Exhibit 99.1
Ikena Oncology Shares Differentiation Profile of IK-930, a Novel Hippo-Pathway Inhibitor, Including
Projected Therapeutic Index Advantages and Breadth of Patient Populations at AACR 2023 Annual
Meeting
IK-930 is a potent Hippo-pathway inhibitor that selectively binds TEAD1 and broadly represses oncogenic
TEAD signaling
IK-930’s differentiated paralog selectivity and robust repressor activity in complex with VGLL4 are key
characteristics for potential tumor impact and increased therapeutic index
Non-human primate data demonstrate treatment with IK-930 does not result in any clinical signs of renal
toxicity at all doses, in contrast to panTEAD inhibition
Robust preclinical data from IK-930 combinations to combat therapeutic resistance to other targeted
therapies suggests broad applicability beyond initial Hippo-altered cancers, including EGFR and RAS
mutant cancers
BOSTON, April 17, 2023, – Ikena Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: IKNA, “Ikena”), a targeted oncology company forging new territory in patient-directed cancer treatment, today announced that it will present preclinical data in two poster presentations highlighting the Company’s novel Hippo pathway inhibitor, IK-930, at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting taking place in Orlando, FL from April 14-19, 2023.
Data being shared today reveals that IK-930 selectively binds and inhibits TEAD1 and further describes the mechanism for its antitumor activity. Key advantages demonstrated in the nonclinical studies include IK-930’s superior tolerability and comparable antitumor activity compared to panTEAD inhibition, resulting in a significantly improved projected therapeutic window in cancer patients. IK-930 was designed as a TEAD1-selective inhibitor to avoid on-target renal toxicity expected from panTEAD inhibition. TEAD1 is the most highly expressed TEAD paralog in mesothelioma and epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE). The data being presented support the ongoing IK-930 Phase 1 program in patients with Hippo mutated cancers and the planned expansion into combinations of IK-930 with other targeted therapies in multiple cancer types, including across EGFR and RAS mutated cancers, to potentially delay or even reverse therapeutic resistance.
“IK-930’s selectivity profile is the ultimate example of what we are aiming to do at Ikena – creating effective and safe targeted oncology treatments that have the potential to benefit both patients with primary-defined cancers and prevent resistance to other targeted therapies. Targeted oncology came to fruition as a way to develop highly specific therapies that can benefit patients — to spare healthy tissue instead of causing widespread toxicity — it is crucial to take into account a target’s function outside of a patient’s cancer,” said Mark Manfredi, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Ikena Oncology. “Tolerability across multiple nonclinical species, including non-human primates, was central to our design of IK-930 and our enthusiasm about its potential in the clinic.”
Highlights from the data in today’s poster include:
| • | | In nonclinical models and species, IK-930 demonstrated selective inhibition of TEAD1 with equivalent activity to broad TEAD inhibitors and a significantly improved tolerability profile |