Hemispherian AS, a biotech company developing next-generation therapeutics for aggressive cancers, has announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the company's Investigational New Drug (IND) application for GLIX1, a first-in-class small molecule targeting DNA repair vulnerabilities in glioblastoma and other solid tumours.

The IND clearance allows Hemispherian to proceed with a first-in-human Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary efficacy of GLIX1 in patients with recurrent glioblastoma.

“This milestone marks a major inflexion point for Hemispherian and brings us one step closer to delivering a much-needed therapeutic option to patients facing glioblastoma, a cancer with devastating outcomes and few effective treatments,” said Adam Robertson, Chief Scientific Officer of Hemispherian.

He further added, “GLIX1's unique mechanism of action selectively targets DNA repair pathways in tumour cells while sparing healthy tissue, and we are encouraged by its strong preclinical profile and regulatory recognition in both the US and Europe.”

The Phase 1 study will be conducted at leading neuro-oncology centres across the United States, starting at Northwestern University in Chicago, the company stated.

Dr. Ditte Primdahl, Principal Investigator at Northwestern University in Chicago, commented, “I look forward to evaluating this novel therapeutic approach in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. The trial will generate valuable clinical data on safety, tolerability, and early signs of biological activity.”

Dr. Roger Stupp, Co-Director of the Malnati Brain Tumour Institute of the Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center at Northwestern University, Chicago, and Chairman of Hemispherian's Scientific Advisory Committee, added, “Targeting DNA repair is the next frontier in improving outcomes for patients with glioblastoma and other deadly brain tumours. It will delay tumour recurrences in patients who have initially been successfully treated. GLIX1 has a novel and unique mechanism of action, and this first-in-human trial will provide a novel therapeutic option for our patients and insights for subsequently preventing tumour recurrences.”

GLIX1 has also been granted Orphan Drug Designation by both the FDA and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), highlighting the urgent need for new treatments for malignant glioma and recognising the potential of GLIX1 to provide meaningful benefit for patients facing this devastating disease.