BRIEF—Prelude inks deal with BeiGene to trial combo in hematologic malignancies

Delaware, USA-based precision oncology firm Prelude Therapeutics has entered into a clinical trial collaboration with Sino-American biotech BeiGene, for future evaluation of its investigational CDK9 inhibitor, PRT2527, in combination with BeiGene’s BTK inhibitor, zanubrutinib, in hematologic malignancies.

Inhibition of BTK is an active therapeutic approach in several B cell malignancies and the combination of CDK9 inhibition with BTK inhibition has demonstrated, in recent data publications, synergistic clinical efficacy over BTK inhibition alone; hence, there is a strong rationale for studying the combination in patients with certain hematologic malignancies.

“The opportunity to combine Prelude’s potent, selective and potentially best-in-class CDK9 inhibitor with BeiGene’s next-generation highly efficacious and tolerable BTK inhibitor, zanubrutinib, reflects our commitment to bringing the most promising options to patients,” said Dr Jane Huang, president and chief medical officer of Prelude Therapeutics.

Under terms of the clinical trial collaboration agreement, BeiGene will provide zanubrutinib, which is marketed under the trade name Brukinsa, to Prelude, and Prelude will retain all global operational, development and commercialization rights and responsibilities for PRT2527.