UPPSALA, Sweden, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Beactica Therapeutics AB, a Swedish precision medicine company, today announced the initiation of IND-enabling studies for BEA-17, the Company's wholly owned, first-in-class oral degrader of the epigenetic regulators LSD1 and CoREST, being developed as a precision immunotherapy for glioblastoma (GBM). The studies advance BEA-17 from preclinical proof-of-concept into the formal safety, manufacturing and regulatory programme required to support a Clinical Trial Application (CTA) in the EU and/or an Investigational New Drug (IND) application in the US, and the start of first-in-human clinical trials.
Glioblastoma is the most common and most aggressive primary brain tumour, with a median overall survival of around 15 months and a standard of care that has remained essentially unchanged for more than two decades. Immunotherapies that have transformed other cancers have repeatedly failed in GBM, largely because the tumour maintains a profoundly immunosuppressive, immune-"cold" microenvironment. BEA-17 is designed to overcome this barrier: by degrading LSD1 and its scaffolding partner CoREST, BEA-17 enhances antigen presentation, induces viral mimicry and reprogrammes macrophages towards a pro-inflammatory state. In preclinical models of glioblastoma, BEA-17 in combination with standard of care substantially improved survival and produced durable tumour regression not observed with standard of care alone. BEA-17 has also potentiated anti-PD-1 checkpoint blockade in a preclinical model of colon cancer - effects not seen with catalytic LSD1 inhibitors. BEA-17 is orally bioavailable, brain-penetrant, and has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of glioblastoma.
"Initiating IND-enabling studies is a defining milestone for Beactica and for the BEA-17 programme," said Dr Per Källblad, Chief Executive Officer of Beactica Therapeutics. "With a first-in-class mechanism and compelling preclinical efficacy in combination with standard of care, we are now executing the rigorous safety and manufacturing programme that will carry BEA-17 into first-in-human trials."
The IND-enabling programme comprises GLP-compliant repeat-dose toxicology in rodent and non-rodent species, safety pharmacology, pharmacokinetic studies, and manufacture of a traceable, fully documented batch of BEA-17 drug substance suitable for a Clinical Trial Application and a finalised oral clinical trial formulation.
The work is conducted under GLIOBREAK, a 30-month project supported by a EUR 2.5 million EIC Transition grant under Horizon Europe, announced in February 2026. Beactica expects to complete the IND-enabling programme and submit a Clinical Trial Application in the EU and/or an Investigational New Drug application to the US FDA in 2027.
About Beactica Therapeutics
Beactica Therapeutics AB is a privately held precision medicine company with a pipeline of novel small molecule therapeutics aimed at treating diseases with significant unmet medical need. Beactica's approach is centered around the Eclipsor platform that enables the efficient development of allosteric modulators and targeted protein degraders. Beactica deliver value to patients and shareholders by advancing its programmes to clinical proof of concept. For more information, please visit www.beactica.com.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Beactica's development plans for BEA-17, including the timing and outcome of IND-enabling studies and regulatory submissions. Such statements reflect current expectations, and actual results may differ materially. Beactica undertakes no obligation to update them except as required by law.
EU funding acknowledgement
Funded by the European Union under the EIC Transition programme (grant agreement No 101292011). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Media contact
Beactica Therapeutics AB
Per Källblad M.Sc. Ph.D., CEO
per.kallblad@beactica.com
Tel: +46 18 56 08 80
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