Actuate Therapeutics announced today that promising clinical data on elraglusib for the treatment of advanced salivary gland carcinoma will be presented at the upcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2025. The meeting will take place from April 25-30 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago.
The clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company will showcase results from a study evaluating elraglusib, a glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β) inhibitor, in combination with chemotherapy with or without immunotherapy for patients with advanced salivary gland cancer.
Dr. Glenn Hanna, Director of the Center for Cancer Therapeutic Innovation (CCTI) at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and lead investigator of the clinical study, expressed optimism about the findings. "Elraglusib with chemotherapy and immune priming represents a novel sequential therapy approach to treat advanced salivary cancers. We were encouraged by the response rate among the non-Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC) population with nuclear GSK-3β overexpression given this difficult to treat and rare cancer type," said Dr. Hanna.
Novel Mechanism of Action
Elraglusib works by inhibiting GSK-3β, a key enzyme involved in multiple cancer-promoting pathways. This inhibition targets molecular mechanisms that contribute to tumor growth and resistance to conventional cancer treatments. The drug's mechanism includes inhibition of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kB) and DNA Damage Response (DDR) pathways.
Additionally, elraglusib may enhance anti-tumor immunity through regulation of multiple immune checkpoints and immune cell function, potentially making it a versatile addition to the cancer treatment arsenal.
Presentation Details
The poster presentation, titled "Elraglusib, a glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK-3β) inhibitor, plus chemotherapy with or without immunotherapy for advanced salivary gland cancer," is scheduled for April 29, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM in Poster Section 50. The abstract number is CT212 and will be included in the Phase II Clinical Trials 2 session.
Combination Therapy Potential
In a separate but related development, an independent research team from Brown University's Legorreta Cancer Center will present findings on elraglusib's potential in combination therapies. Led by Dr. Wafik S El-Deiry, this group will showcase data demonstrating synergistic effects when elraglusib is combined with investigational compounds ONC206 or ONC212 from Jazz Pharmaceuticals.
This second poster, "Elraglusib (9-ING-41), a glycogen synthase kinase-3β inhibitor in combination with imipridones for treatment of solid cancer," will be presented on April 28, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM in Poster Section 19, with abstract number 1693.
Addressing an Unmet Medical Need
Salivary gland carcinomas represent a diverse group of rare malignancies with limited treatment options, particularly in advanced stages. These cancers affect approximately 1 in 100,000 people annually in the United States, with current standard treatments offering modest efficacy.
The development of elraglusib addresses a significant unmet need in this patient population, especially for those with non-Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma variants that typically have poorer prognoses and fewer therapeutic options.
About Actuate Therapeutics
Actuate Therapeutics (NASDAQ: ACTU) focuses on developing therapies for high-impact, difficult-to-treat cancers. The company's lead investigational drug, elraglusib, is designed to target molecular pathways involved in promoting tumor growth and resistance to conventional cancer treatments.
The company's approach of combining elraglusib with existing therapies represents a potentially significant advancement in the treatment paradigm for rare and challenging cancers like salivary gland carcinoma.
The full abstracts will be published in the online Proceedings of the AACR, providing the scientific community with detailed information about these promising developments in cancer therapy.
