• Data show that p300 KAT inhibitor KB-9558 was highly selective against human papillomavirus (HPV) oncoproteins E6 and E7, and therefore drove anti-tumor effects 
  
• Poster presentation taking place on Thursday, October 24, 2024 

SAN MATEO, Calif. and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kronos Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: KRON), a company dedicated to developing small molecule therapeutics that address cancers and autoimmune diseases driven by deregulated transcription, today announced that it will present preclinical data from its p300 KAT inhibitor program for human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven tumors at the EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, being held from October 23 to 25, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain.

Kronos Bio is exploring the utility of its p300 KAT inhibitor, KB-9558, for HPV-driven tumors. In the presentation, the authors will show that the oncogenic HPV-16 virus hijacks the host transcriptional cofactor p300 in order to drive expression of the virally encoded oncogenes E6 and E7. Inhibition of p300 KAT activity achieved anti-tumor effects by downregulating E6 and E7 which in turn leads to reactivation of p53, a known tumor suppressor.

“Despite the availability of HPV vaccines, HPV still causes many cancers including head and neck cancer and cervical cancer, with an estimated 38,000 new cases of HPV-driven cancers annually in the United States alone. Viral oncoproteins such as the ones encoded by HPV provide a unique therapeutic opportunity since they are only found in tumor cells,” said Charles Lin, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of Kronos Bio. “By demonstrating that we can selectively inhibit E6 and E7 with a p300 KAT inhibitor, we hope to provide patients with HPV-driven cancers innovative targeted therapies.”

Abstract details are as follows:

Title: Oncogenic human papillomavirus hijacks p300 to drive viral transcription, creating a therapeutic vulnerability that can be exploited with selective p300/CBP catalytic inhibitors
Presenter: Marek Kobylarz, Ph.D., Senior Scientist
Poster Session: Epigenetic modulators (HDAC Bromodomain modulators, EZH2)
Date and Time: Thursday, October 24, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CEST

The presentation will be available under the Publications section of the Kronos Bio website on October 24, 2024. The abstract can be found on the Symposium website.

About Kronos Bio

Kronos Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing small molecule therapeutics that address deregulated transcription, a hallmark of cancer and autoimmune disease. Our proprietary discovery engine decodes complex transcription factor regulatory networks to identify druggable cofactors. We screen for and optimize small molecules that target these cofactors in a disease-specific context. Kronos Bio has a pipeline of three drug candidates. Istisociclib (KB-0742) is currently enrolling ovarian cancer patients in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial. Preclinical candidate KB-9558 is being developed for multiple myeloma and HPV-driven tumors. KB-7898 is Kronos Bio’s first autoimmune development candidate and has a target indication of Sjögren’s disease. Kronos Bio is based in San Mateo, Calif., and has a research facility in Cambridge, Mass. For more information, visit https://www.kronosbio.com or follow the Company on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The press release, in some cases, uses terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “expect,” “plan,” “will,” “may,” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding Kronos Bio’s intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things, KB-9558’s ability to potentially treat HPV-driven tumors; the estimated U.S. patient population with HPV-driven cancers; the therapeutic opportunity provided by oncoproteins in the treatment of cancer; the potential of Kronos Bio’s product candidates, pipeline and its proprietary discovery engine; and other statements that are not historical fact. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation: changes in the macroeconomic environment or competitive landscape that impact Kronos Bio’s business; whether Kronos Bio will be able to progress its preclinical pipeline on the timelines anticipated, including due to risks inherent in the development of novel therapeutics; the risk that results of preclinical studies, early clinical trials (including preliminary results) and pharmacokinetic modeling are not necessarily predictive of future results; and risks associated with the sufficiency of Kronos Bio’s cash resources and need for additional capital. These and other risks are described in greater detail in Kronos Bio’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including under the heading “Risk Factors” in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, filed with the SEC on August 8, 2024. Any forward-looking statements that are made in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on management’s assumptions and estimates as of such date. Except as required by law, Kronos Bio assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.