December 5, 2019, Shanghai- Abbisko Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announces that it has received the regulatory approval from the Taiwan FDA to initiate Phase 1 clinical trials for ABSK011, a fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) inhibitor, in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

FGFRs, belonging to tyrosine receptor kinase family, comprise four subtypes (FGFR1-4), and their activation play critical roles in cell growth, proliferation, survival and metastasis in multiple advanced tumors. Aberrant activation of FGFR4 signaling pathway is frequently observed in HCC. Blocking its activities represents a potential therapeutic approach for HCC treatment. HCC is one of the most common types of malignant tumors with high prevalence in Asia and strong unmet clinical need. At present, there are no FGFR4-targeted therapeutic drugs available on the market worldwide.

ABSK011 was independently discovered and developed by Abbiskso Therapeutics with global intellectual property rights. It is an orally available, highly potent and selective small molecule inhibitor of FGFR4 with best-in-class potential.

Founded in April 2016, Abbisko Therapeutics Co., Ltd. is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing innovative therapeutics to treat cancer and other diseases with unmet medical needs. The founders and core team of Abbisko are industrial veterans with strong leadership and managerial experiences from top international pharmaceutical companies. In three years, Abbisko has established a strong oncology pipeline with multiple programs entering the clinic.