Rakovina Therapeutics Showcases Preclinical Results of Novel AI-Discovered Cancer Therapies at AACR 2025

Yahoo

05-05-2025

Data highlights novel PARP1 and ATR inhibitors with progress toward next-generation therapies for hard-to-treat malignancies
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. (TSX-V: RKV) (FSE: 7JO), a biopharmaceutical company advancing next-generation cancer therapies through artificial intelligence (AI)-powered drug discovery, today announced the presentation of new preclinical data from two of its lead programs at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2025.
The first presentation highlighted Rakovina's PARP1-selective inhibitor program. Using the proprietary Deep Docking and generative platforms , Rakovina previously screened more than four billion potential drug-like molecules to identify a shortlist of top candidates. These compounds were synthesized and evaluated in Rakovina's laboratory facilities at the University of British Columbia.Data presented at AACR demonstrated a new class of PARP1 inhibitors with significantly improved metabolic stability, including the lowest in vitro clearance rates and the longest half-life compared to other candidates currently in development. Early animal studies revealed strong plasma exposure and a promising pharmacokinetic profile suggestive of central nervous system (CNS) penetration — a potentially significant advantage in treating brain-involved malignancies.
The second presentation showcased progress from Rakovina's ATR-specific inhibitor program, developed in partnership with Variational AI. Researchers identified a focused set of lead candidates predicted to be highly potent and selective against ATR, a key DNA damage response target. These candidates are also designed with the potential to cross the blood-brain barrier, an important feature for addressing cancers affecting the CNS. The top candidates are currently being synthesized for laboratory validation.
'Our ability to screen billions of molecules and advance top candidates to in vitro and in vivo validation within months — rather than years — exemplifies the transformative power of AI in drug discovery,' said Jeffrey Bacha, Executive Chairman of Rakovina Therapeutics. 'This acceleration gives us the opportunity to significantly reduce the time and cost required to bring new life-saving cancer treatments to patients.'
The results presented at AACR reinforce the robustness of Rakovina's AI-enabled discovery platform. Moving forward, Rakovina will leverage these findings to further refine and train its AI models, with the goal of advancing best-in-class lead candidates for both the PARP1 and ATR programs into clinical development. The Company intends to collaborate with pharmaceutical partners to accelerate the path to the clinic and deliver novel therapies to patients in need.
About Rakovina Therapeutics Inc.
Rakovina Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical research company focused on the development of innovative cancer treatments. Our work is based on unique technologies for targeting the DNA-damage response powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) using the proprietary Deep-Docking™ and Enki™ platforms. By using AI, we can review and optimize drug candidates at a much greater pace than ever before.
The Company has established a pipeline of distinctive DNA-damage response inhibitors with the goal of advancing one or more drug candidates into human clinical trials in collaboration with pharmaceutical partners.
Further information may be found at www.rakovinatherapeutics.com.
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For Further Information Contact:Michelle Seltenrich, BSc MBADirector, Corporate [e-mail]778-773-5432