US-based biotechnology company MOMA Therapeutics has dosed the first patient in its Phase I clinical trial of MOMA-313, a polymerase theta helicase inhibitor.
The multi-centre, open-label study aims to evaluate MOMA-313’s safety and tolerability in patients with solid tumours.
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MOMA-313 is a highly potent and selective oral polymerase theta helicase inhibitor designed to be used in combination with a PARP inhibitor.
The drug targets patients with specific DNA repair gene alterations, including certain subgroups with prostate, pancreatic and breast cancers.
The trial will assess MOMA-313’s efficacy both as a single agent and in combination with the PARP inhibitor olaparib.
MOMA CEO Asit Parikh said: “We are excited to be progressing two molecules with best-in-class potential toward the benefit of cancer patients in need in such close proximity.
“This progress serves as a testament to the excellence and unwavering commitment of the entire MOMA team.”
In addition to this study, MOMA Therapeutics has identified a development candidate for another lead programme, the Werner helicase inhibitor MOMA-341.
MOMA-341 is being developed as a treatment for cancers with microsatellite instability such as colorectal, gastric and endometrial cancers.
It will be tested both as a monotherapy and in combination with other treatments, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
MOMA Therapeutics expects to submit an investigational new drug (IND) application for MOMA-341 to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) early next year.
Both MOMA-313 and MOMA-341 were discovered and developed using the KNOMATIC platform, which uses structural insights, advanced hit-finding technologies and computational lead optimisation to expedite the discovery of therapeutics targeting dynamic protein families.
MOMA chief scientific officer Peter Hammerman said: “Advancing two highly potent and selective drug candidates derived from our proprietary KNOMATIC platform toward the clinic is a unique privilege.
“The goal with each candidate is to translate groundbreaking science into life-altering medicine.”
