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Galecto to Present New Data on Oral Galectin-3 Inhibitor GB1211 at the 2022 ASCO Annual MeetingNovel galectin-3-based mechanism of PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor resistance identified Galecto’s oral galectin-3 inhibitor candidate, GB1211, reverses galectin-3 induced blockade of checkpoint inhibitors binding to PD-1/PD-L1 in pre-clinical models BOSTON, May 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Galecto, Inc. (NASDAQ: GLTO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of novel treatments for cancer and fibrosis, today announced two poster presentations at the upcoming 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, being held June 3-7, 2022 in Chicago, IL. The first poster (Abstract # 2607), entitled: “Resistance to anti-PD-1/anti-PD-L1: GB1211 reverses galectin-3 induced blockade of pembrolizumab and atezolizumab binding to PD-1/PD-L1,” demonstrates that, in pre-clinical models, GB1211 reversed a galectin-3 induced blockage of PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors and restored the binding of these checkpoint inhibitors. Multiple clinical studies have shown that patients with high galectin-3 expressing tumors generally have a poor response to PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors, potentially as a result of resistance to these widely-used therapeutics. GB1211, Galecto’s orally active, potent and selective galectin-3 inhibitor candidate, is designed to block the galectin-3 carbohydrate recognition domain and reduce tumor resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors. The abstract will be presented during the poster presentation session on Sunday, June 5, 2022, from 8:00 – 11:00 am CT (Poster #2607). The second poster (Abstract # TPS9152), entitled: “GALLANT-1: Galectin-3 (Gal-3) inhibitor GB1211 plus atezolizumab (atezo) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) – a randomized double-blind study,” highlights the Phase 2 trial design for GB1211 in NSCLC (the GALLANT-1 trial). This trial is designed to investigate the ability of GB1211 to increase the efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors. For more information about the GALLANT-1 trial, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05240131). The abstract will be presented during the poster presentations on Monday, June 6, 2022, from 8:00 – 11:00 am CT (Poster #TPS9152). These posters will be available on Galecto’s website following presentation at the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting. “Galectin-3 expression in tumors has been linked to tumor growth, invasiveness and metastasis, however, the mechanism by which galectin-3 negatively impacts checkpoint inhibition is not fully understood,” said Professor Bertil Lindmark, Chief Medical Officer of Galecto. “Data presented in our first poster significantly adds to our understanding of this mechanism and may offer a key explanation for checkpoint inhibitor resistance. We were excited to see GB1211’s ability to restore the biding of checkpoint inhibitors to their ligand, demonstrating its potential to restore checkpoint inhibitor sensitivity in galectin-3 expressing tumors.” Professor Lindmark continued, “Our second poster highlights the trial design of GB1211 plus atezolizumab (Tecentriq®) in first-line NSCLC. GB1211, as a potent inhibitor of galectin-3, may enhance the clinical efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors.” Dr. Hans Schambye, Chief Executive Officer of Galecto, added, “As a leader in developing therapies using galectin inhibitors, we are excited to showcase our findings that further the field of galectin inhibition. We are very optimistic about the potential use of GB1211 in difficult-to-treat cancers and look forward to announcing data from our GALLANT-1 clinical trial of GB1211 in NSCLC in mid-2023.” About GB1211 and Galectin-3 Mechanisms in Cancer Further, data suggest that galectin-3 can enhance PD-1 and PD-L1 binding and avert the interference of anti-PD-1/anti-PD-L1 therapies by blocking the binding of the antibodies to their respective targets. GB1211 is designed to counter these effects. GB1211 demonstrated an anti-cancer effect and antifibrotic activity in multiple preclinical models and has successfully completed a Phase 1 trial in 78 healthy volunteers. In the Phase 1 trial, GB1211 was well-tolerated and exhibited dose-dependent pharmacokinetics. About Galecto Galecto intends to use its website as a means of disclosing material non-public information. For regular updates about Galecto, visit www.galecto.com. Forward-Looking Statements For more information, contact:
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