The oral CDK inhibitor, CYC065, is a second generation aminopurine which targets similar CDK/cyclin complexes including CDK2, CDK5 and CDK9 to those targeted by seliciclib, a first generation CDK inhibitor currently in Phase 2 studies.
Cyclacel president and chief executive officer Spiro Rombotis said the Biomedical Catalyst award recognizes the scientific excellence of the company’s researchers.
"The grant will allow us to explore CYC065’s promising anticancer activity in a translational biology program targeting specific leukemia and other cancer disease pathways with the ultimate goal of filing for regulatory approval to begin clinical trials," Rombotis added.
"If successful, the program will provide the basis for stratified clinical development of CYC065 or treating patients with cancers that match the genetic mechanism targeted by the drug.
"CYC065 is part of Cyclacel’s deep pipeline of novel medicines designed to target and stop uncontrolled cell division, led by sapacitabine, an orally-available nucleoside analogue currently in a pivotal Phase 3 trial in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML)."