Daewoong Pharmaceutical will unveil its cancer drug new drug pipeline. All three new drugs are "innovative drugs" that treat cancer through new processes that have not existed before.
Daewoong Pharmaceutical noted on the 28th that it will introduce three new cancer drug pipeline candidates at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR 2025), which will be held in Chicago, USA, from April 25 to 30.
The cancer drug candidates being announced this time are three types: the targeted anticancer drug "DWP216," the immuno-oncology drug "DWP217," and the synthetic lethality anticancer drug "DWP223." All will be revealed for the first time at this conference.
DWP216 is a targeted anticancer drug that targets mutated cancer types. When a mutation occurs in the tumor suppressor gene "NF2," it activates "TEAD," which induces the expression of cancer-related genes. In a situation where there are no targeted therapies specialized for NF2 mutated cancers, it is believed that new treatment methods can be developed.
DWP217 is an immuno-oncology drug that improves the immune suppressive environment by inhibiting the enzyme arginase. Currently widely used PD-1 targeted immuno-oncology drugs do not directly attack cancer cells but induce immune cells to recognize and attack the cancer. However, the complex biological environment around cancer cells, known as the tumor microenvironment (TME), often hinders this immune action, resulting in less than expected effects. DWP217 blocks the action of arginase, which decreases immune cell activity, helping immune cells attack cancer cells more vigorously.
DWP223 is a synthetic lethality anticancer drug that blocks DNA repair in cancer cells. It can be used in cases where existing anticancer drugs used for cancers with "BRCA1/2" mutations found in breast cancer and ovarian cancer have developed resistance.
Park Seong-su, the representative of Daewoong Pharmaceutical, said, "This is a meaningful achievement that shows the potential for anticancer drug development based on Daewoong's new drug development experience and research capabilities," adding, "Following the fields of autoimmune and fibrosis, we will accelerate our global innovative new drug development in the field of cancer as well."