On April 6, 2023, in Suzhou, China, Evopoint Biosciences Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Evopoint Biosciences) announced that the company has entered into an agreement with MSD (MSD is the corporate name of Merck & Co., Inc., located in Rahway, New Jersey, USA) regarding Evopoint’s self-developed XNW5004, a small molecule EZH2 inhibitor with high selectivity and high activity, and MSD’s PD-1 inhibitor KEYTRUDA.®(Pembrolizumab) - Initiate clinical trial collaboration for combination therapy. This collaboration focuses on a Phase Ib/II clinical trial for the treatment of advanced solid tumors.
XNW5004 is a highly selective, highly active, and well-druggable EZH2 inhibitor independently developed by Evopoint Biosciences. It demonstrated potential Best-in-class efficacy and safety in the recently completed Phase I clinical trial. This time, Evopoint Biosciences has reached a clinical combination cooperation agreement with MSD for an open-label, single-arm Phase Ib/II clinical trial, aiming to confirm the combination of XNW5004 with KEYTRUDA.®The RP2D (recommended Phase II dose) and the efficacy and safety of the combination in the treatment of advanced solid tumors.
In this regard, Qiang Jing, Chairman of Evopoint Biosciences, stated: "We are very pleased to have reached a collaboration with MSD, a leading company in cancer immunotherapy. XNW5004 is a very promising anti-tumor product. In preclinical animal models, XNW5004 has already demonstrated a synergistic effect in tumor treatment when used in combination with a PD-1 antibody. Based on the current research findings on the mechanism of action of EZH2 inhibitors, existing preclinical data, and the superior efficacy and safety exhibited by XNW5004 in Phase I clinical trials, we are highly optimistic about the combination of XNW5004 with KEYTRUDA.®"The prospects for treating advanced solid tumors are very optimistic. We believe that this combination therapy has the potential to significantly improve efficacy and benefit patients with advanced solid tumors."
According to the agreement reached, Evopoint Biosciences will be responsible for the overall clinical trial and provide clinical expenses, while MSD will supply KEYTRUDA.®Evopoint Biosciences retains global intellectual property rights for XNW5004.
KEYTRUDA®Is a registered trademark, with the trademark rights owned by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. based in Rahway, New Jersey, USA.
About XNW5004
XNW5004 is a small molecule EZH2 inhibitor with high selectivity and high activity independently developed by Evopoint Biosciences. EZH2 plays a crucial role in a series of pathological processes including tumorigenesis, progression, and tumor immunity. Inhibitors targeting EZH2 have demonstrated significant efficacy in hematological malignancies.
Preclinical trial results indicate that XNW5004, used alone or in combination with other drugs including PD-1 antibodies, has demonstrated excellent anti-tumor efficacy and safety in various hematological malignancy and solid tumor models. In the recently completed Phase I clinical trial, XNW5004 also showed superior efficacy and safety compared to other EZH2 selective inhibitors in its class. Some of the Phase I study results were presented at the ASH meeting held in December 2022.
About Evopoint Biosciences
Evopoint Biosciences, founded in 2017, is a platform-based innovative drug company with both strong research capabilities and commercialization ability. Based on three self-developed technology platforms—targeted therapy, anti-infectives, and PROTAC—Evopoint Biosciences has established an innovative drug pipeline that includes BLI inhibitors, EZH2 inhibitors, hURAT1 inhibitors, and next-generation ADCs, covering disease areas such as oncology, anti-infectives, and metabolic disorders. Currently, the company has multiple products in clinical development stages. Relying on excellent product data and out-licensing capabilities, Evopoint Biosciences has reached several out-licensing partnerships with well-known companies domestically and internationally, with a total value of billions of US dollars. Since its establishment, Evopoint Biosciences has been committed to improving human health by providing high-quality solutions for significant unmet clinical needs worldwide.
