Nectin Adds Combination Therapy and Expands Clinical Trial Sites
For its first-in-class Anti-PVR Immune-Oncology Agent, Nectin has added KEYTRUDA® combination therapy and expanded to newly launched Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center in Louisiana and Four Other Global Sites. (News from Nectin)
Nectin Therapeutics Ltd., a biotechnology company developing novel targeted immunotherapies that address resistance to approved immune oncology treatments, announced today that it has progressed its Phase 1 clinical trial of NTX1088 to include a combination therapy arm with the immune-oncology drug KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, and expanded the clinical trial to five global sites.
The clinical trial sites include City of Hope in California, Sheba Medical Center and Hadassah Medical Center in Israel, along with MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas and Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center in Louisiana. Notably, the NTX1088 clinical trial is the first to enroll patients at the new Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center partnership that was established to ensure that Ochsner cancer patients have access to the most advanced care, including to clinical trials of innovative therapies.
"As a leader in cancer care, Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center is committed to providing world-class care to the southeastern Louisiana community," said Dr. Marc Matrana, Director, Precision Cancer Therapies and Research Program at Ochsner. "Part of that commitment is ensuring that our patients have access to clinical trials of innovative new cancer therapies. We are impressed by the promising preclinical data and the novel mechanism of action of PVR blockade, and we are delighted to join with Nectin Therapeutics to support the Phase 1 trial of NTX1088."
NTX1088 is Nectin's first-in-class lead candidate – a highly potent monoclonal antibody directed against PVR (CD155), a transmembrane protein expressed on cancer cells and associated with resistance to PD1 and PDL1 immune checkpoint inhibitors. PVR blockade by NTX1088 is the first and only therapeutic approach aimed at restoring the antitumor immune activity of DNAM1 (CD226). DNAM1 is a cell surface glycoprotein, central to the function of T-cells and NK cells, which are degraded by PVR on tumor cells. Restoring the expression and activation of DNAM1 by blocking PVR results in increased antitumor activity from T-cells and NK cells. Additionally, PVR blockade by NTX1088 further stimulates an antitumor immune response by preventing the suppressing signaling of several immune checkpoint receptors, including TIGIT and CD96. NTX1088 is currently being clinically evaluated as a monotherapy and in combination with KEYTRUDA® in patients with advanced solid tumors.
"We are encouraged by the rapid progress of our NTX1088 clinical program," said Dr. Keren Paz, Chief Development Officer of Nectin Therapeutics. "Our collaboration with Merck, and the rapid expansion of our clinical trial sites significantly increase cancer patients' access to the trial. We value the commitment of our new partners to the mission of developing life-saving therapies and look forward to advancing innovative medicines to improve the lives of cancer patients."
The NTX1088 Phase 1 trial is being conducted with support from The Cancer Focus Fund, a unique investment fund established in collaboration with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The fund provides investment support to advance promising cancer therapies along with the clinical trial expertise and infrastructure of MD Anderson Cancer Center sites.
KEYTRUDA® is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA.
NOTE: Nectin is among drugs invested in by Cancer Focus Fund, with the funding underwriting clinical trials.
ABOUT NECTIN THERAPEUTICS
Nectin Therapeutics is a clinical stage biotechnology company devoted to transforming the lives of cancer patients by leveraging unique insights into the nectin pathways to develop the next generation of immune oncology (IO) therapies. The company's differentiated therapies have the potential to set new standards for efficacy and patient response rates across various difficult-to-treat cancers. Nectin's technology addresses major escape mechanisms of current IO therapies through a diverse pipeline of novel monoclonal antibodies and antibody-drug-conjugates (ADC). It has a world-class scientific and management team with deep experience in oncology drug development and a successful track record in building biotechnology companies and developing innovative therapies. Nectin Therapeutics is a venture-backed, privately held company, funded by aMoon Fund, Peregrine Ventures, IBF, Integra Holdings, the Myeloma Investment Fund (MIF), and the Cancer Focus Fund.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Corporate:
Ross Barrett
Managing Partner
ross@cancerfocusfund.com
Media:
Barbara Lindheim
BLL Partners for Cancer Focus Fund
blindheim@bllbiopartners.com
+1 917 355-9234
ABOUT CANCER FOCUS FUND
The Cancer Focus Fund LP is a unique investment fund established in collaboration with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The fund provides investment support to advance promising cancer therapies that are close to being tested in humans or are in early clinical development, as well as the clinical trial expertise and infrastructure of MD Anderson and strategic partners Ochsner Health System Precision Cancer Therapies Program New Orleans and the LSU Feist Weiller Cancer Center Shreveport. The Fund's objective is to leverage this unique combination to provide investors with superior risk-adjusted returns. In collaboration with partner MD Anderson, the Cancer Focus Fund provides both capital and translational research expertise with the goal of accelerating the development of novel cancer therapies that result in better outcomes for patients while generating returns for investors.
DISCLOSURES
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s relationship with Cancer Focus Fund, and all research conducted at MD Anderson related to Cancer Focus Fund, has been identified as an institutional financial conflict of interest by MD Anderson’s Institutional Conflict of Interest Committee and therefore is managed under an Institutional Conflict of Interest Management and Monitoring Plan.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including those related to the clinical development of EIS-12656 and other potential therapies. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, the progress of clinical trials, regulatory approvals, market demand for new therapies, and competitive dynamics in the biotechnology sector.