MD Anderson and Schrödinger Announce Strategic Research Collaboration to Accelerate Development of WEE1 Program - Seite 2

“Targeting WEE1, a critical gatekeeper of the cell cycle, is showing promise as a therapeutic strategy for treating certain cancers with select genetic alterations,” said Timothy Heffernan, Ph.D., executive director of TRACTION. “Through our collaboration with Schrödinger, we aim to identify clinically relevant patient populations that may benefit from WEE1 inhibition and to advance innovative targeted therapies that can improve their lives.”

MD Anderson and Schrödinger will jointly pursue translational studies, and Schrödinger will provide research support funding. As part of the agreement, MD Anderson is eligible to receive certain payments based on the future development and commercialization of Schrödinger’s WEE1 inhibitor compounds. Schrödinger will have sole responsibility for the development, manufacture and commercialization of all compounds and products, and sole rights to all novel intellectual property that arises from this collaboration.

WEE1 is a gatekeeper checkpoint kinase that prevents progression through the cell cycle, allowing time for DNA repair to occur before cell division takes place. Thus, inhibition of WEE1 allows for accumulation of DNA damage, triggering DNA breakage and apoptosis in tumor cells. Schrödinger is developing tight-binding, selective WEE1 inhibitors with optimized physicochemical properties designed to be well suited for combinations with other DNA damage response therapies for the treatment of a broad range of solid tumors.

About MD Anderson

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston ranks as one of the world's most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. The institution's sole mission is to end cancer for patients and their families around the world. MD Anderson is one of only 51 comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). MD Anderson is No.1 for cancer in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals" rankings. It has been named one of the nation's top two hospitals for cancer since the rankings began in 1990. MD Anderson receives a cancer center support grant from the NCI of the National Institutes of Health (P30 CA016672).