SpringWorks Therapeutics Enters into Sponsored Research Agreement with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to Further Evaluate Nirogacestat as a BCMA Potentiator in Multiple Myeloma

STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SWTX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing life-changing medicines for patients with severe rare diseases and cancer, today announced that it has entered into a sponsored research agreement with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Fred Hutch) to further explore the ability of SpringWorks’ investigational gamma secretase inhibitor (GSI), nirogacestat, to modulate B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) and potentiate BCMA-targeting therapies, including radioimmunotherapies, in a variety of preclinical and patient-derived multiple myeloma models developed by researchers at Fred Hutch. Damian Green, M.D., Associate Member of the Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutch and Associate Professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, will serve as the Principal Investigator for this research.

Gamma secretase inhibition disrupts the cleavage and shedding of BCMA from the surface of myeloma cells. In preclinical models, the team at Fred Hutch was the first to show that gamma secretase inhibition can increase BCMA surface density on malignant plasma cells and concurrently decrease soluble BCMA to enhance the activity of BCMA-targeted therapies.^1,2 Nirogacestat has demonstrated similar results.³ In addition, emerging and published clinical data from Fred Hutch suggest that a GSI may increase antitumor efficacy of BCMA-targeted autologous CAR T cell therapy in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.^1,4

“We have already begun to see multiple myeloma patients appear to benefit from the ability of a GSI to potentiate BCMA-directed therapies,” said Dr. Green. “Given the clinical experience with nirogacestat and the commitment that SpringWorks has made to combining their GSI with BCMA-directed therapies, I look forward to expanding on the important work that the Fred Hutch has already done in this area and collaborating with SpringWorks to explore this therapeutic hypothesis further.”

“Fred Hutch scientists have been leaders in developing novel treatment approaches for multiple myeloma and have presented promising preclinical and clinical data combining GSIs with BCMA-directed therapies,” said Saqib Islam, Chief Executive Officer of SpringWorks Therapeutics. “We believe that nirogacestat has the potential to become a cornerstone of BCMA combination therapies across modalities and are delighted to be working with Dr. Green to build upon the encouraging results demonstrated to date. Our ultimate goal is to develop nirogacestat in such a way as to improve clinical outcomes for patients with multiple myeloma.”