Verastem, Inc., a company focused on discovering and developing drugs to treat cancer by the targeted killing of cancer stem cells, has received a key patent No. 8,501,763 from the US Patent and Trademark Office claiming composition of matter for VS-4718, the Company’s novel, small molecule inhibitor of cancer stem cells through blockade of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). The US patent grants coverage of VS-4718 into 2029.

Corresponding patent applications are pending in major markets throughout the world including Europe, Japan, Australia and Canada.

Preclinical models of multiple tumour types have established the FAK pathway as critical for the growth and survival of cancer stem cells, which are an underlying cause of tumour metastasis and recurrence. Verastem recently initiated a phase I open-label, multi-centre, dose-escalation study of VS-4718 in patients with advanced cancer. The study is expected to enroll up to 40 patients at three US locations.

“This patent is the cornerstone of our intellectual property estate for VS-4718, a potent inhibitor of FAK which we believe holds significant potential in the treatment of a variety of cancers,” said Robert Forrester, Verastem president and chief executive officer. “VS-4718 is our second drug candidate targeting cancer stem cells to enter the clinic, following defactinib (VS-6063), which is entering a registration-directed clinical trial in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. We believe treatments targeting cancer stem cells will be critical to achieving durable clinical benefit in cancer.”

Verastem, Inc. is discovering and developing drugs to treat cancer by the targeted killing of cancer stem cells.