Forward Pharma Closes Round A+ Financing And Continues To Move Forward With 2 Clinical Stage Assets

Shenzhen Forward Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. announces the completion of A+ round of financing. This round of investors includes Shenzhen Nanshan SEI Investment, Qihang Capital, Leaguer Fund and Yunkun Fund . China Supernova Capital is the financial adviser. The raised capital will support the clinical development of FWD1509 and FWD1802.

FWD1509 is a new generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) of EGFR/HER2 exon20 insertional mutations. Ph1 trial in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients is ongoing in both China and US. Dose escalation part of the trial revealed promising efficacy signal with a well-managed safety profile. Additionally, FWD1509 can cross the blood-brain barrier, potentially benefiting patients with brain mets which occur to a considerable fraction of the NSCLC patients. The clinical development in China is led by Dr. LU Shun from Shanghai Chest Hospital.

FWD1802 is a third-generation oral SERD for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer patients. Ph1 trials have been cleared by both U.S. FDA and China NMPA. Fulvestrant is the current standard of care for this patient population. Mutations in ER-coding gene ESR1 lead to fulvestrant resistance in about half the population. FWD1802 not only works in ESR1-mutatted patients, but it also works in ESR1 non-mutated patients. The full coverage of patients makes FWD1802 suitable as a later-line treatment for fulvestrant-treated patients as well as a direct front-line competitor of fulvestrant. Unlike Fulvestrant, which can only be administered through painful intramuscular injections, FWD1802 is available as a convenient oral medicine due to its high oral bioavailability. Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center will be the leading site to carry out the clinical phase I study of FWD1802.

Forward Pharma is an innovative pharmaceutical company that focuses on the independent research and development of drugs. It has a dual-platform approach that covers the entire drug development process, from target validation, drug discovery, early development, translational medicine research, preclinical studies, and clinical development. The company is headquartered in Nanshan, Shenzhen, with international operations and research teams in Shanghai and Shenzhen. Over the past seven years, relying on its self-built chemical small molecule and monoclonal antibody drug discovery platform, Forward Pharma has established a product matrix consisting of more than 10  innovative drugs in over three major solid tumors and autoimmune diseases.