Salarius Pharmaceuticals announced positive preclinical data on its LSD1 inhibitor, seclidemstat, and provided an update on its merger with Decoy Therapeutics. Two recently published animal studies reinforce the potential of LSD1 inhibition in treating various cancers. Simultaneously, Salarius continues to progress toward its merger with Decoy Therapeutics, which focuses on developing peptide-based therapies for respiratory viruses and cancer.
These preclinical findings are crucial as they further validate LSD1 as a promising therapeutic target in oncology. Specifically, the studies highlight the role of LSD1 inhibition in both neural stem cell regulation and oral squamous cell carcinoma progression, expanding the potential applications of LSD1 inhibitors like seclidemstat beyond their current clinical investigation in hematological malignancies. This strengthens the rationale for continued research and development of LSD1 inhibitors and could attract further investment or partnerships.
Seclidemstat is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial at MD Anderson Cancer Center for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). Updates from this trial are expected later this year. Regarding the Decoy Therapeutics merger, the combined company will focus on Decoy’s IMP³ACT™ platform for developing peptide conjugate therapeutics, with plans to file an Investigational New Drug application for a pan-coronavirus antiviral within the next 12 months. The merger also aims to leverage Salarius’s SP-3164, an oral small molecule protein degrader, to develop targeted peptide-based PROTACS drug candidates.
The positive preclinical data combined with the ongoing clinical trial for seclidemstat, even amidst the merger activities, positions the combined company for potential growth in several therapeutic areas. The merger itself expands the pipeline beyond oncology and into antiviral therapies, diversifying the combined company’s portfolio and offering multiple avenues for future value creation. The anticipated clinical trial data readout for seclidemstat later this year will be a critical inflection point, potentially influencing the future direction of LSD1 inhibitor development and informing the combined company’s overall strategy.
Jon Napitupulu is Director of Media Relations at The Clinical Trial Vanguard. Jon, a computer data scientist, focuses on the latest clinical trial industry news and trends.
