Biotechnology company Zion Pharma Limited Tuesday announced the start of its Phase 1 study of its lead programme ZN-A-1041 at several sites across the US, including the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the Duke Cancer Institute, in the US.

The Chinese company added that ZN-A-1041 is a best-in-class, small molecule tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor targeting HER2. It is being developed to address the unmet medical need associated with brain metastases accompanying HER2+ advanced breast cancer.

Following dosing of the first patient in our Phase 1 study, Zion becomes a clinical stage company within 30 months of forming the company, stated Zack Cheng, PhD, chairman, CEO and co-founder.

Upon completion of USD20m Series A follow-on financing, the company has sufficient funding for the next two years and expects to complete the ZN-A-1041 Phase 1 study in the US and China and advance other programmes into IND-enabling studies, said Cheng.

Concurrently, the company has named Wendy Li, MD as chief medical officer. Previously, Dr Li was part of oncology clinical development at Genentech, Sanofi and Pfizer as well as prior VP/CMO with Sihuan Pharma/Xuanzhu Shandong and CMO at Exuma Biotech.