Waverley Pharma Inc. provided an update on the status of its oncology focused PARP-1 inhibitor program. Based on growing interest in new PARP-1 inhibitors with selective activity against PARP-1 over PARP-2, the Company has renewed its focus on completing its PARP-1 pre-clinical development program, which is at the lead optimization stage. The current lead compound has single digit nanomolar activity and significant selectivity to PARP-1 over PARP-2. It is postulated that the effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy is dampened by DNA repair enzymes 1 Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1 (PARP-1) which belongs to the PARP family of enzymes and is involved in the detection and repair of DNA damage.

PARP-1 inhibitors are a class of anti-cancer agents targeting DNA repair mechanism. The inhibition of PARP-1 is of clinical importance in various types of cancer. PARP-1 inhibitors have shown great potential to target high-grade ovarian cancers and triple-negative breast cancers which are resistant to current treatment.

PARP-1 inhibitors can be used as a monotherapy to selectively kill cancer cells and in combination with other therapies.