Xynomic Research Institute Has Successfully Designed a Series of Potent RET Kinase Inhibitors


RALEIGH, N.C. and SHANGHAI, Aug. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xynomic Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc. (“Xynomic”, stock ticker: XYNO), a clinical stage US-China oncology drug development company, announced that Xynomic Research Institute (“XRI”) has successfully designed a series of potent RET kinase inhibitors by computer-assisted drug design. Rearranged during transfection (“RET”) is a receptor tyrosine kinase that activates multiple downstream pathways involved in cell proliferation and survival. RET fusions are implicated in several cancers including non-small cell lung cancer, papillary thyroid cancer and medullary thyroid cancer.

Xynomic’s RET kinase inhibitors are a class of acetylene derivatives with novel and stable structures. Preliminary activity tests showed that they exhibited outstanding selectivity and inhibitory activity against TT tumor cells, and some compounds were identified as having submicromolar IC50 values in the mid- to low-nanomolar range. Further structure-activity relationship studies are currently underway to quickly screen and obtain lead compounds.

“XRI focuses on research and development of innovative oncology drug candidates. We have recently upgraded our infrastructure and equipment and hired additional scientists. We believe that we are now well positioned to fully leverage XRI’s capacity to efficiently design and synthesize cutting edge molecules.” Mr. Y. Mark Xu, Chairman and CEO of Xynomic commented.

XRI has already filed global patents for internally discovered pre-clinical drug candidates XP-103 and XP-104. XP-103 is a dual inhibitor of tropomyosin receptor kinases and Fra-1 enzymes currently in the lead optimization stage. XP-104 is a RET inhibitor being investigated for use against multiple tumors, especially tumors that have developed resistance against other targeted therapies. Animal studies of XP-104 is expected to start soon.

About Xynomic Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc.
Xynomic Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc. is a clinical stage oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company. Its current pipeline mainly consists of 3 drug candidates; Xynomic owns global exclusive development, manufacturing and commercialization rights to each of these. Its lead drug candidate abexinostat is in global potentially pivotal clinical trials against renal cell carcinoma (in combination with pazopanib) and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (as a single agent). Xynomic’s XP-105 (BI 860585) is a Phase 2 ready, ATP-competitive mTORC1/2 inhibitor against solid tumors. Xynomic’s XP-102 (BI 882370) is a Phase 1 ready pan-RAF inhibitor.

Use of Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For this purpose, any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “continue,” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions.  Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

Xynomic has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations and projections about future events and trends that it believes may affect its business, financial condition and results of operations. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions including, without limitation, risks related Xynomic’s financial position and need for additional capital to complete the planned trials and support its continuing operation, risks related to uncertainty in maintaining and obtaining regulatory approval and ultimately commercialize its drug candidates or delays in doing so; and the risks more fully described in the filings that Xynomic makes with the SEC.  Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.  

Investor Relations, Media, and Business Development Contact:
angela.feng@xynomicpharma.com