Qualigen Therapeutics’ Pan-RAS Inhibitor Featured in Two Abstracts at American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2022 Annual Meeting

Abstracts Highlight In Vitro and In Vivo Activity of Qualigen’s Pan-RAS inhibitor in (1) Pancreatic Cancer, and (2) Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors

Excerpt from the Press Release:

CARLSBAD, Calif., May 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: QLGN), a diversified life sciences company focused on developing treatments for adult and pediatric cancers with potential for Orphan Drug Designation, while also commercializing diagnostics, announces that two abstracts featuring the Company’s RAS inhibitor program will be featured in the American Society for Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) Annual Meeting Abstract Book, which was released online today.

Michael Poirier, Qualigen’s Chairman and CEO, commented, “We believe that this recognition from ASCO is an important step for our RAS inhibitor program and demonstrates that there is indeed significant scientific interest in our program and research approach in collaboration with the University of Louisville Research Foundation. We are focused on identifying a lead candidate for IND-enabling studies in Q4 of this year and look forward to sharing our advances as we progress toward that goal.”

The two abstracts, which can be found in the ASCO Annual Meeting Abstract Book include:

Title:	A Novel RAS Inhibitor for Pancreatic Cancer
Authors/Affiliation:	Clark, et., al. University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
Highlights:	Qualigen’s pan-RAS inhibitor (RAS-F) was screened to determine inhibition against pancreatic cancer, which has a dismal survival rate, and is most closely associated with activating mutations in the RAS oncoprotein. Approximately 90% of pancreatic adenocarcinomas carry point mutations activating RAS. RAS-F binds all three main isoforms of RAS at low uM kd and modulates the RAS effector domain in NMR studies. It suppresses RAS signaling pathways in transient assays and suppresses pancreatic tumor cell growth in soft agar with IC50s below 500nM. It suppresses xenograft development of human and mouse RAS driven pancreatic tumor cell lines and reduces the growth of a pancreatic cancer PDX. RAS-F is a pre-clinical pan-RAS inhibitor that is active in vitro and in vivo against pancreatic cancer models.
Title:	A Novel Pan-RAS Inhibitor for Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors
Authors/Affiliation:	Clark, et. al., University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
Highlights:	Qualigen’s pan-RAS inhibitor (RAS-F) was screened to determine inhibition against malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST), a rare but deadly form of sarcoma originating from the Schwann cell compartment. RAS-F was shown to bind all three main isoforms of RAS at low uM kd and modulates the RAS effector domain in NMR studies. RAS-F was also shown to suppress RAS signaling pathways in transient assays and suppress MPNST tumor cell growth in soft agar with IC50 ~250nM. Importantly, RAS-F also suppresses MPNST PDX growth in vivo. RAS-F is a pre-clinical pan-RAS inhibitor that is active in vitro and in vivo against MPNST cancer models. The agent also has potential uses against non-tumor manifestations of Neurofibromatosis such as Plexiform and Cutaneous neurofibromas.

Qualigen’s RAS program is a family of small molecules designed to prevent mutated RAS gene proteins from binding to their effector proteins. Exclusively in-licensed from UofL, compounds from this discovery engine have been shown to impact tumor growth in multiple in vivo models. Qualigen is evaluating promising compounds generated from this partnership in various RAS-driven advanced solid tumors such as pancreatic, colorectal and lung cancers.

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