Qurient revealed on November 10 that it has announced clinical plans for its triple kinase inhibitor targeting Axl, Mer, and CSF1R, known as adrixetinib (Q702), in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The announcement was made at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2024 annual meeting. The clinical study is being conducted in collaboration with the MD Anderson Cancer Center.

In October, MD Anderson Cancer Center initiated an investigator-sponsored clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of a triple combination therapy consisting of adrixetinib, the chemotherapy agent azacitidine, and the Bcl-2 inhibitor venetoclax in patients with relapsed or refractory AML. Currently, the combination therapy of azacitidine and venetoclax is used as a standard first-line treatment for patients who are not eligible for intensive chemotherapy.

Qurient explained that the expression of Axl, Mer, and CSF1R in AML patients is associated with poor prognosis. In preclinical AML models, adrixetinib showed anti-cancer activity both as a monotherapy and in combination with venetoclax.

AML is a type of blood cancer that accounts for approximately 80% of adult leukemia cases. Relapsed or refractory AML is known to have a poor prognosis and is difficult to treat. According to Qurient, complete remission (CR) rates for patients with relapsed or refractory AML range from 3% to 14%, with an overall survival (OS) of only 3 to 6 months. Even among patients receiving venetoclax, the current first-line standard of care, more than 40% experience relapse, and the 4-year survival rate remains below 15%, indicating significant unmet medical needs.

The CEO of Qurient, stated, "Adrixetinib demonstrated safety and efficacy in the Phase 1 clinical trial, allowing us to pursue broader collaborations with major U.S. institutions and expand its indications." He added, "We expect adrixetinib to become a candidate for various hematologic cancer indications, including the newly announced indication for graft-versus-host disease (GvHD)."

With this development, Qurient aims to position adrixetinib as a key candidate in the treatment of hematologic malignancies, addressing the high unmet need for novel therapeutic options for relapsed or refractory AML.