Corvus Announces Preliminary Biomarker Data Of Oral Checkpoint Inhibitor CPI-444

(RTTNews) - Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CRVS) announced preclinical data as well as preliminary biomarker data from its ongoing Phase 1/1b study of CPI-444 as a single agent and in combination with Genentech's TECENTRIQ™ (atezolizumab),? a fully humanized monoclonal antibody targeting protein programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1).

CPI-444 is a selective and potent inhibitor of the adenosine A2A receptor.

According to preclinical study results presented at Conference: CPI-444 has been shown to be active, both as a single agent and in combination with anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 antibodies, in stimulating various immune cells, generating anti-tumor immunity, suppressing tumor growth, delaying tumor progression and generating complete tumor rejection in multiple animal models of cancer. Results from mechanism of action studies indicate that CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are necessary for CPI-444's activity in animal models. Long-term immunity was demonstrated upon tumor re-challenge in animals previously treated with CPI-444.

Preliminary biomarker data from ongoing analyses of patients with various solid tumors treated to date in the ongoing Phase 1/1b study presented at the Conference demonstrated: In the first 11 patients analyzed, 40-100 percent blockade of peripheral blood lymphocyte A2A receptors was achieved in a dose-dependent manner with CPI-444 treatment. All three patients receiving CPI-444 100 mg twice daily for 28 days achieved 90-100 percent continuous, sustained blockade of peripheral blood lymphocyte A2A receptors. Pharmacodynamic markers on peripheral blood lymphocytes showed evidence of activation of T-cell mediated immunity in all three patients treated with CPI-444 100 mg twice daily for 28 days.

In these patients, increases in cytotoxic T-lymphocytes that were both PD-1-positive and CD8-positive (double positive) were seen in the blood following 28 days of treatment compared to baseline pretreatment. Previous research from others has shown that PD-1, CD8 double positive T-cells are associated with anti-tumor immune responses.

CPI-444 has been well tolerated to date, with no drug-related dose limiting toxicities or serious adverse events observed. The trial is currently enrolling patients at 25 sites in the United States, Canada and Australia with 39 patients enrolled to date.