Shanghai, China – April 10, 2025 – Acerand, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative therapies, today announced compelling preclinical data for its novel and highly selective CYP11A1 inhibitor, ACE-232. These findings, to be disclosed at the 2025 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in Chicago, US, on April 30, demonstrate significant advantages over comparator compound ODM-208 (MK-5684), currently in late-stage development.

        Preclinical data highlighted for presentation at AACR shows ACE-232 exhibited substantially greater potency in vitro in inhibiting CYP11A1. Furthermore, preclinical pharmacokinetic studies in multiple animal species indicated ACE-232 possesses favorable drug properties potentially supporting convenient once-daily dosing with sustained target inhibition and improved efficacy. Preclinical findings also demonstrated encouraging efficacy for ACE-232 in prostate cancer models, including those resistant to current therapies, such as abiraterone and enzalutamide. In these studies, ACE-232 showed superior tumor growth inhibition compared to ODM-208. Importantly, ACE-232 exhibited a favorable preclinical safety profile. Comprehensive safety evaluations revealed minimal off-target effects, and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) toxicology studies in rats and dogs demonstrated a wide safety margin.
        “We are very pleased to present the highly anticipated preclinical data on ACE-232 at the 2025 AACR Annual Meeting,” said Dr. Genshi Zhao, Chief Scientific Officer of Acerand. “These results highlight the significant potential of ACE-232 as a next-generation therapy for hormone-dependent cancers. With FDA IND clearance now in place, we are actively advancing into clinical development as we strive to improve treatment outcomes for patients with advanced prostate cancer.”
        Acerand is also pleased to announce that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Investigational New Drug (IND) clearance for ACE-232 in January 2025, allowing clinical investigations in patients to proceed.

About ACE-232:

        ACE-232 is a highly potent, and selective inhibitor of CYP11A1, a key enzyme in the production of steroid hormones. By inhibiting CYP11A1, ACE-232 has the potential to treat hormone-sensitive cancers, such as prostate cancer.