On June 23, 2026 Coherus Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: CHRS) and Zumutor Biologics Inc. ("Zumutor"), an immuno-oncology biotech company, reported a clinical collaboration and supply agreement to conduct a Phase 1 trial of ZM008, a novel NK checkpoint anti-LLT1 monoclonal antibody in combination with LOQTORZI (toripalimab-tpzi), a next-generation PD-1 inhibitor (Trial ID: NCT06451497). The study will enroll patients with colorectal, head and neck, non-small cell lung cancer, clear cell renal cell carcinoma and urothelial cancers, among other solid tumors.
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"We are excited to partner with Zumutor Biologics on the development of LOQTORZI with ZM0008 as a novel combination treatment for cancer patients in this Phase 1 study," said Theresa LaVallee, Ph.D., Chief Scientific and Development Officer at Coherus Oncology. "This collaboration is another example of our strategy to expand potential LOQTORZI indications beyond NPC and strengthen the clinical data package in the US through cost-efficient drug supply agreements, evaluating LOQTORZI with novel mechanisms in prioritized tumor types such as NSCLC, HNSCC, and others."
ZM008, discovered using Zumutor’s proprietary fully human monoclonal antibody library INABLR, has demonstrated a favorable safety profile, with no dose-limiting toxicities or anti-drug antibodies. In an ongoing monotherapy study, ZM008 has shown clinical benefit in metastatic patients previously treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Targeting complementary adaptive and innate immune pathways can unlock meaningful clinical benefit, particularly in hard-to-treat "cold tumors" that remain less responsive to current immunotherapies. "This Phase 1 study will evaluate ZM008 in combination with LOQTORZI and will generate key insights into response mechanisms, identify predictive biomarkers, and refine patient selection strategies to accelerate personalized therapies," said Maloy Ghosh, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Zumutor. The trial will evaluate safety, tolerability, and the recommended dose of ZM008, enrolling up to 45 patients across dose-escalation and expansion cohorts in the United States.
"The initiation of combination studies of ZM008 with toripalimab, from Coherus Oncology, represents a pivotal milestone for our lead program," said Kavitha Iyer Rodrigues, CEO of Zumutor Biologics Inc. "Building on encouraging early clinical data, this advancement strengthens our conviction in ZM008’s potential to deliver a differentiated and meaningful immunotherapy option for patients with difficult-to-treat cancers and underscores our commitment to accelerating its clinical development."
Under the terms of the clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement, Coherus Oncology will provide LOQTORZI to Zumutor, which will be the sponsor of the Phase 1 clinical combination trial. Zumutor and Coherus each retain all commercial rights to their respective compounds, as monotherapies or combination therapies.
(Press release, Coherus Oncology, JUN 23, 2026, View Source [SID1234668922])