Hanmi Pharmaceutical showcased a broad slate of next‑generation oncology candidates at the international cancer meeting AACR‑NCI‑EORTC 2025 in Boston, underlining its global R&D capabilities.
At the conference, Hanmi presented five preclinical programs in poster sessions, including an EP300‑selective degrader, a SOS1‑KRAS interaction inhibitor (HM101207), STING and p53 mRNA‑based cancer therapeutics, and a YAP/TAZ‑TEAD inhibitor. The company said these programs highlight diverse modality approaches — including targeted protein degradation (TPD) and mRNA platforms — aimed at unmet needs in oncology.
EP300‑selective degrader
Hanmi reported that its TPD‑based EP300 selective degrader employs a synthetic‑lethality strategy to selectively kill EP300‑dependent tumor cells and CBP‑mutant cancers. In prostate cancer xenograft models the degrader produced superior tumor suppression versus standard first‑line therapies and dual EP300/CBP inhibitors.
SOS1‑KRAS interaction inhibitor (HM101207)
HM101207 is described as a novel mechanism inhibitor that blocks binding between SOS1 — a KRAS activator — and KRAS, positioning it as a potential candidate to overcome resistance seen with current KRAS G12C inhibitors. Preclinical data showed strong anti‑tumor synergy when combined with multiple RAS‑pathway inhibitors, with favorable target specificity and minimal drug‑drug interaction concerns versus competitive agents.
mRNA‑based therapeutics: STING and p53
Hanmi revealed promising results for two mRNA oncology programs. A STING mRNA therapeutic induced STING expression to remodel anti‑tumor immunity and achieved significant tumor suppression and safety as a monotherapy in colon and lung cancer animal models. A p53 mRNA candidate effectively inhibited tumor growth in lung and ovarian cancer models and produced strong synergy when combined with taxane chemotherapy; it also showed activity in resistant cell lines, suggesting potential as a next‑generation strategy.
YAP/TAZ‑TEAD inhibitor
Hanmi’s YAP/TAZ‑TEAD inhibitor, targeting aberrant Hippo‑pathway signaling, demonstrated potent growth inhibition and target gene suppression in mesothelioma cell lines and xenograft models. The program also showed favorable safety signals on nephrotoxicity markers compared with competitor compounds, supporting its potential as a targeted therapy.
R&D strategy and outlook
Choi In‑young, Head of Hanmi’s R&D Center, said the company is expanding its oncology pipeline across multiple next‑generation modalities — including TPD, mRNA, cell & gene therapies (CGT), ADCs and single‑domain antibodies (sdAb). He characterized the AACR‑NCI‑EORTC presentations as evidence of Hanmi’s strong momentum toward developing global innovative cancer medicines.
