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SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.October 23, 2024 – Circle Pharma, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing a new generation of macrocycle therapies, today announced that preclinical data from its lead candidate, CID-078, a first-in-class oral macrocycle cyclin A/B RxL inhibitor, has been selected for a late-breaking poster presentation at the 36th EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, also known as the Triple Meeting. The symposium is taking place from October 23-25, 2024, in Barcelona, Spain.

Poster presentation details are below:

Author:  Wang et al.
Title: CID-078, a First-in-Class Oral Macrocycle Cyclin A/B RxL Inhibitor, Demonstrates Anti-Tumor Activity in ESF-driven Cancers
Abstract Number:  PB-515
Session Title:  Late breaking posters
Date and Time:  October 23, 2024 (6 a.m. EST/12 p.m. CEST) to October 25, 2024 (11 a.m. EST/5 p.m. CEST)

The digital poster can be viewed here.

The pre-clinical data shows CID-078 demonstrated single-agent tumor activity across tumor cell line and in vivo models with dysregulated cell cycle (CDK-RB-E2F) function.  Notably, tumor regressions were observed in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) preclinical models.  Within specific indications, CID-078 single agent activity was correlated with RB1 mutation, high E2F target, or G2M checkpoint hallmark pathway scores.  The cumulative pre-clinical data suggests that CID-078 holds promise as a monotherapy for patients with these cancers.  A multi-center phase 1 clinical trial (NCT06577987) is currently enrolling patients..

About CID-078, Circle Pharma’s Cyclin A/B RxL Inhibitor Program


CID-078 is an orally bioavailable macrocycle with dual cyclin A and B RxL inhibitory activity that selectively targets tumor cells with oncogenic alterations that cause cell cycle dysregulation. In biochemical and cellular studies, Circle Pharma’s cyclin A/B RxL inhibitors have been shown to potently and selectively disrupt the protein-to-protein interaction between cyclins A and B and their key substrates and modulators, including E2F (a substrate of cyclin A) and Myt1 (a modulator of cyclin B). Preclinical studies have demonstrated the ability of these cyclin A/B RxL inhibitors to cause single-agent tumor regressions in multiple in vivo models. A multi-center phase 1 clinical trial (NCT06577987) is currently enrolling patients.

About Circle Pharma, Inc.

South San Francisco-based Circle Pharma is advancing the discovery and development of intrinsically cell-permeable macrocycles that can be delivered by multiple routes, including oral administration. Circle Pharma’s MXMO™ platform combines structure-based rational drug design and advanced synthetic chemistry to develop a new generation of macrocycle therapies for challenging targets to address unmet clinical needs. Circle Pharma is focusing its development efforts on cyclins, which are master regulators of the machinery that controls the progression of cells through the cell cycle and are key drivers in many cancers. 

Media Contact:

Roslyn Patterson
Phone: 650.825.4099
Email: roslyn.patterson@circlepharma.com

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – October 15, 2024 – Circle Pharma, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing a new generation of macrocycle therapies, announced today that the first patient cohort has been dosed in the phase 1 trial of CID-078, the company’s first-in-class oral cyclin A/B RxL inhibitor.  The trial will evaluate CID-078 in patients with advanced solid tumors, including tumors with elevated E2F transcription factor activity, such as small cell lung cancer, triple negative breast cancer and ER+ HER-2- breast cancer following CDK 4/6-inhibitor therapy. 

“We are thrilled that the IND for CID-078 was cleared at the end of the 30-day regulatory review period and that CID-078 has now moved into human dosing at a consortium of world class cancer centers. This will allow our investigators to generate clinical proof-of-concept data which will inform CID-078’s potential impact in settings of high unmet medical need as well as validate Circle Pharma’s proprietary MXMO™ macrocycle platform for difficult-to-drug targets in cancer and other serious diseases,” said David J. Earp, JD, Ph.D., CEO of Circle Pharma. 

CID-078 is designed to selectively inhibit key protein-to-protein interactions involving cyclins A and B, both of which have been implicated in the proliferation and survival of cancer cells. The research program builds on work performed in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate and Circle Pharma’s Scientific Advisory Board Chair, William G. Kaelin Jr., MD, who demonstrated synthetic lethality through the disruption of these cyclins in settings of dysregulated cell cycle control and elevated E2F activity.

Geoffrey Shapiro, MD, Ph.D., senior vice president, Development Therapeutics at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and professor of medicine at Harvard University, stated, “Disrupting the ability of E2F-driven cancer cells to turn off E2F at the appropriate time in the cell cycle has been shown to selectively induce apoptosis. Until now there hasn’t been a selective therapeutic agent to exploit this observation and so I am extremely excited to see Circle Pharma’s cyclin A/B RxL inhibitor move into the clinic.”

All patients in the cohort are enrolled at The START Center for Cancer Research, Midwest, Grand Rapids, MI. Other clinical sites currently open include The START Center for Cancer Research, West Valley City, UT, and NEXT Oncology in San Antonio, TX. Additional clinical sites are planned to open soon.

Circle Pharma’s Phase 1 clinical trial (NCT06577987) is an open label, multi-center dose escalation and expansion study that is expected to enroll up to 100 patients.  The study will evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of CID-078 as well as preliminary anti-tumor activity in solid tumors.  Circle Pharma anticipates reporting preliminary safety and anti-tumor data from the Phase 1 study in 2025. 

About CID-078, Circle Pharma’s Cyclin A/B RxL Inhibitor Program

CID-078 is an investigational orally bioavailable macrocycle with dual cyclin A and B RxL inhibitory activity that selectively targets tumor cells with oncogenic alterations that cause cell cycle dysregulation. In biochemical and cellular studies, Circle Pharma’s investigational cyclin A/B RxL inhibitors have been shown to potently and selectively disrupt the protein-to-protein interaction between cyclins A and B and their key substrates and modulators, including E2F (a substrate of cyclin A) and Myt1 (a modulator of cyclin B). Preclinical studies have demonstrated the ability of these cyclin A/B RxL inhibitors to cause single-agent tumor regressions in multiple xenograft models.  Based on these findings CID-078 has progressed to a Phase 1 clinical study (NCT06577987). 

About Circle Pharma, Inc.

South San Francisco-based Circle Pharma is advancing the discovery and development of intrinsically cell-permeable macrocycles that can be delivered by multiple routes, including oral administration. Circle Pharma’s MXMO™ platform combines structure-based rational drug design and advanced synthetic chemistry to develop a new generation of macrocycle therapies for challenging targets to address unmet clinical needs. Circle Pharma is focusing its development efforts on cyclins, which are master regulators of the machinery that controls the progression of cells through the cell cycle and are key drivers in many cancers.

Media Contact:

Roslyn Patterson
Director of Corporate Communications
Phone: 650.825.4099
Email: roslyn.patterson@circlepharma.com

INGELHEIM, Germany and SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., USA, (9 October 2024) Boehringer Ingelheim and Circle Pharma (Circle) announce a new research collaboration and license agreement with the shared goal to develop a first-in-class cyclin inhibitor that can halt the growth of cancer cells potentially offering hope to those living with hard-to-treat cancers.

Uncontrolled cell growth is a common feature in most tumor types and is a driving force in the formation of tumors. Genetic alterations like mutations or amplifications in the genes encoding the regulatory machinery of cell division contribute to malignant growth in a significant fraction of all solid tumors. That is why Boehringer Ingelheim is targeting the proteins involved in this process, a promising strategy for new cancer treatments.

Current methods targeting cyclin-dependent kinases can be limited by low selectivity and toxicity. Circle has developed a possible solution to these challenges by creating macrocycle therapies that directly inhibit cyclins, the proteins that regulate cell division. 

“We’re delighted to be joining forces with Circle’s scientists to develop an innovative cancer treatment based on their proprietary macrocycle platform molecules to achieve our goal of transforming the lives of people living with cancer,” said Clive R. Wood, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Global Head of Discovery Research at Boehringer Ingelheim. “This new collaboration complements our oncology research portfolio, and further reinforces our commitment to tackling intractable targets.”

David Earp, Ph.D., JD, chief executive officer, Circle Pharma said, “With our lead program, CID-078, a Cyclin A/B RxL inhibitor, we have demonstrated the capability of our MXMOTM platform to deliver oral macrocycles against a target that was previously considered to be undruggable. We’re excited to partner with Boehringer Ingelheim to leverage the platform against another challenging cyclin target that offers the potential to address high unmet need cancer indications.”

This partnership is a significant step toward Boehringer Ingelheim’s goal of transforming cancer care. It bolsters the already robust oncology pipeline of cancer cell-directed and immuno-oncology investigational therapies for smart combinations that may offer the greatest benefit for people living with cancer. 

As part of the agreement, Circle Pharma will receive an upfront payment and potential development, regulatory, and sales milestone payments of up to USD $607 million.

###

About Boehringer Ingelheim in oncology 

Linda Ruckel 
T: 203-791-6672
linda.ruckel@boehringer-ingelheim.com

Boehringer Ingelheim Corporate Affairs
Binger Str. 173
55218 Ingelheim am Rhein
boehringer-ingelheim.com

We have a clear aspiration – to transform the lives of people with cancer by delivering meaningful advances, with the ultimate goal of curing a range of cancers. Boehringer Ingelheim’s generational commitment to driving scientific innovation is reflected by the company’s robust pipeline of cancer cell-directed and immuno-oncology investigational therapies, as well as the smart combination of these approaches. Boehringer’s ambition in oncology is to take a diligent and broad approach, creating a collaborative research network to tap into a diversity of minds, which is vital in addressing some of the most challenging, but potentially most impactful, areas of cancer research. Simply put, for Boehringer Ingelheim, cancer care is personal, today and for generations. 

About Boehringer Ingelheim

Boehringer Ingelheim is a biopharmaceutical company active in both human and animal health. As one of the industry’s top investors in research and development, the company focuses on developing innovative therapies that can improve and extend lives in areas of high unmet medical need. Independent since its foundation in 1885, Boehringer takes a long-term perspective, embedding sustainability along the entire value chain. More than 53,500 employees serve over 130 markets to build a healthier, more sustainable, and equitable tomorrow. Learn more at https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/uk (UK) or https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com (rest of world).

About Circle Pharma


South San Francisco-based Circle Pharma is advancing the discovery and development of intrinsically cell-permeable macrocycles that can be delivered by multiple routes, including oral administration. Circle Pharma’s MXMO™ platform combines structure-based rational drug design and advanced synthetic chemistry to develop a new generation of macrocycle therapies for challenging targets to address unmet clinical needs. Circle Pharma is focusing its development efforts on cyclins, which are master regulators of the machinery that controls the progression of cells through the cell cycle and are key drivers in many cancers. The company’s lead candidate, CID-078, is currently in clinical trials as part of a growing pipeline of novel macrocycle therapeutics.

To learn more about Circle Pharma, please visit www.circlepharma.com.

Media Contacts:

Boehringer Ingelheim
Reinhard Malin
+49 (6132) 77-90815
reinhard.malin@boehringer-ingelheim.com

Linda Ruckel
203-791-6672
linda.ruckel@boehringer-ingelheim.com

Circle Pharma
Roslyn Patterson
650-825-4099
roslyn.patterson@circlepharma.com

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – September 16, 2024 – Circle Pharma, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing cell-permeable macrocycles as a new class of therapies, today announced two executive appointments as it continues to advance its MXMO macrocycle discovery platform and its oncology pipeline.   Marie Evangelista, Ph.D., has been appointed Senior Vice President and Head of Cancer Biology, while Constantine Kreatsoulas, Ph.D., has been promoted to Senior Vice President and Head of Discovery Technology Sciences. These appointments align with Circle’s investments in its pipeline of macrocycle therapies, including its lead program, CID-078, currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical trial in solid tumors.

“These two senior executive appointments deepen Circle’s drug discovery expertise and scientific leadership” said David J. Earp, JD, Ph.D., Circle’s president and CEO.  “With Circle’s first oral macrocycle, CID-078, now in the clinic, we are keen to deploy our MXMO platform against a wide range of new targets as we drive to expand our pipeline.  I look forward to working closely with Marie and Constantine as they lead our discovery teams to bring more first-in-class medicines to the clinic.”

Dr. Evangelista has more than 18 years of experience in translational oncology and small molecule drug discovery, having successfully led programs from early discovery to clinical development.  Prior to joining Circle, she spent 15 years at Genentech where her leadership was instrumental in advancing Genentech’s KRAS-targeting programs. Following Genentech, Dr. Evangelista held senior leadership roles at Frontier Medicines and most recently at Recursion. Dr. Evangelista holds a Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology from Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada. 

“I’m excited to join Circle at this important juncture, where its innovative macrocycle platform is translating into clinical progress,” said Dr. Evangelista. “I look forward to contributing to the development of transformative therapies for patients.”

Dr. Kreatsoulas has played a pivotal role at Circle Pharma since joining in 2021, overseeing the development of the MXMO platform and contributing to the advancement of CID-078 into the clinic. Before joining Circle Pharma, he held leadership roles at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Merck & Co., and Bristol-Myers Squibb, with expertise in molecular design, machine learning, and computational toxicology. He earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Princeton University and a master’s degree in Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance from Temple University.

“Being a part of Circle’s evolution to a clinical-stage company has been incredibly rewarding,” said Dr. Kreatsoulas. “I am very excited to step into the role of Head of Discovery Technology Sciences as we continue to advance our ground-breaking macrocycle technologies.”

About Circle Pharma, Inc.


South San Francisco-based Circle Pharma is advancing the discovery and development of intrinsically cell-permeable macrocycles that can be delivered by multiple routes, including oral administration. Circle Pharma’s MXMO™ platform combines structure-based rational drug design and advanced synthetic chemistry to develop a new generation of macrocycle therapies for challenging targets to address unmet clinical needs. Circle Pharma is focusing its development efforts on cyclins, which are master regulators of the machinery that controls the progression of cells through the cell cycle and are key drivers in many cancers. The company’s lead candidate, CID-078, is currently in clinical trials as part of a growing pipeline of novel macrocycle therapeutics.

To learn more about Circle Pharma, please visit www.circlepharma.com.

Media Contact:

Roslyn Patterson
Director of Corporate Communications
Phone: 650.825.4099
Email: roslyn.patterson@circlepharma.com

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – (BUSINESS WIRE) – Circle Pharma, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing cell-permeable macrocycle therapies, today announced that it presented a digital poster at the 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer.


CID-078, Circle Pharma’s first-and-only-in-class cyclin A/B RxL inhibitor, demonstrated single-agent tumor regressions in both small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) preclinical models. Tumor models with high E2F targets and G2M checkpoint hallmark pathways scores and elevated levels of E2F1, cyclin B1 and ESPL1 demonstrate tumor growth inhibition and/or regression when treated with CID-078 dosed at clinically achievable doses. CID-078 activity correlated with E2F1 and ESPL1 expression and was consistent with the proposed mechanism of action of cyclin A/B RxL inhibition leading to DNA damage. The data suggest that CID-078 holds promise as a monotherapy for patients with these cancers, which will be evaluated in a phase 1 clinical trial.

The digital poster can be viewed here.

About CID-078, Circle Pharma’s Cyclin A/B RxL Inhibitor Program

CID-078 is an orally bioavailable macrocycle with dual cyclin A and B RxL inhibitory activity that selectively targets tumor cells with oncogenic alterations that cause cell cycle dysregulation. In biochemical and cellular studies, Circle Pharma’s cyclin A/B RxL inhibitors have been shown to potently and selectively disrupt the protein-to-protein interaction between cyclins A and B and their key substrates and modulators, including E2F (a substrate of cyclin A) and Myt1 (a modulator of cyclin B). Preclinical studies have demonstrated the ability of these cyclin A/B RxL inhibitors to cause single-agent tumor regressions in multiple xenograft models.

About Circle Pharma, Inc.

South San Francisco-based Circle Pharma is advancing the discovery and development of intrinsically cell-permeable macrocycles that can be delivered by multiple routes, including oral administration. Circle Pharma’s MXMO™ platform combines structure-based rational drug design and advanced synthetic chemistry to develop a new generation of macrocycle therapies for challenging targets to address unmet clinical needs. Circle Pharma is focusing its development efforts on cyclins, which are master regulators of the machinery that controls the progression of cells through the cell cycle and are key drivers in many cancers.

To learn more about Circle Pharma, please visit www.circlepharma.com.

Media Contact:
Roslyn Patterson
650.825.4099
roslyn.patterson@circlepharma.com

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SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Circle Pharma, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing cell-permeable macrocycles as a new class of therapies, today announced the successful closing of a $90 million Series D financing round, which includes the conversion of a convertible note. The financing was led by The Column Group with participation from new and existing investors, including Nextech Invest and Euclidean Capital.

The proceeds from the financing will be used to fund the clinical development of CID-078, Circle Pharma’s first-and-only-in-class cyclin A/B RxL inhibitor, and to support the development of the company’s portfolio of discovery programs built with its MXMO macrocycle platform.

“We are grateful for the continued support of such a strong syndicate of investors as we advance our pioneering work in macrocycle therapeutics,” said David Earp, JD, Ph.D., CEO of Circle Pharma. “This financing not only enables us to progress CID-078 through critical stages of clinical development but also allows us to further advance our pipeline of innovative therapies targeting cancer and other serious diseases.”

With this latest round of funding, Circle Pharma is well positioned to advance its mission of creating effective treatments for cancer and other serious illnesses.

About Circle Pharma, Inc.

South San Francisco-based Circle Pharma is advancing the discovery and development of intrinsically cell-permeable macrocycles that can be delivered by multiple routes, including oral administration. Circle Pharma’s MXMO™ platform combines structure-based rational drug design and advanced synthetic chemistry to develop a new generation of macrocycle therapies for challenging targets to address unmet clinical needs. Circle Pharma is focusing its development efforts on cyclins, which are master regulators of the machinery that controls the progression of cells through the cell cycle and are key drivers in many cancers.

To learn more about Circle Pharma, please visit www.circlepharma.com.

Contacts
Roslyn Patterson
650.825.4099
roslyn.patterson@circlepharma.com