PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BridgeBio Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: BBIO) (BridgeBio), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on genetic diseases and cancers, today announced a non-exclusive clinical collaboration with Amgen Inc. (Amgen) to evaluate the combination of BBP-398, a potentially best-in-class SHP2 inhibitor, with LUMAKRAS® (sotorasib), a KRASG12C inhibitor, in patients with advanced solid tumors with the KRAS G12C mutation.
The Phase 1/2 study will include a dose escalation period followed by dose expansion and optimization, and is designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and preliminary efficacy of BBP-398 in combination with LUMAKRAS. Under the terms of the non-exclusive collaboration, BridgeBio will sponsor the study and Amgen will provide a global supply of LUMAKRAS.
BBP-398 is a potent small-molecular inhibitor of SHP2 developed in collaboration with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Therapeutics Discovery division. SHP2 is a protein-tyrosine phosphatase that links growth factor, cytokine and integrin signaling with the downstream RAS/ERK MAPK pathway to regulate cellular proliferation and survival. By combining SHP2 inhibition with KRASG12C inhibition in patients with the KRAS G12C mutation, there is potential that the investigational combination could prevent oncogenesis and overactive cellular proliferation.
“Overactivity of the MAPK pathway is a significant cause of many types of difficult-to-treat cancers and by combining these two agents, we aim to reduce the oncogenic potential of tumor cells,” said Frank McCormick, Ph.D., chairman of oncology at BridgeBio. “Building on our collaborations with Bristol Myers Squibb and LianBio, we are excited to be working with Amgen on this new collaboration. By harnessing the power of BBP-398 as a potentially best-in-class SHP2 inhibitor with LUMAKRAS, we are hopeful that we will be able to provide substantial relief for cancer patients in need. We will continue to pursue additional collaborations that we believe hold promise for patients.”
KRAS mutations occur in approximately 17% of malignant solid tumors. BBP-398, as a monotherapy or in combination with other targeted therapies, could potentially be a promising therapy for patients with the KRAS G12C mutation.
BridgeBio is currently advancing its Phase 1 clinical trial of its SHP2 inhibitor, BBP-398, in patients with solid tumors driven by mutations in the MAPK signaling pathway, including RAS and receptor tyrosine kinase genes. BBP-398 is part of BridgeBio’s growing precision oncology pipeline and is one of 14 programs in the broader portfolio that are being advanced in the clinic or commercial setting.
