iOnctura announces start of clinical trial

The dose escalation part of the study will evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic profile of IOA-244 and is being led by principal investigators Professor Evans from the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre and University of Glasgow, and Professor Maio from the University Hospital of Siena. Results from the phase I study are expected in early 2021.

Michael Lahn, Chief Medical Officer of iOnctura, commented: “Our mission is to achieve true precision medicine that optimally treats patients according to the root causes of their disease. The start of this trial represents an important milestone for iOnctura to clinically demonstrate that highly selective PI3Kδ inhibition not only drives an immune-mediated response but also a direct anti-tumoural effect in a stratified patient population across multiple solid tumour indications.  This study will generate important insights into IOA-244, and its potential to provide meaningful and lasting clinical benefit for patients with cancer. ”

Professor Maio, Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital of Siena, Italy said: “We are excited to participate in iOnctura’s first-in-human study. iOnctura’s innovative and differentiated approach has the potential to offer new, advanced treatment options to cancer patients and we are looking forward to evaluating this promising and unique target.”

The phase I study will enrol approximately 60 patients with solid tumours that overexpress PI3Kδ and are burdened by immune cells of the suppressor phenotype that are sensitive to PI3Kδ inhibition. Commenting on the study, recently appointed Clinical Advisory Board member, Dr. Jordi Rodón Ahnert, Clinical co-director, MD Anderson Cancer Center, added: “The design of the clinical trial is novel because it is going to investigate patients with expected high PI3Kδ expression and immune suppression both of which are underlying causes of treatment resistance in many solid tumours. iOnctura’s novel compound, IOA-244, could be critically important for the treatment of solid tumours that are burdened with an immune-suppressive tumour microenvironment.”