HANGZHOU, China and LONDON, March 07, 2025 — MindRank, an AI-driven drug discovery firm in the clinical stage, has received FDA clearance for its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for MRANK-106. This first-in-class oral inhibitor targets both WEE1 and YES1 kinases and is intended for treating pancreatic, small cell lung, ovarian, breast, and colorectal cancers.
Preclinical studies have shown that MRANK-106 stands out from other WEE1 inhibitors due to its:
- Dual action on WEE1 and YES1 kinases, resulting in enhanced anti-tumor effects.
- Greater effectiveness, both as a standalone treatment and in combination with other therapies, across various cancer models.
- Higher concentration in tissues and tumors compared to plasma (10 to 120 times greater), which reduces WEE1-related hematotoxicity.
- Improved safety profile compared to inhibitors that only target WEE1.
The Phase I clinical trial, scheduled to begin in 2025, will assess MRANK-106’s safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and early anti-tumor activity in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors.
MindRank’s AI-powered drug discovery platform, Molecule Pro™, along with its knowledge graph platform, PharmKG™, facilitated the rapid progression of MRANK-106 from preclinical candidate confirmation (PCC) to IND clearance. As MindRank’s first First-in-Class candidate, MRANK-106 represents a key achievement in the company’s development of innovative therapies.
“The FDA’s IND clearance for MRANK-106 is a major achievement for MindRank, confirming the value of our AI-driven drug discovery method. Following our GLP-1 program, MRANK-106 is the company’s second pipeline product to reach the clinical stage, demonstrating the adaptability and reliability of our Molecule Pro™ platform in creating novel treatments for previously untreatable targets,” stated Dr. Zhangming Niu, Founder and CEO of MindRank. “By simultaneously targeting WEE1 and YES1 kinases, MRANK-106 has shown significant preclinical efficacy in several difficult-to-treat cancers with limited therapeutic options. We are eager to see how it performs in patients.”
About MRANK-106
MRANK-106 is an innovative oral inhibitor of both WEE1 and YES1 kinases, discovered using MindRank’s AI platforms. It has demonstrated significant anti-tumor activity, a favorable pharmacokinetic (PK) profile, and good safety characteristics. The drug addresses the limitations of single-target DNA damage repair inhibitors by targeting two crucial proteins involved in DNA damage response and cancer cell proliferation.
Preclinical data indicates strong efficacy in models of pancreatic cancer, small cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer. Its superior preclinical efficacy and safety profiles suggest it could be a best-in-class treatment for multiple cancer types with significant unmet medical needs.
About MindRank
MindRank is a drug discovery company powered by artificial intelligence (AI). By utilizing its AI platforms (PharmKG™, Molecule Dance™ and Molecule Pro™), the company aims to significantly speed up the drug discovery process and create differentiated small molecule drugs with clinical benefits. The company’s lead asset, MDR-001, an AI-designed oral GLP-1RA small molecule, has advanced to a phase 2b clinical study.
For more information, visit www.mindrank.ai.
For BD inquiries, contact colin@mindrank.ai.
