Amplia Enters 2nd Agreement with Drug Screening Co Next Bio
Released
Released
Announcement PDF
ABN 16 165 160 841
+61 (0) 3 9123 1140 | info@ampliatx.com
Level 5, 90 William Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
www.ampliatx.com
19 DECEMBER 2025
ASX RELEASE
AMPLIA ENTERS INTO SECOND AGREEMENT WITH KOREAN SPECIALIST DRUG SCREENING
COMPANY NEXT&BIO
HIGHLIGHTS
• The preclinical research collaboration with specialist drug screening company Next & Bio has been
extended
• The collaboration explores the effect of Amplia’s FAK inhibitors in combination with experimental drugs
called kRas inhibitors
• kRas inhibitors are being developed for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and other solid tumours
Melbourne, Australia: Amplia Therapeutics Limited (ASX:ATX; OTCQB:INNMF), (“Amplia” or the
“Company”), is pleased to announce that it has entered into the second phase of a research
collaboration with Korean preclinical drug screening company Next & Bio. This follows a successful
initial engagement that demonstrated the powerful capability of the Next & Bio technology as well as
promising preliminary data from the study.
The collaboration has been investigating the ability of Amplia’s FAK inhibitors to suppress the growth of
patient-derived pancreatic cancer cells that possess genetic mutations in the kRAS gene known to be
present in >90% of pancreatic cancers. Amplia’s best-in-class FAK inhibitor narmafotinib showed
promising activity in these initial tests and this data will be presented at a forthcoming scientific
conference.
Building on this promising data, further studies investigating the activity of a combination of narmafotinib
with known inhibitors of the mutant kRAS gene will now be undertaken. kRAS inhibitors are an exciting
new class of drug in development for a range of cancers including pancreatic cancer, and there is strong
scientific rationale for a combination of FAK and kRAS inhibition to provide improved responses.
Next & Bio, a global leading Preclinical research biotech in Seoul, Korea, offers advanced drug screening
by testing treatments on cancer cells taken directly from patients. The company has developed these
patient-derived cell models specifically for pancreatic cancer. Importantly, these cells are grown to
closely replicate the tumour environment for more accurate and predictive results.
Amplia’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Dr Chris Burns, commented, “The initial phase
of our collaboration successfully demonstrated the activity of Amplia’s FAK inhibitors on patient-derived
pancreatic cancer cells. Building on these promising results, we are eager to further investigate the
potential synergy between narmafotinib and kRAS inhibitors. This next phase of the collaboration is
expected to strategically position Amplia for expanded partnering opportunities and commercial
growth.”
Next and Bio’s Chief Executive Officer Mr. SangWook Park, stated, “We are delighted to build on the
success of our initial collaboration and to advance into a second phase of partnership with Amplia
Therapeutics. In this collaboration, Next & Bio will leverage its preclinical research platform to
investigate synergistic effects with kRAS inhibitors, with the ultimate goal of delivering new therapeutic
options for pancreatic cancer patients with high unmet medical needs.”
This ASX announcement was approved and authorised for release by the Board of Amplia Therapeutics.
Investor Contact:
Dr Chris Burns
Chief Executive Officer
chris@ampliatx.com
U.S. Contact:
Robert Giordano
rjgiordano@ggrouplifesciences.com
+1 917 327 3938
Media Contact:
H^CK Director, Haley Chartres
haley@hck.digital
+61 423 139 163
U.S. Media:
media@ampliatx.com
About Amplia Therapeutics Limited
Amplia Therapeutics Limited is an Australian pharmaceutical company advancing a pipeline of Focal
Adhesion Kinase (FAK) inhibitors for cancer and fibrosis. FAK is an increasingly important target in the field
of cancer and Amplia has a particular development focus in fibrotic cancers such as pancreatic and ovarian
cancer. FAK also plays a significant role in a number of chronic diseases, such as idiopathic pulmonary
fibrosis (IPF). For more information visit www.ampliatx.com and follow Amplia on X (@ampliatx) and
LinkedIn.
About Narmafotinib
Narmafotinib (AMP945) is the company’s best-in-class inhibitor of the protein FAK, a protein over-expressed
in pancreatic cancer and a drug target gaining increasing attention for its role in solid tumors. The drug,
which is a highly potent and selective inhibitor of FAK, has shown promising data in a range of preclinical
cancer studies. Narmafotinib is currently undergoing a clinical trial (the ACCENT trial) where it is dosed in
combination with the chemotherapies gemcitabine and Abraxane in first-line patients with advanced
pancreatic cancer. The trial has already achieved its primary endpoint in achieving a confirmed response
rate of 35%, superior to 23% reported in the benchmark MPACT study for gemcitabine and Abraxane alone.
An interim median PFS of 7.6 months has also been reported. A second trial – AMPLICITY – has recently
opened and is being run under an IND at sites in Australia and the US, investigating the combination of
narmafotinib with the chemotherapy FOLFIRINOX in advanced pancreatic cancer patients.
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