Aduro Presents Positive Results on BION-1301 for Treating Multiple Myeloma

Aduro Biotech recently presented positive preclinical data showing that its monoclonal antibody, BION-1301, may successfully inhibit multiple myeloma tumor growth, survival, and resistance to other chemotherapy agents.

The data, presented at the 58th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting Dec. 3-6 in San Diego, showed that BION-1301 can effectively inhibit APRIL (A PRoliferation-Inducing Ligand), preventing its binding to the B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) present on myeloma cells. The study supports the use of the compound either alone or in combination with current standard of care therapies to treat the disease.

“In patients with multiple myeloma, there is an overabundance of APRIL, a ligand which plays a critical role in the proliferation of multiple myeloma cells,” Andrea van Elsas, PhD, chief scientific officer of Aduro Biotech Europe, said in a news release.

“With BION-1301, which was derived from Aduro’s proprietary B-select antibody platform, we are blocking APRIL from binding to its target receptor, thereby inhibiting the growth and survival of multiple myeloma cells.”

“We believe BION-1301 represents a novel antibody with a novel mechanism of action that has potential in the treatment of multiple myeloma, alone or in combination regimens,” van Elsas added. “We look forward to advancing BION-1301 into clinical development in the coming year in our effort to bring much needed new treatment options to patients with multiple myeloma.”

In their in vivo and in vitro studies conducted in myeloma preclinical models, the researchers compared the anti-tumor activity of BION-1301 to hAPRIL.01A, its parent antibody. The studies showed that BION-1301 has an APRIL-neutralizing activity.

In April, researchers from Aduro, with Kenneth Anderson and Tai Yu-Tzu of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, published a study in the journal Blood titled “APRIL and BCMA promote human multiple myeloma growth, chemoresistance, and immunosuppression in the bone marrow microenvironment.”

This study described the roles of BCMA and its ligand APRIL in myeloma, emphasizing the potential effects of anti-APRIL agents in treating the disease.

In the study, researchers conducted in vivo and in vitro preclinical experiments and showed that the APRIL/BCMA duo triggers the growth and survival of myeloma tumors, as well as immunosuppressive processes.

The researchers also found in preclinical models that hAPRIL.01A 1301 stops myeloma growth and can overcome chemoresistance to Revlimid (lenalidomide) and Velcade (bortezomib).

The role of APRIL in promoting other cancers, as well as autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, suggests that BION-1301 may be useful in treating diseases such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia, colon cancer, and Berger’s disease.