Aclaris Therapeutics to Highlight Drug Discovery Targeting the Human Kinome at 16th Annual Discovery on Target Meeting
September 17 2018 - 7:00AM
Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACRS) announced that its
subsidiary, Confluence Discovery Technologies, Inc., will present
two posters at Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s Discovery on Target
meeting to be held in Boston from Sept. 25-28, 2018.
The poster presentations are:
- Using the Novel KINect Platform to Discover Drugs Targeting the
Human Protein Kinase Cysteinome; presented by W. Taylor
- Poster 127
- Presentation: Thursday, Sept. 27
- Development of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Activated
Protein Kinase-2 (MK2) Inhibitors Designed to Selectively Inhibit
the p38/MK2 Complex; presented by J. Monahan
- Poster 126
- Presentation: Thursday, Sept. 27
The abstracts will be available in the conference program
book.
One poster describes Aclaris’ proprietary KINect™ platform for
human protein kinase cysteinome drug discovery. Many human
diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and chronic inflammation, may
involve abnormal cellular function as a result of dysregulated
activity of protein kinases. The KINect platform facilitates the
development of new drugs targeting protein kinases. Roughly
two-thirds of kinases in the human kinome have cysteine residues
located near the active site (cysteinome) which can be covalently
labeled with inhibitors containing an electrophile.
The KINect platform includes a novel chemical library of several
hundred compounds specifically designed to bind reversibly to the
target kinase of interest and engage in a covalent manner the
non-catalytic cysteine residues near the ATP binding site of more
than 300 kinases. The platform also features powerful Schrödinger™
drug modeling software, allowing scientists to optimize target
affinity and minimize kinome crossreactivity. The platform enables
the assessment of the function of the newly created drug compounds
with physiologically relevant custom assays which translate to
human diseases.
“The KINect platform is redefining what's possible in the
discovery and development of new compounds and new approaches to
treating patients with debilitating autoimmune and inflammatory
diseases," said Joseph Monahan, Ph.D., Executive Vice President,
Research and Development of Aclaris.
A second poster describes the development of a new drug
candidate targeting a key kinase signal transduction pathway: a
novel selective inhibitor of the p38/MK2 axis for the treatment of
autoimmune disease. The p38 kinase pathway is central to the
production and function of key inflammatory cytokines such as TNFα,
IL-1, and IL-6. However, drugs directly targeting p38 kinase
have not been developed due to safety concerns and transient
efficacy observed in clinical trials. Aclaris has taken the
novel approach of specifically targeting the proinflammatory
p38/MK2 pathway relative to other pathways downstream of p38
involved in maintaining cellular homeostasis or with
anti-inflammatory functions. This approach resulted in the
discovery of ATI-450, a compound that selectively interacts with
the p38/MK2 complex and has demonstrated activity in multiple
animal models of chronic inflammatory disease, and is
differentiated from global p38 inhibitors in the tachyphylaxis
observed in an inflammation mouse model.
Aclaris provides access to the KINect platform to partner
pharmaceutical companies and provides drug discovery services
through its subsidiary, Confluence Discovery Technologies, a
contract research organization. Confluence is an exhibitor and
supporter of the Discovery on Target meeting.
About Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc.
Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. is a dermatologist-led
biopharmaceutical company committed to identifying, developing, and
commercializing innovative therapies to address significant unmet
needs in dermatology, both aesthetic and medical, and immunology.
Aclaris’ focus on market segments with no FDA-approved medications
or where treatment gaps exist has resulted in the first
FDA-approved treatment for raised seborrheic keratoses and several
clinical programs to develop medications for the potential
treatment of common warts, alopecia areata, androgenetic alopecia,
and vitiligo. For additional information, please visit
www.aclaristx.com and follow Aclaris on LinkedIn.
About Confluence Discovery Technologies,
Inc.
Confluence Discovery Technologies, Inc., a full-service drug
discovery and early development contract research organization, is
an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc.
Confluence provides contract research services for pharma and
biotech companies across therapeutic areas and gene families.
Confluence’s expertise includes cell and molecular biology,
biochemistry, enzymology, biomarker development, immunology and
inflammation, in vivo efficacy models, bioanalytical, computational
and medicinal chemistry. To learn more, visit
www.confluencediscovery.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
Any statements contained in this press release that do not
describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements
as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by words such as
"believe", "expect", "may", "plan," "potential," "will," and
similar expressions, and are based on Aclaris' current beliefs and
expectations. These forward-looking statements include expectations
regarding the pre-clinical and clinical development of Aclaris
protein kinase inhibitor compounds. These statements involve risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those reflected in such statements. Risks and
uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially
include uncertainties inherent in the conduct of clinical trials,
Aclaris' reliance on third parties over which it may not always
have full control, and other risks and uncertainties that are
described in the Risk Factors section of Aclaris' Annual Report on
Form 10-K filed for the year ended December 31, 2017, Aclaris’
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed earlier for the quarter ended
June 30, 2018 and other filings Aclaris makes with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. These
documents are available under the "Financial Information" section
of the Investors page of Aclaris' website at
http://www.aclaristx.com. Any forward-looking statements speak only
as of the date of this press release and are based on information
available to Aclaris as of the date of this release, and Aclaris
assumes no obligation to, and does not intend to, update any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
Aclaris ContactMichael Tung, M.D.Senior Vice President Corporate
Strategy/Investor
Relations484-329-2140mtung@aclaristx.com
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