The clinical-stage biotechnology business Suzhou Puhe BioPharma Co., Ltd. and Bayer announced that they have signed a worldwide licensing deal for Puhe BioPharma’s oral small molecule PRMT5 inhibitor, which specifically targets tumors with MTAP deletions. The deal grants Bayer the sole global license to create, produce, and market the MTA-cooperative PRMT5 inhibitor. Under the product name BAY 3713372, Bayer has recruited the first subject in a Phase I first-in-human dose escalation study examining an MTA-cooperative PRMT5 inhibitor for the treatment of solid tumors with MTAP deletion.
We are looking forward to explore the potential of the PRMT5 inhibitor, which could improve outcomes for patients with MTAP-deleted tumors who often have a poor prognosis,
The highly selective targeting of cancer cells while sparing healthy cells, based on the innovative mechanism of action is very promising. This will support our mission to build one of the most transformative and differentiated precision oncology pipelines in the industry.
Juergen Eckhardt, M.D., Head of Business Development and Licensing at Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division.
We see great potential in MTA-cooperative PRMT5 inhibitors in treating MTAP-deleted tumors. Our MTA-cooperative PRMT5 inhibitor, PH020, now named BAY 3713372, has demonstrated competitive selectivity for PRMT5 bound to MTA and activity in preclinical studies, as well as brain penetration capabilities.
We are excited to partner with Bayer, a global leader in the field of life sciences, to advance our PRMT5 inhibitor into the clinic. Together with Bayer, we look forward to bringing this therapeutic option to patients worldwide.
Yongqi Guo, CEO of Puhe BioPharma
Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) and a particular gene known as MTAP (metabolic enzyme 5′-deoxy-5′-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase) are essential for cell viability and play significant roles in cell metabolism. Because MTAP deletions, which affect roughly 10 to 30 percent of all cancers, cause tumor cells to produce higher amounts of MTA, BAY 3713372 is made to bind the PRMT5-MTA complex, taking advantage of tumor vulnerability.
BAY 3713372 Clinical Trial
Since BAY 3713372 is an experimental agent, no health authority has authorized its use for any indication in any nation. For patients with MTAP-deleted solid tumors, this oral, strong selective MTA-cooperative PRMT5 inhibitor is being considered as a possible novel targeted therapeutic approach. Brain penetrance, which enables targeting of primary brain tumors and metastases to the central nervous system (CNS), is one of BAY 3713372’s distinctive features.
A key player in altering proteins that regulate the cell cycle is protein arginine N-methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5). The methionine salvage route, which recycles methionine from methylthioadenosine (MTA), involves the metabolic enzyme 5′-deoxy-5′-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP). This focused strategy exploits the special connection between MTA and PRMT5, resulting in a particular weakness that can be used to treat cancer cells lacking MTAP.
Source: Bayer
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Graduated from the University of Kerala with B.Sc. Botany and Biotechnology. Attained Post-Graduation in Biotechnology from the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Science (KUFOS) with the third rank. Conducted various seminars and attended major Science conferences. Done 6 months of internship in ICMR – National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad. 5 years of tutoring experience.
