Vividion Therapeutics, a subsidiary of Bayer, has strengthened its oncology development pipeline with the acquisition of exclusive global rights to VVD-214 from Roche.
VVD-214 is a clinical-stage Werner helicase (WRN) inhibitor that targets cancers with microsatellite instability (MSI), such as colorectal, endometrial, ovarian, and gastric cancers.
Discovered under a collaboration between Vividion and Roche in 2020, it was designed to induce DNA damage in cancer cells with high levels of MSI without affecting healthy cells.
Vividion aims to develop and commercialise the WRN inhibitor to enhance its advanced cancer treatment portfolio.
Vividion CEO Aleksandra Rizo said: “Bringing VVD-214, the only clinical-stage covalent inhibitor of WRN in development worldwide, into our portfolio marks an incredibly exciting moment for Vividion.
“We are eager to progress development of this compound, building on the encouraging clinical data we’ve seen to date, as part of our mission to transform treatment for patients with cancer and other serious diseases.”
Preliminary data from a first-in-human study indicated that VVD-214 is well tolerated and shows promising activity.
The ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial is assessing VVD-214 both as a monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab.
The trial targets patients with solid tumours exhibiting high MSI or deficient mismatch repair (dMMR), including colorectal, endometrial, ovarian, and gastric cancers.
Vividion is also studying other investigational cancer therapeutics, including an oral KEAP1 activator, an oral STAT3 inhibitor, and an oral RAS-PI3Kα inhibitor, in Phase 1 trials.
Bayer pharmaceuticals division research and development global head Christian Rommel said: “VVD-214 is showing promising potential to improve treatment options for patients suffering from MSI-high cancers, a population with high unmet medical need.
“It underscores the ability of Vividion’s chemoproteomics technology to identify and advance new treatment opportunities for challenging and intractable diseases and will be a valuable addition to the company’s portfolio.”
Earlier this year, Vividion acquired Tavros Therapeutics, a precision oncology platform company, following a strategic collaboration focused on oncology, initiated in 2022.
