Bayer's Vividion Secures Rights to Pioneering WRN Inhibitor from Roche

Vividion Therapeutics, a subsidiary of Bayer, has announced a significant development in its oncology portfolio by acquiring global rights to the world's only clinical-stage Werner helicase (WRN) inhibitor from its partner Roche. This move marks a crucial step in the advancement of novel cancer treatments targeting DNA repair mechanisms.

A Breakthrough in Cancer Therapy

The drug candidate, known as VVD-214 or RO7589831, is designed to damage the DNA of cancer cells by inhibiting WRN, a key DNA repair enzyme. Currently undergoing a phase 1 study, VVD-214 is being evaluated both as a monotherapy and in combination with Keytruda for patients with solid tumors exhibiting high microsatellite instability (MSI-high). These include colorectal, endometrial, ovarian, and gastric cancers.

Dr. Aleksandra Rizo, CEO of Vividion, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, stating, "Bringing VVD-214, the only clinical-stage covalent inhibitor of WRN in development worldwide, into our portfolio marks an incredibly exciting moment for Vividion." She emphasized the company's eagerness to progress the development of this compound, building on encouraging clinical data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in April.

Addressing Unmet Medical Needs

The potential of VVD-214 to improve treatment options for patients with MSI-high cancers has been highlighted by Christian Rommel, Ph.D., Global Head of Research and Development at Bayer's Pharmaceuticals Division. He noted that this patient population faces a high unmet medical need and that the drug candidate "underscores the ability of Vividion's chemoproteomics technology to identify and advance new treatment opportunities for challenging and intractable diseases."

Expanding Vividion's Clinical Pipeline

This acquisition bolsters Vividion's already robust clinical-stage pipeline, which includes:

• An oral KEAP1 activator in phase 1 for solid tumors
• An oral STAT3 inhibitor for solid and hematologic malignancies
• An oral RAS-PI3Kα inhibitor for advanced solid tumors

The addition of VVD-214 further solidifies Vividion's position in the competitive landscape of targeted cancer therapies. While financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, the move reflects Bayer's continued investment in innovative cancer treatments following its $1.5 billion acquisition of Vividion in 2021.

As the pharmaceutical industry continues to explore novel approaches to cancer treatment, the development of WRN inhibitors represents a promising frontier. With Vividion and Roche leading the charge in bringing these inhibitors to the clinic, and companies like Eikon Therapeutics also pursuing similar candidates, the race to harness DNA repair mechanisms for cancer therapy is heating up.