Kancera AB imparts positive results from Phase I Study for KAND567

KAND567 is an orally available small molecule that blocks CX3CR1, the Fractalkine receptor. It is to be noted that Fractalkine receptor is an immunomodulating factor termed as chemokine, which transmits signals via the CX3CR1 receptor, thereby controlling the function of immune cells and cancer cells. The amount of Fractalkine and its receptor CX3CR1 has exhibited to be elevated in several cancers, inflammatory diseases and heart disease garnering growing interest as a druggable target.

The company might embark on persistent clinical development of KAND567 against cancer and inflammatory cardiovascular injuries, e.g. in connection with infarction.KAND567 is safe and well-tolerated up to 500 mg twice daily for 7 days. The plasma levels achieved with KAND567 at that dose are five to ten times higher than the calculated effective level for therapeutic effect in humans. Upon further increase of the dose, a reversible increase in markers for liver effects was noted. The results also showed that KAND567 blocks the Fractalkine system by reducing the number of Fractalkine receptors on the surface of immune cells as per the findings of the study.

Thomas Olin, CEO Kancera.”We will now continue to deepen our understanding of how KAND567 affects the liver in relation to the desired pharmacological effects to develop a clinical development plan for both chronic and acute treatment of inflammatory diseases and cancer, eg lymphoma. There is support for the benefits of short-term treatment with KAND567 against, for example, myocardial infarction, giving the project additional opportunities because of the good safety margin we have seen in short term treatment.”