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SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., May 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:IDYA) is an oncology-focused precision medicine company committed to the discovery and development of targeted therapeutics for patient populations selected using molecular diagnostics.  The company announced publication today of abstracts at the 2020 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

The IDEAYA abstracts were posted online by AACR (http://www.aacr.org) in advance of the AACR Virtual Annual Meeting II, which will be held on June 22-24, 2020:

• Title: "Analysis of drug combinations with the PKC inhibitor IDE196 support dual MEK and PKC inhibition as a rational combination in metastatic uveal melanoma" (Author: Christian Frey)
• Title: "MAT2A Inhibitors decrease growth, increase senescence and p53 stability in MTAP-deleted cancer cells" (Author: Neil Bhola)
• Title: "In vitro and in vivo characterization of novel MAT2A allosteric inhibitors" (Author: Zhonghua Pei)

IDE196 is a potent and selective protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor being evaluated in an ongoing Phase 1/2 tumor-agnostic clinical trial in patients with solid tumors harboring GNAQ or GNA11 (GNAQ/11) hotspot mutations.  IDEAYA is currently enrolling into a Phase 2 monotherapy expansion arm for patients with such GNAQ/11 mutant tumors, including Cutaneous Melanoma, and recently completed enrollment into a Phase 1 monotherapy arm for patients with Metastatic Uveal Melanoma.  IDEAYA is preparing to evaluate the clinical combination of IDE196 and binimetinib, a MEK inhibitor, in a combination arm initiating in mid-2020 for patients with such GNAQ/11 hotspot mutations.

"We believe that IDE196 presents multiple opportunities for being impactful for patients and creating value.  The preclinical combination data with IDE196 and MEK inhibitor being presented at AACR helps guide our clinical development strategy, and demonstrates our commitment to validating these opportunities," said Yujiro S. Hata, Chief Executive Officer and President at IDEAYA Biosciences.   

IDEAYA's most advanced synthetic lethality program is targeting methionine adenosyltransferase II alpha (MAT2A). IDEAYA plans to develop a MAT2A inhibitor for patients having solid tumors with methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) gene deletion, which occurs in approximately 15% of all solid tumors.  MTAP-null tumor cells have been shown to be more dependent on the activity of MAT2A, resulting in synthetic lethality when MAT2A is pharmacologically inhibited.

"We are building a leading company in synthetic lethality – an emerging area of precision medicine oncology, with active ongoing research across multiple targets, including MAT2A, Pol theta, Werner helicase and PARG.  Our MAT2A program presents a potential opportunity to be best in class in the molecularly-defined patient population of MTAP-deletion.  We recently selected a differentiated MAT2A inhibitor lead compound and are on track for an IND submission to the FDA in the fourth quarter of 2020.  We look forward to sharing additional data on this molecule as we advance this program," said Dr. Michael Dillon, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer and Head of Research at IDEAYA Biosciences.

About IDEAYA Biosciences
IDEAYA is an oncology-focused precision medicine company committed to the discovery and development of targeted therapeutics for patient populations selected using molecular diagnostics.  IDEAYA's approach integrates capabilities in identifying and validating translational biomarkers with small molecule drug discovery to select patient populations most likely to benefit from the targeted therapies IDEAYA is developing.  IDEAYA is applying these capabilities across multiple classes of precision medicine, including direct targeting of oncogenic pathways and synthetic lethality – which represents an emerging class of precision medicine targets. 

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements related to (i) the timing of the initiation of a combination clinical trial of IDE196 and binimetinib, (ii) our ability to develop a successful MAT2A inhibitor, (iii) our ability to build a leading company in synthetic lethality, and (iv) timing of filing of an IND for a MAT2A inhibitor. Such forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause IDEAYA's preclinical and clinical development programs, future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the uncertainties inherent in the drug development process, including IDEAYA's programs' early stage of development, the process of designing and conducting preclinical and clinical trials, the regulatory approval processes, the timing of regulatory filings, the challenges associated with manufacturing drug products, IDEAYA's ability to successfully establish, protect and defend its intellectual property, the effects on our business of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, and other matters that could affect the sufficiency of existing cash to fund operations. IDEAYA undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of IDEAYA in general, see IDEAYA's recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on May 12, 2020 and any current and periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

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SOURCE IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc.