SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and SAN DIEGO, April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ORIC Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ORIC), a clinical stage oncology company focused on developing treatments that address mechanisms of therapeutic resistance, today announced the presentation of a poster at the 2025 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, highlighting preclinical data on ORIC-944, a potent, highly selective, orally bioavailable allosteric inhibitor of PRC2, which demonstrated synergistic activity and improved progression-free survival (PFS) when combined with androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPIs) in models of prostate cancer.

“We are excited by the potential of ORIC-944 to be a best-in-class PRC2 inhibitor for the treatment of prostate cancer,” said Lori Friedman, PhD, chief scientific officer. “The data presented at AACR demonstrate the strong synergy of ORIC-944 when combined with standards of care, reversing the evolution of prostate cancer, and improving progression-free survival in both castration-resistant and castration-sensitive prostate cancer models - validating the clinical exploration of ORIC-944 across the continuum of prostate cancer.”

Poster presentation:

ORIC-944, a PRC2 inhibitor with best-in-class properties, restores luminal features and restricts adaptation in prostate cancer models, conferring synergy with AR pathway inhibitors

Key findings of the presentation:

  • ORIC-944 increased progression-free survival (PFS) when combined with ARPIs in both castration-sensitive and castration-resistant prostate cancer models.
  • ORIC-944 demonstrated transcriptional synergy and antitumor synergy when combined with ARPIs in prostate cancer cells.
  • In preclinical prostate cancer models, ORIC-944 demonstrated robust inhibition of PRC2, enhanced luminal cell state, and consistently restricted lineage transcription factor accessibility through chromatin remodeling, ​thereby reenforcing the luminal state and preventing access to plasticity programs.
  • Results position ORIC-944 as a potential best-in-class PRC2 inhibitor that, through both transcriptional and chromatin mechanisms, blocks prostate tumor adaptation, restores luminal features, and sensitizes tumors to ARPIs.
  • ORIC-944 is currently being evaluated in combination with ERLEADA® (apalutamide) and in combination with NUBEQA® (darolutamide) in an ongoing Phase 1b trial for prostate cancer.

About ORIC-944
ORIC-944 is a potent and selective allosteric inhibitor of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) via the embryonic ectoderm development (EED) subunit that demonstrates best-in-class drug properties in preclinical studies, including potency, solubility, and pharmacokinetics, with half-life supporting once daily dosing. ORIC-944 was initially evaluated as a single agent in a Phase 1b trial in patients with advanced prostate cancer and demonstrated potential best-in-class drug properties, including clinical half-life of approximately 20 hours, robust target engagement and a favorable safety profile. ORIC-944 is currently being evaluated in combination with ERLEADA ® (apalutamide) and in combination with NUBEQA ® (darolutamide) in an ongoing Phase 1b trial for prostate cancer (NCT05413421).

About ORIC Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
ORIC Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to improving patients’ lives by Overcoming Resistance In Cancer. ORIC’s clinical stage product candidates include (1) ORIC-944, an allosteric inhibitor of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) via the EED subunit, being developed for prostate cancer, and (2) ORIC-114, a brain penetrant inhibitor that selectively targets EGFR exon 20, HER2 exon 20 and EGFR atypical mutations, being developed across multiple genetically defined cancers. Beyond these two product candidates, ORIC ® is also developing multiple precision medicines targeting other hallmark cancer resistance mechanisms. ORIC has offices in South San Francisco and San Diego, California. For more information, please go to www.oricpharma.com , and follow us on X or LinkedIn .

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding the advantages of ORIC-944 in preclinical models, including synergies with AR pathway inhibitors and improved PFS; the continued clinical development of ORIC-944; the potential best-in-class properties of ORIC-944; the potential advantages of ORIC-944 and ORIC’s other programs; and plans underlying ORIC’s clinical trials and development. Words such as “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “will,” “goal,” “potential” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are based upon ORIC’s current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: risks associated with the process of discovering, developing and commercializing drugs that are safe and effective for use as human therapeutics and operating as an early clinical stage company; ORIC’s ability to develop, initiate or complete preclinical studies and clinical trials for, obtain approvals for and commercialize any of its product candidates; changes in ORIC’s plans to develop and commercialize its product candidates; the potential for clinical trials of ORIC’s product candidates to differ from preclinical, initial, interim, preliminary or expected results; negative impacts of health emergencies, economic instability or international conflicts on ORIC’s operations, including clinical trials; the risk of the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of ORIC’s license and collaboration agreements or its clinical trial collaboration and supply agreements; the potential market for ORIC’s product candidates, and the progress and success of competing therapeutics currently available or in development; ORIC’s ability to raise any additional funding it will need to continue to pursue its business and product development plans; regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries; ORIC’s reliance on third parties, including contract manufacturers and contract research organizations; ORIC’s ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for its product candidates; the loss of key scientific or management personnel; competition in the industry in which ORIC operates; general economic and market conditions; and other risks. Information regarding the foregoing and additional risks may be found in the section titled “Risk Factors” in ORIC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 18, 2025, and ORIC’s future reports to be filed with the SEC. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and ORIC assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Contact:
Dominic Piscitelli, Chief Financial Officer
[email protected]
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