On January 24, 2019 Curis, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRIS), a biotechnology company focused on the development of innovative therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, reported that the first mesothelioma patient has been enrolled and dosed in the Phase I study of CA-170 (Press release, Curis, JAN 24, 2019, View Source [SID1234532882]). CA-170 is an orally available, dual inhibitor of VISTA and PDL1, which the company believes could provide benefit in tumors with high levels of VISTA expression. Over 90% of mesothelioma cells express VISTA.
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The company had previously announced its expectation to begin enrollment of mesothelioma patients in a dedicated cohort within the existing Phase 1 study.
"We are pleased to announce that the CA-170 study has begun dosing patients ahead of schedule," said James Dentzer, President & CEO of Curis. "On last quarter’s earnings call, we outlined the reorganization of company resources to strengthen focus on clinical execution. Today’s announcement is a result of those efforts. We re-iterate our confidence in our expectation to report initial efficacy data in this study in the second half of 2019."
CA-170 is the only anti-VISTA therapeutic currently being studied in a clinical trial. CA-170 has demonstrated favorable safety and tolerability, as well as preliminary anti-tumor activity in patients across multiple tumor types. The Phase I study is the first clinical trial of CA-170 to specifically target a patient population characterized by high levels of VISTA expression.
About the Study
The Phase I, open-label, dose escalation and dose expansion trial evaluating the safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and clinical effects of orally administered CA-170 in patients with advanced tumors and lymphomas. The dedicated mesothelioma cohort will evaluate CA-170 at two dose levels.
About VISTA
VISTA (V-domain Ig-containing Suppressor of T cell Activation) is an independent, inhibitory T cell checkpoint protein that is expressed on both immune cells and tumor cells. VISTA has been identified as a potential resistance mechanism to treatment with anti-PD1 antibodies in melanoma and anti-CTLA4 antibodies in prostate cancer. Recent literature indicates that high levels of VISTA expression have been found on various tumors, including mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, triple negative breast cancer, gastric cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer.