iTeos Therapeutics SA Files Patent for Immunomodulators in Cancer Immunotherapy

Gosselies, Belgium (ots/PRNewswire) -

iTeos Therapeutics SA today announced the filing of the Company's
first patent applications protecting proprietary inhibitors of the
intracellular enzyme TDO2, which is expressed at high levels in
specific cancers. iTeos Therapeutics has collaborated with Ludwig
Cancer Research over the last year to identify small molecule
inhibitors of the enzyme that display nanomolar potency, good
selectivity, favorable pharmacokinetics profiles in rodents and
activity in pharmacodynamic models.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140210/668228 )

"We are excited about realizing the potential of our small
molecule immunomodulator discovery platform to create a new class of
anti-cancer therapies in order to enhance the benefits of
conventional chemotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibition and/or
therapeutic vaccination," said Michel Detheux, Ph.D., CEO of iTeos
Therapeutics. "We plan to move these TDO2 inhibitors forward to
clinical stage as a first-in-class cancer immunotherapy."

iTeos has initiated drug discovery programs on TDO2, and another
enzyme expressed in cancer cells named IDO1. These enzymes are
believed to contribute significantly to the ability of tumors to
resist both natural and therapeutically induced immune attack,
including responses elicited by immune checkpoint inhibitors and
therapeutic vaccines. Immunotherapy represents a paradigm shift in
clinical oncology that promises to revolutionize the management of
cancer. Yet not all patients respond equally to such strategies. As
such, inhibitors of TDO2 and IDO1 have the potential to significantly
increase the response rate to a variety of immunotherapies.

About TDO2 and IDO1

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO1) and Tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase
(TDO2), key enzymes in tryptophan catabolism, are constitutively
expressed in many cancers, which often express one of the two
enzymes. Their elevated expression in tumors locally degrades the
amino acid tryptophan, blunting tumor surveillance by the immune
system and so preventing tumor rejection. Therefore, specific
inhibitors for each enzyme might have complementary therapeutic
benefits.

About iTeos Therapeutics SA

Based in Gosselies, Belgium, iTeos Therapeutics SA (
http://www.iteostherapeutics.com) is a private biotechnology company
targeting metabolism of the tumor microenvironment to develop
small-molecule immunomodulators for cancer treatment. Originating
from a partnership between Ludwig Cancer Research and de Duve
Institute at the Universite Catholique de Louvain, iTeos Therapeutics
SA raised EUR9M in April 2012, to build a discovery platform
combining expertise in tumor immunology, immunotherapy, drug
discovery and development.

Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140210/668228

ots Originaltext: iTeos Therapeutics SA
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
Michel Detheux, Phone: +32 71 919.933, Mobile: +32 478 034 600,
Mail: michel.detheux@iteostherapeutics.com