eFFECTOR Therapeutics Presents Positive Preclinical Data on Lead Product Candidate at AACR 2017

SAN DIEGO, April 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- eFFECTOR Therapeutics yesterday presented positive preclinical data at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2017 in Washington, D.C. In a poster entitled "eFT508, a potent and highly selective inhibitor of MNK1/2, regulates immune checkpoint and cytokine expression promoting anti-tumor immunity," eFFECTOR scientists presented data demonstrating that eFT508, the company's lead compound, plays an important role in coordinately activating an anti-tumor immune response by selectively inhibiting several immuno-suppressive mechanisms while simultaneously stimulating several immunity-inducing mechanisms. Immuno-suppressive mechanisms inhibited by eFT08 include PD-1, LAG3 and IL-10, while pro-immunity mechanisms stimulated by eFT08 include antigen presentation, dendritic cell activation, effector T-cell function and expansion of the T-cell central memory pool. The data presented also demonstrates that in immunocompetent in vivo models, eFT508 induces anti-tumor immunity and immune memory as a single agent and acts synergistically in combination with an inhibitor of PD-1.

"We have shown that MNK plays a key role driving tumor immune evasion," said Steve Worland, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of eFFECTOR. "By selectively inhibiting MNK 1 and MNK 2, eFT508 promotes tumor immune recognition, activation and memory, which synergizes with checkpoint inhibition. These data provide further validation to support clinical development of eFT508 as a single agent and in combination with checkpoint inhibitors such as anti PD-1 and anti-PD-L1."  

About eFT508
eFT508 is a novel, potent and highly selective inhibitor of MAP kinase-interacting kinase 1, or MNK1, and MAP kinase-interacting kinase 2, or MNK2, or collectively MNK1/2. MNK1/2 integrate MAPK pathway signaling inputs in tumor cells and immune cells by regulating mRNA translation and stability. eFFECTOR's development strategy leverages the key discovery that eFT508 regulates the translation of multiple mRNAs in a coordinated manner that activates immune recognition of tumors, referred to as tumor cell extrinsic effects. eFT508 also has direct effects on tumor cells, referred to as tumor cell intrinsic effects. eFT508 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in patients with solid tumors (NCT02605083) and in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in patients with lymphoma (NCT02937675).

About eFFECTOR Therapeutics
eFFECTOR Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering the discovery and development of selective translation regulators as a new class of small molecule therapeutics for cancer. The company's investigational compounds are designed to restore translational control to halt underlying disease mechanisms while preserving healthy physiological processes. eFFECTOR's most advanced program focuses on the development of eFT508. The company has additional selective translation regulator programs currently in discovery and development. For more information visit www.effector.com.

Contact:
Heidi Chokeir, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President
Canale Communications
(619) 849-5377
[email protected]

SOURCE eFFECTOR Therapeutics

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