Eisbach Bio plans to use a $4.75m grant to advance EIS-12656, a small molecule ALC1 inhibitor to disrupt the genome structure in hard-to-treat cancer cells, says CEO Dr. Adrian Schomburg.
Last month, the Martinsried, Germany-based biotech secured the funding from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CRPIT) as part of the Texas Therapeutics Company Award. The company intends to direct the grant towards the ongoing Phase I/II MATCH trial (NCT06525298) of EIS-12656 in advanced, refractory solid tumours, as per the announcement.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Schomburg said Eisbach views EIS-12656 as an alternative to poly-ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARP) inhibitors in therapy for many hard-to-treat cancers. PARP proteins are involved in DNA repair, and their targeted inhibition can hinder the proliferation of tumour cells. However, Schomburg notes, “there’s FDA scrutiny about the label of these inhibitors because of toxicity”. In September 2022, GSK voluntarily withdrew Zejula (niraparib) indication for treating advanced gynecological cancers in patients who had previously treated with three or more chemotherapy regimens and who had tumours that tested positive for homologous recombination deficiency (HRD). The withdrawal was due to updated information on the negative impact on overall survival seen in two studies with PARP inhibitors in that same setting.
The mechanism of action for EIS-12656 is similar to PARP inhibitors, but it is one step further downstream, said Schomburg. The small molecule works by inhibiting ALC1 (chromodomain-helicase-DNA-binding protein 1-like), a chromatin remodeller and DNA helicase also involved in DNA repair. In what Schomburg terms a “’winner takes all’ market”, Eisbach believe their candidate can supplant PARP inhibitors as a less toxic option.
Following IND approval in May 2024, EIS-12656 is currently being assessed as a monotherapy against HRD-positive tumours in the Phase I/II MATCH trial, and compared against a combination regimen of the drug with the PARP inhibitor olaparib, marketed as Lynparza by AstraZeneca, or trastuzumab deruxtecan, marketed by AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo as Enhertu. Eisbach aims to initiate the Phase II portion of this study within Q2 2025.
The company plans to focus on hard-to-treat indications, including ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate cancers, where long-term regimens mean high toxicity can be an especially limiting factor. Beyond these areas, Schomburg said Eisbach is interested in expanding EIS-12656 into lung cancers, colorectal cancers, and glioblastoma, utilising the drug’s blood-brain barrier penetrative qualities. These indications are also of particular interest for other helicase-targeting therapies, such as Accent Therapeutic’s DHX9 inhibitor ATX-559, which is being studied in a Phase II trial (NCT06625515).
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataEisbach is developing other helicase-targeting therapies in preclinical studies, for which Schomburg stated IND-enabling trials are planned for 2025. He added that combination therapies, such as with antibody-drug conjugates where no combinatorial toxicity has been reported in preclinical models so far, are being considered.
