Handok Presents Poster on 'Overcoming Resistance to Lung Cancer Treatments' New Drug Candidates at AACR

Handok announced on the 5th that it will present research results on the lung cancer treatment drug candidate HDBNJ-2812 in a poster session at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR 2024), held from the 5th to the 10th (local time) in San Diego, USA.

[Photo by Handok]

This poster presentation includes the research design, synthesis, and evaluation of HDBNJ-2812, a next-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutant degrader lung cancer drug candidate that overcomes resistance caused by the lung cancer treatment drug Osimertinib. HDBNJ-2812 is an active compound secured through collaboration between Handok and the domestic new drug development startup BNJ Biopharma.

The research results showed that HDBNJ-2812 degraded various EGFR mutant proteins and inhibited cancer proliferation. It demonstrated high drug stability and low potential cytotoxicity, confirming its potential as a next-generation drug capable of overcoming resistance to Osimertinib.

Cancer cells mutate in various ways to evade the patient's immune system, and EGFR mutation is representative in lung cancer. It is known that up to 15% of Western lung cancer patients and about 40% of Asian patients exhibit EGFR mutations, leading to high demand for EGFR-related treatments. However, various EGFR inhibitor anticancer drugs developed for non-small cell lung cancer have limitations due to the emergence of resistance mutations causing drug resistance.

Osimertinib, a representative third-generation lung cancer treatment, can inhibit L858R, Del19, and T790M mutations but is ineffective against the C797S mutation. Although Osimertinib’s insurance coverage as a first-line lung cancer treatment has expanded domestically since this year, there is a need to develop fourth-generation drugs that inhibit mutations resistant to Osimertinib.

Byunggon Moon, Executive Director of Handok Central Research Institute, said, "HDBNJ-2812 is an innovative new drug candidate with the potential to overcome the limitations of existing lung cancer treatments." He added, "We will develop HDBNJ-2812 as an innovative lung cancer drug that overcomes resistance to EGFR inhibitor anticancer drugs while minimizing side effects and mutation occurrence, thereby expanding treatment options for lung cancer patients."