look forward to investigating Singapore's first oncology drug," said Boon-Cher Goh, M.D., Principal Clinical Investigator, the Department of Haematology-Oncology, TCI@NUH.
S*BIO focuses on the research and clinical development of novel targeted small molecule drugs for the treatment of cancer. In addition to SB939, S*BIO's pipeline includes a portfolio of complementary HDAC inhibitors and two novel series of unique spectrum kinase inhibitors applicable for the treatment of both solid and haematological tumours. S*BIO's scientific and clinical team include some of the best home grown and international scientists. Coupled with a strong international management team and state-of-the-art infrastructure, S*BIO rapidly develops exploitable leads into optimised clinical development candidates.
S*BIO is a privately held biotech company focused on the research and clinical development of novel targeted small molecule drugs for the treatment of cancer with leading programs around histone deacetylases (HDAC) and kinases. Its lead candidate, SB939, has entered the clinic in 2Q 2007.