WOBURN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jasco Pharmaceuticals, LLC has initiated a collaborative research program with North Carolina Central University (NCCU) in Durham, North Carolina, focused on developing therapeutics for pancreatic cancer that function through a Pim kinase mechanism of action. The research program will combine the biological platform, tools and expertise at NCCU in the laboratory of Professor Antonio T. Baines with Jasco Pharma’s proprietary selective Pim kinase inhibitors. Prof. Baines is a faculty member in the Department of Biology with a joint appointment in the Cancer Research Program of the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute at NCCU.
“We are very excited to collaborate with NCCU and Professor Baines to better understand the role Pim kinases play in pancreatic cancer,” said Dr. Carmen Baldino, President of Jasco Pharmaceuticals. “The research will accelerate our ongoing Pim inhibitor program, progress the knowledge base in pancreatic cancer biology, and further elucidate strategies for the development of therapies targeting Pim kinases, which are increasingly becoming recognized as an important target class in oncology.”
Professor Baines added “Collaborative research between academia and industry is a vital component in helping to progress the basic research conducted in academic laboratories towards the discovery of targeted therapies to treat this lethal disease.”
About Pim Kinases
Pim kinases are an exciting class of serine/threonine protein kinases with a structurally unique ATP binding pocket incorporated in all three isoforms (Pim-1, Pim-2 and Pim-3). The Pim kinases are key components of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway and regulate cancer cell survival, providing an important set of therapeutic targets for the treatment of various hematological malignancies and solid tumors. Jasco Pharmaceuticals has developed structurally novel, potent, small molecules that selectively inhibit each of the three Pim isoforms, as well as molecules that inhibit all three Pim isoforms simultaneously. Jasco’s lead series has been identified to inhibit significantly cell proliferation in several cancer cell lines, and has shown good translation to the corresponding efficacy models in mice.
About Jasco Pharmaceuticals
Jasco Pharmaceuticals, LLC is a privately held, pre-clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of small molecule oncology therapeutics. Jasco was founded with a core expertise in high speed medicinal chemistry providing a launching point for a chemical genomics approach to the discovery of selective protein kinase inhibitors. The company’s vision is to rapidly and effectively develop pre-clinical oncology candidates that are then guided through the clinical development process by means of strategic partnerships.
For more information about Jasco Pharmaceuticals, please visit www.jascopharma.com or call Carmen M. Baldino, Ph.D., at 339-227-6822 Ext. 12.
About North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University is a comprehensive university offering programs at the baccalaureate, master’s and selected professional levels. The constituent institution of the University of North Carolina System upholds a strong liberal arts tradition and a commitment to academic excellence in a diverse educational and cultural environment. It seeks to encourage intellectual productivity and to increase the academic and professional skills of its students and faculty. NCCU encourages and expects faculty and students to engage in scholarly, creative and service activities that benefit the community. With two biotechnology research institutes, NCCU is emerging as a leader in the study of health disparities — significant differences in the quality of health and health care across racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
For more information about North Carolina Central University, please visit www.nccu.edu.
About Professor Antonio T. Baines’ Research
Professor Antonio T. Baines’ cancer research program aims to identify and validate novel molecular drug targets, such as Pim kinases, in pancreatic cancer. His lab is interested in understanding the role of these molecular targets in the development and progression of normal cells transforming into cancer cells of the pancreas.
For more information about Professor Antonio T. Baines, Ph.D., please visit http://web.nccu.edu/Academics/BBRI/personnel/baines.htm or call Professor Antonio T. Baines at (919) 530-6542.