ArQule discovers second activated checkpoint therapy compound

By Elaine Rigoli

Tampa, Fla., Feb. 28 - ArQule, Inc. announced Tuesday that it is moving forward with preclinical development of toxicology studies with ARQ 171, the second compound generated through the company's ARQ-550RP activated checkpoint therapy program, under its agreement with Roche.

"With the initiation of these studies, we are taking an important step toward the clinic with a second compound from our E2F1 checkpoint pathway program, based on our alliance with Roche," said Dr. Stephen A. Hill, president and chief executive officer of ArQule, in a statement.

If data from these studies with ARQ 171 are supportive, the next step in the development process for ARQ 171 is the filing of an Investigational New Drug application, according to a company news release.

ArQule's ARQ-550RP program is focused on the discovery and clinical development of small molecule drug candidates that target the E2F1 checkpoint pathway.

By activating E2F1-mediated checkpoint pathways, these compounds are intended to selectively kill cancer cells by activating the cell's natural defense mechanism against DNA damage, the release said.

ArQule is a biotechnology company engaged in the research and development of next-generation, small-molecule cancer therapeutics and is based in Woburn, Mass.

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