Â鶹ӳ»­

MD Anderson and Erasca announce strategic research and development collaboration in RAS/MAPK-driven cancers

Initial focus of five-year collaboration on potentially best-in-class ERK1/2 inhibitor ERAS-007 and SHP2 inhibitor ERAS-601

MD Anderson News Release August 23, 2022

Â鶹ӳ»­ MD Anderson Cancer Center and today announced a strategic research and development collaboration to evaluate multiple agents from Erasca¡¯s pipeline targeting the RAS/MAPK pathway as either single-agent or combination therapies.

The initial focus of the alliance will be Erasca¡¯s potentially best-in-class ERK1/2 inhibitor ERAS-007 and its potentially best-in-class SHP2 inhibitor ERAS-601, which together comprise Erasca¡¯s first MAPKlamp combination. ERAS-007 is being investigated in multiple ongoing trials, including in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as part of the HERKULES-2 master protocol and in gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies as part of the HERKULES-3 master protocol. ERAS-601 is being investigated in multiple ongoing trials, including the FLAGSHP-1 trial in triple wildtype (KRAS/NRAS/BRAF wildtype) colorectal cancer (CRC) and human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and the HERKULES-2 NSCLC master protocol.

¡°Our strategic collaboration with MD Anderson broadens the evaluation of ERAS-007 and ERAS-601 and explores additional therapeutic opportunities across our pipeline,¡± said Jonathan E. Lim, M.D., Erasca¡¯s chairman, CEO, and co-founder. ¡°The RAS/MAPK pathway is one of cancer¡¯s most frequently altered pathways, affecting more than 5 million new patients with cancer annually worldwide. We have designed our pipeline to comprehensively shut down this highly oncogenic pathway at multiple critical nodes, and we¡¯re excited to work with MD Anderson to potentially address major unmet needs in the treatment of cancer.¡±

The alliance will build on Erasca¡¯s existing collaborations with MD Anderson investigators , professor of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, and , professor of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics. Kopetz is an investigator in HERKULES-3, which is evaluating ERAS-007 plus encorafenib and cetuximab in BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic CRC and ERAS-007 plus palbociclib in KRAS-mutant/NRAS-mutant CRC and KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer. Hong is an investigator in FLAGSHP-1, which is evaluating ERAS-601 as monotherapy and in combination with cetuximab in triple wildtype CRC and HPV-negative advanced HNSCC.

¡°Durability and treatment resistance continue to present challenges in the treatment of lung cancers and GI malignancies, particularly stemming from reactivation of the RAS/MAPK pathway. Erasca¡¯s pipeline of agents that target key nodes, including previously undruggable genetic drivers, has the potential to improve durability and minimize resistance,¡± Kopetz said. ¡°We look forward to collaborating with Erasca to further maximize the potential of promising treatment combinations across its pipeline.¡±

The new strategic collaboration will enhance Erasca¡¯s and MD Anderson¡¯s evaluation of ERAS-007 and ERAS-601 in combination with investigational and standard-of-care agents, including with Erasca¡¯s proprietary pipeline programs, such as the KRAS G12D inhibitor ERAS-4. Under the terms of the five-year agreement, collaborative preclinical and clinical studies will be conducted in NSCLC, GI malignancies and additional mutually agreed-upon indications.