Moffitt Cancer Center and 1ST Biotherapeutics Announce Strategic Alliance To Transform Cancer Treatment
TAMPA, Fla., and GYEONGGI-DO, South Korea — Moffitt Cancer Center and 1ST Biotherapeutics announced today a new strategic alliance aimed at accelerating innovative cancer research and clinical development. This collaboration will explore translational and clinical research opportunities, beginning with the development of 1ST BIO’s FB849 HPK1 inhibitor, a novel immuno-oncology agent designed to enhance anti-cancer immune responses.
FB849, a small molecule HPK1 kinase inhibitor (hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1), is being investigated as a potential treatment for advanced solid malignancies. The alliance will evaluate FB849 in multiple therapeutic settings, including as a therapy for selected cancer types and in combination with pembrolizumab, a PD-1 antagonist. Moffitt researchers will also explore combination therapies of FB849 with other cutting-edge treatments developed at the cancer center.
The five-year partnership between Moffitt and 1ST BIO will combine the expertise of both organizations to drive scientific innovation and clinical breakthroughs. Together, they aim to identify and accelerate new approaches to cancer treatment, advancing novel therapies from the lab to the clinic to improve outcomes for patients worldwide.
The first clinical trial to open under this alliance will be led by Jad Chahoud, M.D., a medical oncologist in the Genitourinary Oncology Department at Moffitt. The phase 1/2 open-label study (NCT05761223) will investigate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and preliminary efficacy of FB849.
“Moffitt Cancer Center is committed to forging innovative partnerships that advance our mission to prevent and cure cancer,” said Xavier Avat, chief business officer at Moffitt. “This alliance with 1ST BIO represents an exciting opportunity to translate novel scientific discoveries into clinical solutions across multiple types of cancer. FB849 has the potential to become a critical part of any regimen in solid tumors, and this Moffitt and 1ST BIO collaboration will help speed the development of this promising compound.”
“We look forward to shaping new approaches in cancer care through FB849,” said Jamie Jae Eun Kim, Ph.D., founder and CEO of 1ST Biotherapeutics. “This partnership underscores our dedication to creating innovative therapies that address unmet needs in oncology. Working with Moffitt allows us to bring these solutions closer to improving the lives of patients worldwide.”
About Moffitt Cancer Center
Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. The Tampa-based facility is one of only 57 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt’s scientific excellence, multidisciplinary research, and robust training and education. Moffitt’s expert nursing staff is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet® status, its highest distinction. For more information, call 1-888-MOFFITT (1-844-495-1371), visit MOFFITT.org, and follow the momentum on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About 1ST Biotherapeutics
1ST Biotherapeutics was established in 2016 and has grown into a leading biotech company developing treatments for degenerative brain diseases, immunotherapy, and rare diseases. Phase 1/2 clinical trials for the cancer immunotherapy drug ʻFB849' are progressing smoothly, starting with the first patient being administered in the United States in 2023, and MSD's PD-1 antibody ʻKeytruda' will be supplied free of charge and a combination administration clinical trial will be initiated. ʻFB-101', a treatment for Parkinson's disease, is a c-Abl inhibitor, and a phase 1 clinical single-ascending dose (SAD) trial has been completed in the United States.
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