MEI Pharma, Inc. announced the dosing of the first patient in a Phase 1b study evaluating ME-344 in combination with bevacizumab (AVASTIN) in patients with previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer. ME-344 is a novel mitochondrial inhibitor targeting energy production through the OXPHOS pathway, which is important for supporting tumor cell survival and proliferation for many forms of cancer, including colorectal cancer. Bevacizumab, a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor, and other antiangiogenics, increase reliance on mitochondrial energy production, thereby providing an important opportunity to evaluate a combination with a mitochondrial inhibitor like ME-344 to inhibit energy production in tumor cells and induce an antitumor effect.

The Company anticipates announcing safety and efficacy data from the first cohort of 20 ME-344 patients in the first half of 2024.