Therapeutic Targets: Hsp90
Hsp90 plays a role in regulating the stability of key cancer-causing proteins through its role as a protein chaperone. Cancer cells depend on Hsp90 to maintain many proteins critical for cancer growth, proliferation and survival in a functional state. Certain anticancer therapies may enhance the dependency of cancer cells on Hsp90. Therefore, combining an Hsp90 inhibitor with another proven anticancer agent may enhance cancer cell killing.
We are developing retaspimycin hydrochloride (HCl), also known as IPI-504, a proprietary Hsp90 inhibitor to help address large non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient subpopulations with especially poor prognoses and extremely limited treatment options. Retaspimycin HCl is currently being evaluated in an adaptive, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial in combination with docetaxel in patients with NSCLC. In addition, we are conducting a Phase 1b/2 trial to explore the safety and clinical activity of retaspimycin HCl in combination with everolimus, an mTOR inhibitor, in NSCLC patients with a KRAS mutation.