P3, N=260, Completed, Denovo Biopharma LLC | Active, not recruiting --> Completed | Trial completion date: Jun 2025 --> Feb 2024 | Trial primary completion date: Jun 2025 --> Feb 2024

Following the knockdown of PTX3, both the phosphorylation and membrane translocation of PKCζ were significantly impaired, suggesting that PTX3 regulates the activation of PKCζ. Taken together, the findings of the present study have shown that PTX3 may promote the proliferation and metastasis of BC cells through regulating PKCζ activation to enhance cell migration, cell chemotaxis, cell invasion and cell adhesion.

The brain penetrant PKC inhibitor enzastaurin in combination with paxalisib, synergistically extended the survival of multiple orthotopic patient-derived and immunocompetent syngeneic allograft models; benefits potentiated in combination with metformin and standard-of-care radiotherapy. Therapeutic adaptation was assessed using spatial transcriptomics and ATAC-sequencing, identifying changes in myelination and tumor immune microenvironment crosstalk. Together, we have identified a clinically relevant DIPG therapeutic combinatorial approach.

Endoxifen, a secondary tamoxifen metabolite, is a potent antiestrogen exhibiting estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) binding at nanomolar concentrations. ENDX's effects on AKT were phenocopied by siRNA-mediated PKCβ1 knockdown or treatment with the pan-AKT inhibitor, MK-2206, while overexpression of constitutively active AKT diminished ENDX-induced apoptosis. These findings, which identify PKCβ1 as an ENDX target, indicate that PKCβ1/ENDX interactions suppress AKT signaling and induce apoptosis in breast cancer.

Our data demonstrate the efficacy of the PKCβ inhibitor MS-553 in preclinical models of CLL including that with BTK mutations conferring BTKi resistance. These findings support continued preclinical and clinical investigation of MS-553 in CLL, and the phase 1 trial of this agent is currently underway (NCT03492125) (Blachly et al., 2022).

B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling pathway inhibitors and B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) antagonist venetoclax (Ven) have transformed the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), including in high-risk patients with 17p deletion and/or TP53 mutations and complex karyotype...Patients who progress on BTKi including ibrutinib (ibr) often receive Ven but eventually relapse, underscoring an urgent need for new treatment strategies...Overall, our data provides clear evidence that MS-553 inhibits BCR signaling in vitro and in patients on MS-553 therapy. It also provides a rationale for combinations with Ven as a treatment partner based on its ability to increase survival dependence on BCL-2.

P2, N=75, Completed, DermBiont, Inc. | Recruiting --> Completed

Our data demonstrate the efficacy of the PKCβ inhibitor MS-553 in preclinical models of CLL, including BTK inhibitor resistant disease. These findings support continued preclinical and clinical investigation of MS-553 in CLL, and the phase 1 trial of this agent is currently underway (NCT03492125) [7].

The hypoxia-related risk signature is a reliable predictive model for better clinical management of HCC patients and offers clinicians a holistic viewpoint when determining the diagnosis and course of HCC treatment.

The IC50 of BI-2536, bleomycin, embelin, FR-180204, GW843682X, LY317615, NSC-207895, rTRAIL, and VX-11e was higher in the GABRD high-expression group. In conclusion, we have shown evidence that GABRD is a novel biomarker that is connected with immune cell infiltration in COAD and may be utilized to predict the prognosis of COAD patients.

Moreover, the pharmacokinetic features of enzastaurin revealed that it is an effective therapeutic agent with minimal adverse effects. Enzastaurin may inhibit the potential biological targets that are thought to be responsible for the advancement of CRC and this study suggests a potential novel therapeutic target for CRC.

For newly diagnosed BMs, adding chemotherapy, EGFR-TKIs, and other innovative systemic agents (temozolomide, nitroglycerin, endostar, enzastaurin, and veliparib) to radiotherapy did not significantly prolong OS than radiotherapy alone; whereas radiotherapy + nitroglycerin showed significantly better CNS-PFS and ORR...For previously treated BMs, pembrolizumab + chemotherapy, nivolumab + ipilimumab, and cemiplimab significantly prolonged OS than chemotherapy alone...The value of surgery should also be emphasized. The result should be further confirmed by RCTs.

Ibrutinib or enzastaurin treatment also reduced PKCα-KR-CLL cell migration towards CXCL12. Overall, we demonstrate that PKCβ expression facilitates leukemogenesis and identify that BCR-mediated signalling is a key driver of CLL development in the PKCα-KR model.

In addition, it reveals the signaling mode of PKCα at both gene expression and kinase activation. In this way, a wide range of proteins can implement a new strategy to fine-tune the control of crucial functions in these cells and pave the way for designing targeted cancer therapies.

We hypothesized that targeting PKC-β will inhibit BCR signaling downstream of BTK and may offer an effective therapeutic strategy for patients who relapse on ibrutinib. These data provide strong rationale for an ongoing Phase I/II trial that evaluates MS-553 as a single agent and in combination with targeted agents such as venetoclax. Early interim data indicate that MS-553 is safe, tolerable and effective both as a single agent and in combination with venetoclax.

The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of oral daily continuous MS-553 as monotherapy (Cohort A) in relapsed and refractory patients with CLL/SLL, and in combination with acalabrutinib (Cohort B), or with venetoclax plus an anti-CD20 antibody (Cohort C) in earlier lines of therapy. MS-553 has been generally well tolerated with initial anti-tumor activity seen in this heavily pretreated population. Half of the evaluable patients have shown partial responses. The combination cohorts have shown good initial safety and tolerability.

P3, N=300, Active, not recruiting, Denovo Biopharma LLC | Recruiting --> Active, not recruiting

Conversely, phosphoproteomic profiling identified enriched MAPK and PRKCB signaling, relative to normal brain tissues, thereby encouraging the use of the TGA/FDA approved therapies trametinib (MAPKs) and enzastaurin (PRKCB). In vitro investigations confirmed the utility of these treatment approaches and in vivo patient derives xenograft mouse models for this sample are under investigation. This pilot study provides critical data to support the benefit of interrogating the genome, proteome, and phospho-proteome of these devastating tumours to aid in the selection/development of effective treatment strategies.

Most of these aberrations are activating mutations that can potentially be targeted by inhibitors, some of which are being tested in clinical trials that are briefly outlined in this review. Finally, we focus on the molecular pathology of recently identified subgroups of PTCL-NOS and highlight the unique genetic profiles associated with PTCL-GATA3.

P3, N=256, Completed, Denovo Biopharma LLC | Active, not recruiting --> Completed | Trial completion date: Sep 2023 --> Jul 2022

In conclusion, our data underline an essential role of CREB in SySa tumorigenesis and provides evidence for molecular targeted therapies.

MASTL kinase activity was significantly abrogated with both the compounds showing EC values of 17.13 µM and 10.51 µM, respectively. Taken together, these data strongly suggest that Enzastaurin and Palbociclib possess the ability to inhibit MASTL kinase activity and induce cell death in breast cancer cells, thus exhibiting significant therapeutic potential.

E. cuneatum exerted anti-addiction properties by lowering the levels of cellular adaptation proteins, and its effects are comparable to that of methadone (an established anti-addiction drug).

CYP1B1 and PRKCB were overexpressed in and correlated with the poor prognosis of SKCM. Our findings might help explore the prognosis and diagnostic markers of SKCM.

Immature zebrafish were pretreated with phenylthiourea (PTU) and then exposed to different SFN concentrations yielded the same results by upregulating the melanin levels despite the presence of melanin inhibitor (PTU). These study results show that SFN induces the biosynthesis of melanin in the B16F10 melanoma cell line, which occurs through changes in actin.

The enrichment and PPI network analyses suggested that several pathways and hub genes with abnormal gene expression accompanied by methylation change, including inositol-trisphosphate 3-kinase B (ITPKB), G protein subunit beta 5 (GNB5), FYN proto-oncogene, Src family tyrosine kinase (FYN), LCK proto-oncogene, Src family tyrosine kinase (LCK), nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFATC1), GNAS complex locus (GNAS), protein kinase C beta (PRKCB), zeta chain of T cell receptor associated protein kinase 70 (ZAP70), lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 (LPAR1), protein kinase C epsilon (PRKCE), tumor protein p53 (TP53), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), fibronectin 1 (FN1), cyclin D1 (CCND1), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), HRas proto-oncogene, GTPase (HRAS), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), amyloid beta precursor protein (APP), and matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP2), may be related to the occurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma . The identification of novel and important pathways and hub genes and their roles in the occurrence and development of NPC will guide clinical research and the development of pharmaceutical targets.

P3, N=235, Active, not recruiting, Denovo Biopharma LLC | Trial completion date: Oct 2022 --> Sep 2023 | Trial primary completion date: Oct 2021 --> May 2022

While germline variants in the protein kinase cAMP-dependent regulatory type 1 alpha (PRKAR1A) gene have been associated with EBN and CC, fusions in protein kinase C-alpha (PRKCA) have been shown as sporadic drivers of PEM. Herein, we report the diagnosis and workup of a case of pigmented epithelioid melanocytoma with a novel protein kinase C-beta (PRKCB) fusion.

"QIAGEN...and Denovo Biopharma LLC today announced a collaboration to develop a blood-based companion diagnostic (CDx) test to identify patients expressing Denovo Genomic Marker 1 (DGM1TM) who are likely to respond to Denovo’s investigational cancer drug DB102TM for treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), one of the most common lymphoid cancers...Under the agreement, QIAGEN will develop a diagnostic assay that can detect the Denovo Genomic Marker 1 (DGM1TM) in DLBCL patients, a biomarker discovered by Denovo that predicts the responsiveness to DB102."

He was treated with radiation and concurrent temozolomide (TMZ) + ENZA, followed by adjuvant TMZ + ENZA, which he tolerated well. This case provides clinical evidence that the addition of ENZA to standard of care may provide substantial long-term benefit in DGM1 positive patients with GBM. A Phase 3 study of ENZA in DGM1 positive newly diagnosed GBM patients is currently ongoing (ENGAGE study, NCT03776071).

The Denovo Genomic Marker 1 (DGM1), a novel pharmacogenomic biomarker, has been discovered by a genome-wide screen of patients treated with DB102 (enzastaurin) in a trial for lymphoma...After screening, patients will be randomized to receive radiation therapy (RT) and temozolomide (TMZ) plus either DB102 or a matched placebo for 6 weeks in the Concurrent Phase, followed by DB102 or placebo for approximately 5 weeks in the Single-Agent Phase and then TMZ plus DB102 or placebo in the Adjuvant Phase (up to 12 cycles)...By April 2021, the safety-run-in part was completed. The study is now open for enrollment in the US and soon in Canada and China.

We found that ECs counteracted the activity of selected compounds (i.e. TSA, THZ1 and MLN2238)...Remarkably, IGFBP-7 completely or partially abrogated the EC-mediated rescue of selected compounds [enzastaurin (PKC-β inhibitor), SC144 (GP130 inhibitor), CHIR124 (Chk1 inhibitor) and YM155 (Survivin inhibitor)] (Figure 1B). Drugs not rescued by ECs (n=30) were considered positive hits and 5 of them (ruxolitinib, tofacitinib, panobinostat, bortezomib, irinotecan) ultimately proved to be effective in vivo in randomized pre-clinical trials either alone or in combination (Figure 1C)...These data demonstrate that our EC-T-ALL culture system simulates in vivo conditions, offering a robust platform to study drug response, leukemia-host interactions and cell plasticity. This approach will improve the pre-clinical predictability of novel drugs/combinations for T-ALL, as well as for other hematologic malignancies, and propel the development of patient-tailored treatments.

These cells, with characteristics of neural stem cells (NSC) present in physiological neurogenic niches, have been proposed as being responsible for the high resistance of GBM to current treatments such as temozolomide (TMZ)...Clinical trials have tested the efficacy of PKCβ inhibitors, and preclinical studies have focused on other PKC isozymes. Here, we discuss the idea that other PKC isozymes may also be involved in GBM progression and that the development of a new generation of effective drugs should consider the balance between the activation of different PKC subtypes.

Blockage of its expression in CD34+ cells and CML cell lines increased sensitivity to imatinib. In vivo experiment, PKC-β elective inhibitor LY333531 prolonged survival time in CML-PDX mice model. In conclusion, targeted on PKC-β overexpression might be a novel therapy mechanism to overcome TKI-resistance in CML.

P3, N=300, Recruiting, Denovo Biopharma LLC | Not yet recruiting --> Recruiting

P3, N=235, Active, not recruiting, Denovo Biopharma LLC | Recruiting --> Active, not recruiting | Trial completion date: Sep 2021 --> Oct 2022 | Trial primary completion date: Oct 2020 --> Oct 2021

Taken together, our current network pharmacology-based findings revealed the pharmacological role of puerarin in the treatment of COVID-19. Furthermore, the bioinformatic findings elucidated that some of these pivotal targets might serve as potential molecular markers for detecting COVID-19.

Introduction: Resistance to covalent Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors such as ibrutinib and acalabrutinib is an emerging issue that presages a poor clinical outcome. Although results are preliminary, MS-553 has been generally well tolerated with initial anti-tumor activity seen in this heavily pretreated population. Potent to full inhibition of PKCβ signaling over 24 hours of exposure has been demonstrated. Additional dosing of patients will be completed to further assess MS-553 efficacy in patients with acquired resistance mutations in BTK and PLCG2.

This is associated with a remodeling of tumor glycolytic metabolism induced after PKC activation. Overall, this analysis highlights the dynamic nature of transport metabolom and identifies signaling pathways finely regulating this plasticity.