Tefinostat (also known as CHR-2845) was developed as an innovative oral HDAC (histone deacetylase) inhibitor that selectively targets macrophages and monocytes – central cells of the innate immune system. Chroma Therapeutics develops tefinostat for the treatment of hematological and lymphoid malignancies. In addition, the drug is under investigation in clinical trial phase I/II for cancer-associated inflammation in hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of this study is to find the best dose of the drug without causing side effects. Besides, Phase II of clinical trial ‘MONOCLE’ study for the treatment of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) has been initiated and the first patient has been recruited.

QGC-001 (also known as RB-150) is an aminobutane-1-sulfonic acid derivative patented by Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale as antihypertensive agent. QGC-001 acts as aminopeptidase A inhibitor and suppress conversion of angiotensin II to angiotensin III in brain tissues Oral administration of RB150 in conscious deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)–salt rats inhibited brain aminopeptidase A activity, resulting in values similar to those obtained with the brains of normotensive rats, demonstrating the central bioavailability of RB150. Oral RB150 treatment resulted in a marked dose-dependent reduction in blood pressure in DOCA-salt but not in normotensive rats. In clinical trials single oral administration of QGC001 up to 1,250 mg in healthy volunteers was well-tolerated. Following oral administration, QGC001 is absorbed via the gastrointestinal tract and converted partially into its active metabolite EC33 in plasma. As in animal experiments, in normotensive subjects QGC001 had no effect on the systemic renin-angiotensin-aldosterone parameters and on PCop concentrations, a marker of vasopressin release.