LEXINGTON, MA, USA I November 09, 2016 I Curis, Inc. (CRIS), a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative and effective drug candidates for the treatment of cancer, today presented preliminary clinical pharmacokinetic (PK) and early biomarker data from the ongoing dose escalation stage of CA-170’s Phase 1 trial at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 31st Annual Meeting & Associated Programs in National Harbor, MD. CA-170 is a potent and selective, orally available small molecule antagonist of the programmed death ligand-1 (PDL1) and V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) immune checkpoints.

CA-170 is the first orally available small molecule immune checkpoint antagonist to be investigated in cancer patients. Preclinical data presented previously demonstrated dose-dependent oral exposure in multiple non-clinical models, as well as immune modulation and anti-tumor activity with CA-170 in multiple syngeneic mouse tumor models.  Clinical data from a limited number of patients in the Phase 1 trial presented at the SITC conference, demonstrate that similar to the preclinical findings, CA-170 has a dose proportional and predictable PK profile in patients treated orally at various doses in the ongoing dose escalation stage of the study.  Further, evaluation of patient blood samples demonstrate that CA-170 appears to be biologically active in modulating the immune system, with a several-fold increase in percentage of circulating CD8+ T cells expressing activation markers within 24 hours of oral dosing.

The clinical findings were presented in an oral session at SITC by David Tuck, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Curis.  Additional details will be presented during the conference at a poster session on Friday, November 11 at 12:15pm. In addition to the CA-170 data, Curis’s collaborator, Aurigene will also present pre-clinical data from the PDL1/ T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain containing protein-3 (TIM-3) program at a poster session on Saturday, November 12 at 11:45am.

“We are pleased with these early PK and biomarker data demonstrating that CA-170 performs in a predictable manner in patients, and very similar to what we observed in the preclinical setting. It is encouraging to observe significant drug exposure at the starting clinical dose, as well as increasing drug exposure with ascending doses.  Based on the increase in the proportion of activated CD8+ T cells in blood samples of treated patients, we believe that CA-170 is biologically active in immune modulation by functioning as a checkpoint antagonist at these exposure levels using once daily oral dosing,” said Ali Fattaey, Ph.D., Curis’s President and CEO. “These initial patient data also affirm our belief in this innovative small molecule checkpoint targeting strategy invented by our partner Aurigene, and we plan to continue to advance and expand this technology.  We look forward to CA-170’s continued clinical development, as well as bringing our second small molecule, oral checkpoint inhibitor in this collaboration, CA-327, which targets PDL1 and TIM3 into clinical studies next year.”

Figure 1: Preliminary Patient PK data from CA-170 Phase 1 trial

         
  Patient Plasma
Cycle 1 Day 1
 Dose (mg) 50 100 200 400 
 T1/2 (hours) 8.7 9.6 5.3 12.9 
 Cmax (ng/mL) 412 1107 1998 4100 
 AUClast (hr*ng/mL) 5197 11019 27488 66664 
 T1/2: half life; Cmax: maximum concentration; AUC: Area under the curve
 

Figure 2: Preliminary Biomarker Data (Activated CD8+ T cells)

A graphic accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/41a88bab-ffb3-47be-bf0d-2191edbda4c3

About CA-170
CA-170 is a first-in-class, orally available, small molecule that was rationally designed to target and inhibit the immune checkpoints, Programmed Death Ligand-1 (PDL1) and V-domain Immunoglobulin Suppressor of T-cell Activation (VISTA).  CA-170 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 study to assess safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of ascending doses of CA-170 in patients with advanced solid tumors or lymphoma (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02812875).

About CA-327
CA-327 is an orally available, small molecule that was rationally designed to target and inhibit the immune checkpoints, Programmed Death Ligand-1 (PDL1) and T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain containing protein-3 (TIM3).  CA-327 is currently undergoing IND-enabling studies.

About Curis, Inc.
Curis is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative and effective drug candidates for the treatment of human cancers, including its lead development candidate, CUDC-907 that is being investigated in clinical studies in patients with lymphomas and solid tumors.  Curis is also engaged in a broad collaboration with Aurigene in the areas of immuno-oncology and precision oncology.  As part of this collaboration, Curis has exclusive licenses to oral small molecule antagonists of the PD-1 and VISTA pathways, including PD-L1/VISTA antagonist CA-170, and oral small molecule antagonists of the PD-1 and TIM-3 pathways, including PD-L1/TIM-3 antagonist CA-327, as well as to molecules designed to inhibit the IRAK4 kinase, including CA-4948.  CA-170 is currently undergoing testing in a Phase 1 trial in patients with advanced solid tumors and lymphomas. Curis is also party to a collaboration with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, under which Genentech and Roche are commercializing Erivedge® for the treatment of advanced basal cell carcinoma, and are further developing Erivedge in other diseases including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and myelofibrosis. For more information, visit Curis’ website at www.curis.com.

SOURCE: Curis