Press release

Preclinical data of tasquinimod in myelofibrosis to be presented at ASH 2024

Lund, November 5, 2024 - Active Biotech (NASDAQ STOCKHOLM: ACTI) announced today that an abstract with preclinical data for tasquinimod in myelofibrosis has been accepted for presentation at the 66th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting in San Diego, December 7-10, 2024 (ASH 2024). The abstract demonstrating efficacy of tasquinimod in experimental models of myelofibrosis will be presented as a poster. The accepted abstracts for ASH 2024 were published today, November 5, 2024.

The abstract, entitled Evaluation of the lethal activity and its mechanism of tasquinimod in advanced myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) in blastic phase, will be presented as a poster by Dr. Warren Fiskus, PhD, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas, USA. The abstract is a result of the collaboration between Active Biotech and Professor Kapil Bhalla´s research group at MD Anderson, and aims to support the clinical development of tasquinimod in myelofibrosis. Data to be presented add further insights to the potential of tasquinimod in combination with new therapies in models of advanced myelofibrosis. It also show that tasquinimod increases the lethality of disease cells in cellular models of late-stage myelofibrosis in blastic phase.

"The data to be presented suggest that treatment with tasquinimod holds the potential to have a broad effect on late-stage myelofibrosis both given as monotherapy and in combination with other treatments,” said Marie Törngren, VP R&D at Active Biotech.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to collaborate with MD Anderson, both in the preclinical stage with Professor Kapil Bhalla and his team, as well as the ongoing clinical study with tasquinimod in patients with late-stage myelofibrosis," said Helén Tuvesson, CEO of Active Biotech.

Information on the presentations:

Publication Number: 3142 Evaluation of the lethal activity and its mechanism of tasquinimod in advanced myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) in blastic phase, Warren Fiskus et al.
Session Name: 631. Myeloproliferative Syndromes and Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Basic and Translational: Poster II
Session Date: Sunday, December 8, 2024
Presentation Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (local time)
Location: San Diego Convention Center, Halls G-H

The abstracts will be available online on ASH’s website from 09:00 Eastern time (15:00 CET) on November 5, 2024.

About Active Biotech

Active Biotech AB (publ) (NASDAQ Stockholm: ACTI) is a biotechnology company that develops first-in-class immunomodulatory treatments for oncology and immunology indications with a high unmet medical need and significant commercial potential. Active Biotech currently holds three projects in its portfolio, of which tasquinimod and laquinimod are wholly owned small molecule immunomodulators with a mode of action that includes modulation of myeloid immune cell function. The projects are in clinical development for hematological malignancies and inflammatory eye disorders, respectively. The company's core focus is on the development of tasquinimod in myelofibrosis, a rare blood cancer, where clinical proof-of-concept studies has been initiated. Also ongoing is a clinical Phase Ib/IIa study in multiple myeloma. Laquinimod is in clinical development for the treatment of non-infectious uveitis. A clinical phase I program with a topical ophthalmic formulation is ongoing to support phase II development together with a partner. The third pipeline project is naptumomab, a targeted anti-cancer immunotherapy, partnered to NeoTX Therapeutics, which is in a phase Ib/II clinical program in patients with advanced solid tumors. Please visit www.activebiotech.com for more information.

About tasquinimod

Tasquinimod is an orally active small molecule immunomodulator with a novel mode of action, blocking tumor supporting pathways in the bone marrow microenvironment. Tasquinimod is being developed as a new immunomodulatory treatment for hematological malignances. Tasquinimod has previously been studied as an anti-cancer agent in patients with solid cancers, including a phase III randomized trial in patients with metastatic prostate cancer. The tolerability of tasquinimod is well-characterized based on these previous experiences. Tasquinimod has demonstrated a clear therapeutic potential in preclinical models of multiple myeloma, when used as a single agent and in combination with standard multiple myeloma therapy. A clinical Phase Ib/IIa study is ongoing with tasquinimod in relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. Tasquinimod ameliorates disease development in preclinical models for myelofibrosis. In February 2022 Active Biotech entered into an exclusive patent license agreement with Oncode Institute, a foundation acting on behalf of Erasmus Universiteit Medisch Centrum (Erasmus MC) to develop and commercialize tasquinimod in myelofibrosis. Clinical studies with tasquinimod in patients with myelofibrosis are planned to start in 2024.