Californian CRO ProTrials Research has been picked by fellow CA-based cancer biotech Calithera Biosciences ($CALA) to help it run an early-stage trial for its oncology candidate.

        Under the deal, financial terms of which were not shared, ProTrials will deliver clinical trial development support for Calithera's first-in-class inhibitor CB-839 program, which targets glutaminase, an enzyme found in tumor metabolism.

        The candidate is currently in Phase I testing with a focus on certain types of breast and kidney cancers.

        "We are extremely pleased that Calithera has selected ProTrials to support research into CB-839," said Jodi Andrews, co-founder and co-CEO of ProTrials.

        "We recognize the potential of CB-839 to become an important therapeutic agent for the treatment of cancer, and look forward to applying our expertise to support Calitheras development of this first-in-class investigational compound."

        ProTrials works across a number of therapy areas and through Phases I-IV, and notes among its successfully finished trials a Phase III study for an AIDS vaccine; a potential small molecule drug for prostate cancer; and an oral medication for Alzheimer's disease.

        Calithera meanwhile just yesterday announced that the FDA has accepted its IND app for its investigational drug CB-1158 for the treatment of solid tumors. CB-1158, also a first-in-class drug, works as an orally available small molecule inhibitor of the enzyme arginase. 

        - check out the release