# AST-001

Source: https://onco.cc/drugs/ast-001/  
OnCo record `ast-001` (Treatment). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

AST-001 is an experimental small molecule AKR1C3-activated prodrug from Ascentawits Pharmaceuticals, in phase 1 trials for pancreatic cancer and advanced solid tumours.

## Summary

AST-001 is a small molecule AKR1C3-activated prodrug ('small molecule targeted conjugate') from Ascentawits Pharmaceuticals. A first-in-class small-molecule prodrug from the company's AKR1C3 enzyme-activated prodrug platform, designed to kill tumour cells that overexpress AKR1C3 while sparing normal cells. Its furthest stage is phase 1, for pancreatic cancer and advanced solid tumours. ClinicalTrials.gov registers it in one study linked below. Company release (12 Nov 2024, republished by pharnexcloud): first-in-human phase 1 in China completed, first patient dosed 7 July 2022. Registry NCT06245330 (phase 1/2, pancreatic cancer and solid tumours) recruiting. Whether it works in people has not been established unless a trial below reports it.

## Fields

- Kind: Treatment
- Status: phase-1
- Last checked: 2026-11-03
- Tags: pipeline; ctgov-ingest
- Code: AST-001
- Modality: Small molecule AKR1C3-activated prodrug ('small molecule targeted conjugate')
- Mechanism: A first-in-class small-molecule prodrug from the company's AKR1C3 enzyme-activated prodrug platform, designed to kill tumour cells that overexpress AKR1C3 while sparing normal cells.

## Sources

- Ascentawits Pharmaceuticals: pharnexcloud.com: https://www.pharnexcloud.com/zixun/shiye/lcyj_29319
- Ascentawits Pharmaceuticals: 1stoncology.com: https://www.1stoncology.com/blog/?p=101351
- Ascentawits Pharmaceuticals: clinicaltrials.gov: https://clinicaltrials.gov/api/v2/studies/NCT06245330
- ClinicalTrials.gov: trials of AST-001: https://clinicaltrials.gov/search?intr=AST-001

## Connected records

- cancers: [Metastatic cancer (cancer that has spread)](https://onco.cc/cancers/metastatic-cancer/), [Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/pancreatic/)
- targets: [AKR1C3](https://onco.cc/targets/akr1c3/)
- companies: [Ascentawits Pharmaceuticals](https://onco.cc/companies/ascentawits-pharmaceuticals/)
- trials: [A Phase I/II Study of AST-001 in Subjects With Advanced Solid Tumors](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06245330/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/ast-001.json