The Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is taking place April 5-10 in San Diego. AACR will feature presentations from over 40 companies, covering roughly 80 innovative preclinical and clinical-stage programs targeting oncology indications. The resulting data readouts will spotlight emerging molecular pathways and promising drugs in development for the treatment of cancer, and clarify which companies are likely to become M&A targets.
At AACR, we will be closely watching Boston-based Tango Therapeutics (TNGX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company. From April 7-9, Tango will be delivering no fewer than eight presentations. These updates will cover three of the five molecules in Tango’s early-stage pipeline, which are all products of their CRISPR-based target discovery platform.
We Expect Readouts for the Following Products in Development
TNG-260
TNG-260 is a small molecule CoREST inhibitor. On April 8, Tango is expected to provide preclinical data on TNG-260 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This treatment has a competitor within the same pathway, which is JBI-802 from India-based Jubilant Therapeutics. JBI-802 started clinical development ahead of TNG-260 and has already scored an Orphan Drug Designation for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
TNG-260 has the inside track on the attractive NSCLC indication, having received a Fast Track Designation for use with an anti-PD1 in patients with previously treated advanced NSCLC with STK11 mutations. Both companies currently have phase 1/2 pan-tumor proof-of-concept trials underway, with both readouts expected end of 2024 or very early in 2025.
While the two development programs appear to be neck and neck, they are focused on different patient groups. As a result, Tango’s AACR presentation and the two year-end data readouts may enable a comparison of the relative efficacy and safety profiles of the two molecules, but the more likely outcome of the combined readouts will be to further validate the CoREST inhibitor pathway.
TNG-348
TNG-348 is a small molecule USP inhibitor that is synergistic with PARP inhibitors in current tumor models with possible applications in ovarian and breast cancers, as well as some prostate and pancreatic cancers. On April 9, Tango Therapeutics will be providing an update on their March American Chemical Society (ACS) presentation, where they reported that TNG-348 is effective at shrinking tumors alone and in combination with PARPs. TNG-348 is first-in-pathway, but we identified at least nine other USP inhibitors with development programs that are no more than one year behind. Tango is currently recruiting for a phase 2 pan-tumor POC trial of TNG-348 alone and in combination with olaparib.
TNG-917
TNG-917 is a small molecule EHMT1/2 inhibitor. This product is not even listed on the Tango website or pipeline. We know little about TNG-917 at this point other than it is first in pathway. Tango will be presenting about this treatment in immune cold tumors at AACR on April 8.
Tango Therapeutics Moving Forward
At the end of 2023, Tango Therapeutics reported a cash position of over $300 million and a runway into late 2026 with sufficient funding for all clinical programs through proof-of-concept. Tango is also currently running development programs for TNG-908 in glioblastoma and TNG-462 in soft tissue sarcomas, so they will need to run a tight ship in 2024 and rely on delivering good news at AACR.
About the Authors at OZMOSI
At OZMOSI we blend decades of BioPharm industry experience with fully integrated clinical trial and pipeline data analysis and reporting. Our clinical trial data is model- and dashboard-ready with indexing that seamlessly connects daily trial updates to FDA approvals, SEC filings and the latest news events. Through the integration of AI and machine learning, OZMOSI builds solutions that allow our customers to track BioPharm company clinical development programs more consistently and accurately than they have ever been able to do before. Our data and catalyst-event trackers allow our clients to predict BioPharm R&D headlines before they happen.