LEXINGTON, Mass., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Curis, Inc.
(NASDAQ: CRIS), a biotechnology company focused on the development
of innovative therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, today
announced a poster presentation with new preclinical data for
CI-8993, a first-in-class monoclonal antibody VISTA antagonist, at
the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer's 36th Annual
Meeting.
The investigational product CI-8993 is a fully human
IgG1K monoclonal antibody that binds specifically to
this immune checkpoint molecule. To assist in determining the
pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of CI-8993 in patients, Dr.
Fiona Scott, in collaboration with
Prof. Andrew Scott, both of the
Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, conducted a study
aimed to develop a Zirconium-89 (89Zr)-labelled
CI-8993 for PET (positron-emission tomography) imaging and
quantitation, and to validate in preclinical models prior to a
planned human trial.
Biodistribution was assessed by image analyses, and tissue
counting, with IHC analyses performed to verify VISTA antigen
expression. The abstract concluded that the study has validated
89Zr-Df-CI-8993 for specific binding to huVISTA in-vivo.
A clinical trial of 89Zr-Df-CI-8993 is planned in solid
tumor patients.
"We are pleased to work with the Olivia Newton-John Cancer
Research Institute to further our understanding CI-8993 and VISTA
biology. These findings further expand the strong foundation of
preclinical data supporting CI-8993 and bring us one step closer to
delivering on the promise of anti-VISTA therapy for patients with
solid tumors," said James Dentzer,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Curis.
Details of the presentation are as
follows:
Title: Preclinical evaluation of anti-VISTA
antibody CI-8993 in a syngeneic huVISTA-KI model
Presenting Author: Andrew M. Scott, MD Olivia
Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Tumour Targeting Laboratory,
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Abstract Number: 324
Abstracts will be available Tuesday,
November 9, 2021, at 8:00
a.m.
Virtual ePoster presentations will be available Friday, November 12, 2021, at 7:00 a.m.
Additional meeting information can be found on the SITC website
at:
https://www.sitcancer.org/2021/home.
The presentations will also be available under "Posters and
Presentations" in the Pipeline: CI-8993 section of the Company's
website at www.curis.com
About Curis, Inc.
Curis is a biotechnology
company focused on the development of innovative therapeutics for
the treatment of cancer. In 2015, Curis entered into a
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 immune
checkpoints including the VISTA/PDL1 antagonist CA-170, and
the TIM3/PDL1 antagonist CA-327, as well as the IRAK4 kinase
inhibitor, CA-4948. CA-4948 is currently undergoing testing in a
Phase 1/2 trial in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma both as a
monotherapy and in combination with BTK inhibitor ibrutinib. Curis
is also evaluating CA-4948 in a Phase 1/2 trial in patients with
acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes, for which it
has received Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration. In addition, Curis is engaged in a collaboration
with ImmuNext for development of CI-8993, a monoclonal
anti-VISTA antibody, which is currently undergoing testing in
a Phase 1 trial in patients with solid tumors. 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. For more information, visit Curis's website at
www.curis.com.
About the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research
Institute
The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute
(ONJCRI) is a leader in the development of experimental and
breakthrough cancer treatments. ONJCRI investigates and develops
treatments for cancers of the breast, bowel, lung, melanoma,
prostate, liver, gastrointestinal tract, and brain. Its researchers
and clinicians are actively involved in running clinical trials,
giving patients access to potential new treatments including
immunotherapies and personalised medicine. For more information
visit www.onjcri.org.au.
Forward-Looking Statements:
This press release
contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S.
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including,
without limitation, any statements concerning product research,
development, clinical trials and studies and commercialization
plans, timelines, anticipated results or the therapeutic potential
of drug candidates including any statements regarding the activity,
safety and tolerability of CI-8993, the reporting of data, and any
preclinical findings; and statements of assumptions underlying any
of the foregoing. Forward-looking statements may contain the
words "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "intends,"
"seeks," "estimates," "assumes," "predicts," "projects," "targets,"
"will," "may," "would," "could," "should," "continue," "potential,"
"focus," "strategy," "mission," or similar expressions. These
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance
and involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important
factors that may cause actual results to be materially different
from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. For
example, Curis may experience adverse results, delays and/or
failures in its drug development programs and may not be able to
successfully advance the development of its drug candidates in the
time frames it projects, if at all. Curis's drug candidates may
cause unexpected toxicities, fail to demonstrate sufficient safety
and efficacy in clinical studies and/or may never achieve the
requisite regulatory approvals needed for commercialization.
Favorable results seen in preclinical studies and early clinical
trials of Curis's drug candidates may not be replicated in later
trials. There can be no guarantee that the collaboration agreements
with Aurigene and ImmuNext will continue for their full terms, or
the CRADA with NCI, that Curis or its collaborators will each
maintain the financial and other resources necessary to continue
financing its portion of the research, development and
commercialization costs, or that the parties will successfully
discover, develop or commercialize drug candidates under the
collaboration. Regulatory authorities may determine to delay or
restrict Genentech's and/or Roche's ability to continue to develop
or commercialize Erivedge in BCC. Erivedge may not demonstrate
sufficient or any activity to merit its further development in
disease indications other than BCC. Competing drugs may be
developed that are superior to Erivedge. In connection with its
agreement with Oberland Capital, Curis faces risks relating to the
transfer and encumbrance of certain royalty and royalty-related
payments on commercial sales of Erivedge, including the risk that,
in the event of a default by Curis or its wholly-owned subsidiary,
Curis could lose all retained rights to future royalty and
royalty-related payments, Curis could be required to repurchase
such future royalty and royalty-related payments at a price that is
a multiple of the payments it has received, and its ability to
enter into future arrangements may be inhibited, all of which could
have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition
and stock price. Curis will require substantial additional capital
to fund its business. If it is not able to obtain sufficient
funding, it will be forced to delay, reduce in scope or eliminate
some of its research and development programs, including related
clinical trials and operating expenses, potentially delaying the
time to market for, or preventing the marketing of, any of its
product candidates, which could adversely affect its business
prospects and its ability to continue operations, and would have a
negative impact on its financial condition and its ability to
pursue its business strategies. Curis faces substantial
competition. Curis and its collaborators face the risk of potential
adverse decisions made by the FDA and other regulatory authorities,
investigational review boards, and publication review bodies. Curis
may not obtain or maintain necessary patent protection and could
become involved in expensive and time-consuming patent litigation
and interference proceedings. Unstable market and economic
conditions, natural disasters, public health crises, political
crises and other events outside of Curis's control could
significantly disrupt its operations or the operations of third
parties on which Curis depends, and could adversely impact Curis's
operating results and its ability to raise capital. For example,
the COVID-19 pandemic may result in closures of third-party
facilities, impact enrollment in clinical trials or impact sales of
Erivedge by Genentech and/or Roche. The extent to which
the COVID-19 pandemic may impact Curis's business or operating
results is uncertain. Other important factors that may cause or
contribute to actual results being materially different from
those indicated by forward-looking statements include the factors
set forth under the captions "Risk Factor Summary" and "Risk
Factors" in our most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, and the
factors that are discussed in other filings that we periodically
make with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). In
addition, any forward-looking statements represent the views of
Curis only as of today and should not be relied upon as
representing Curis's views as of any subsequent date. Curis
disclaims any intention or obligation to update any of the
forward-looking statements after the date of this press release
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise,
except as may be required by law.
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SOURCE Curis, Inc.