Vincerx Pharma, Inc. a biopharmaceutical company aspiring to address the unmet medical needs of patients with cancer through paradigm-shifting therapeutics, today reported that it has received clearance for its Investigational New Drug (IND) application from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial for VIP943. Vincerx expects to enroll the first patient in the study early in the fourth quarter of 2023.
"The IND clearance by the FDA is a significant step forward for the VIP943 development program, our first candidate from our antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) platform to enter clinical trials," said Ahmed Hamdy, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Vincerx. "Our next-generation platform is designed to improve efficacy and address safety challenges associated with many ADCs. It combines an internalizing antibody binding to CD123, a novel KSPi payload, a selective and stable linker, and exclusive CellTrapper™ technology. We believe VIP943 has the potential to become a much needed treatment option for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We're eager to start the clinical program and unlock the potential therapeutic benefits of this compound."
Dr. Hamdy concluded by saying, “2023 is shaping up to be a very positive year for Vincerx. Within the last eight months, we successfully filed two INDs (VIP236 and VIP943) and swiftly garnered clearance from the FDA within 30 days. We believe these accomplishments highlight the strength of our development, drug manufacturing, and regulatory expertise. Looking ahead, in addition to beginning our Phase 1 trial for VIP943, we also expect to provide preliminary results for VIP236 by late 2023 or early 2024. Collectively, these milestones support the potential for our strategy to develop small molecule and antibody-based conjugate therapies to improve the care of patients with cancer.”
About VIP943
VIP943 is a novel ADC developed using Vincerx’s next-generation ADC technology designed to enhance intracellular accumulation of the KSPi payload (kinesin spindle protein inhibitor), potentially leading to higher efficacy, while limiting unwanted side effects. VIP943 binds to CD123, a validated target in myeloid malignancies. Once inside of the cell, it releases its KSPi payload. Vincerx’s CellTrapper™ technology ensures that the KSPi payload accumulates in the target cells, limiting uptake into non-target, non-dividing cells.
VIP943 has demonstrated increased survival and reduced tumor burden in AML (acute myelogenous leukemia) cell lines and patient-derived tumor models. In addition, Vincerx presented preclinical data on VIP943 at ASH 2022 demonstrating superiority against Mylotarg™, an approved ADC, with significantly improved safety in monkeys and better efficacy in a mouse model of acute leukemia. Preclinical data suggest that VIP943 does not induce significant cytokine release and demonstrated favorable safety in monkeys with an optimal drug, metabolism and pharmacokinetics profile.
The Phase 1 trial of VIP943 is intended to assess safety, pharmacokinetics/phamacodynamics, and preliminary efficacy of VIP943 in patients with advanced AML and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).
About Vincerx Pharma, Inc.
Vincerx Pharma, Inc. (Vincerx) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to developing differentiated and novel therapies to address the unmet medical needs of patients with cancer. Vincerx has assembled a seasoned management team with a proven track record of successful oncology drug development, approvals, and value creation. The company’s diverse pipeline consists of the next-generation antibody conjugate, VIP943, on track to begin a Phase 1 study in early Q4 2023; small molecule drug-conjugate, VIP236, in Phase 1; preclinical antibody drug conjugate, VIP924; CDK9 inhibitor, enitociclib, currently in an NIH-sponsored Phase 1; and its next-generation modular bioconjugation platform.