– KB-7898, a p300 KAT inhibitor, is the Company's first development candidate for autoimmune diseases and originates from its proprietary discovery engine that decodes complex transcription factor regulatory networks –
– Preclinical data for KB-7898 will be presented at ACR Convergence 2024 –
Oct. 07, 2024 -- Kronos Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: KRON), a company dedicated to developing small molecule therapeutics that address cancers and autoimmune diseases driven by deregulated transcription, today announced the nomination of a development candidate, KB-7898, a p300 lysine acetyltransferase (KAT) inhibitor for the potential treatment of Sjögren’s disease, a chronic autoimmune disease that is characterized by the production of autoantibodies, chronic inflammation and lymphocytic infiltration of the exocrine glands that lead to uncomfortable dryness symptoms, known as sicca. Systemic effects are common and impact the lungs, kidneys and nervous system in addition to extensive dryness, profound fatigue and chronic pain. There are no approved treatments that target the underlying cause of Sjögren’s disease. Kronos Bio plans to initiate Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling studies of KB-7898 in the fourth quarter of 2024.
KB-7898 is being developed as an orally available therapy for people with Sjögren’s disease. p300 is an important cofactor for interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) to enact immune responses across multiple cell types, including those that produce antibodies (B cells) and cytokines (T cells). Given this, Kronos Bio also intends to explore the utility of KB-7898 in other autoimmune diseases in the future.
"Our proprietary discovery engine has enabled us to decode the multifaceted role of p300 across multiple cell types that drive inflammation and to create our second p300 KAT inhibitor—one that may treat autoimmune diseases,” said Nobert Bischofberger, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Kronos Bio. “Sjögren’s disease symptomatology can significantly impact quality of life and even be life threatening, and patients do not currently have access to an approved therapy that addresses the underlying disease mechanism. KB-7898 has been shown preclinically to reduce antibody production in B cells and cytokine production in T cells, and we believe could impact the etiology of Sjögren’s disease.”
The Company’s preclinical data that support the role of p300 in inflammatory indications, including Sjögren’s disease, will be presented at the American College of Rheumatology's annual meeting, ACR Convergence 2024, on November 18, 2024, in Washington, DC. The data are summarized as follows:
Inhibition of the KAT activity of p300, a critical cofactor of proinflammatory transcription factors, resulted in selective downregulation of cytokines such as TNFα, IL-23, IL-17A as well as soluble IgG
Selective gene expression changes occurred at doses corresponding to partial inhibition of p300 KAT activity
p300 KAT inhibition also led to significantly decreased inflammation in the rat CIA model, as measured by joint swelling, clinical score and histopathology
In addition, p300 KAT inhibition in vitro showed a reduction in IL-17 transcript and protein levels in Th17 cells and, in vivo, showed significant decreases in the secondary immune response (i.e. IgG production) in the KLH challenge model.
The ACR Convergence 2024 presentation will be available under the Science & Pipeline section of the Kronos Bio website on November 14, 2024. The abstract can be found on the American College of Rheumatology’s website.
Sjögren’s disease is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by the production of autoantibodies, chronic inflammation and lymphocytic infiltration of the exocrine glands. Systemic effects are common and impact the lungs, kidneys and nervous system in addition to extensive dryness, profound fatigue and chronic pain. Complications can include pneumonia, bronchitis, kidney problems, hepatitis, cirrhosis, peripheral neuropathy and lymphomas, and lead to a 50% increase in all-cause mortality. It is estimated that there are two to four million people in the U.S. living with this disease, making it one of the most prevalent autoimmune diseases. However, given the heterogeneous symptomatology of Sjögren’s disease, it is estimated that only one million patients in the U.S. are diagnosed. The disease is significantly more common in women; most people are older than 40 when they are diagnosed. Currently there are no approved treatments that target the underlying cause of Sjögren’s disease.
Kronos Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing small molecule therapeutics that address deregulated transcription, a hallmark of cancer and autoimmune disease. Our proprietary discovery engine decodes complex transcription factor regulatory networks to identify druggable cofactors. We screen for and optimize small molecules that target these cofactors in a disease-specific context. Kronos Bio has a pipeline of three drug candidates. Istisociclib (KB-0742) is currently enrolling ovarian cancer patients in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial. Preclinical candidate KB-9558 is being developed for multiple myeloma and HPV-driven tumors. KB-7898 is Kronos Bio’s first autoimmune development candidate and has a target indication of Sjögren’s disease. Kronos Bio is based in San Mateo, Calif., and has a research facility in Cambridge, Mass. For more information, visit https://www.kronosbio.com or follow the Company on LinkedIn.
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