Bayer will present research from its growing oncology portfolio at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 2019 Annual Meeting, taking place March 29 to April 3 in Atlanta. The presentations highlight new findings on the company’s key areas of investigation: Oncogenic Signaling, Alpha Therapies and Immuno-Oncology (IO). With a total of 30 presentations, including three oral presentations, the research underscores Bayer’s commitment in oncology to advancing projects, many of which have the potential to be the first in class and address the underlying cause of cancer growth and spread. Bayer has two promising compounds in its precision oncology portfolio and is committed to expanding this portfolio.
Among the data presented will be an oral presentation on the Phase I and expanded access experience of BAY 2731954 (formerly LOXO-195), an oral investigational TRK inhibitor. BAY 2731954 is currently in Phase I clinical development and designed for patients with cancers that harbor a neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) gene fusion and have progressed or were intolerant to prior TRK inhibitors. NTRK gene fusions are genomic alterations resulting in constitutively-activated tropomyosin receptor kinase (TRK) fusion proteins, which may lead to tumor growth.
In February 2019, Bayer announced that the company would obtain the exclusive licensing rights for the global development and commercialization, including in the U.S., for Vitrakvi® (larotrectinib) and BAY 2731954. Vitrakvi was approved by the U.S. FDA in November 2018. The option was triggered by the acquisition of Loxo Oncology by Eli Lilly and Company.
In another oral presentation, new pre-clinical data on the investigational androgen receptor (AR) antagonist darolutamide will be presented. Bayer recently submitted darolutamide for approval in the U.S., EU and Japan based on the data from the Phase III ARAMIS study, which investigated darolutamide in non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. At AACR, new findings will be presented on the pre-clinical data of darolutamide in different prostate cancer models in monotherapy and in combination with Bayer’s investigational ataxia telangiectasia mutated and rad3-related kinase (ATR) inhibitor BAY 1895344. Darolutamide is being developed jointly by Bayer and Orion Corporation, a globally operating Finnish pharmaceutical company.
