Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. provided an update on its development programs in oncology and infectious disease for mupadolimab, a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against CD73 with a proposed dual mechanism of activating B cells to generate immune responses to viruses and tumor antigens, and inhibiting the production of immunosuppressive adenosine in the tumor micro environment.
- Announces results published online in medRxiv in 40 patients from COVID-19 randomized controlled study, which showed primary and secondary endpoints trend toward more favorable outcome for mupadolimab treated patients vs. placebo
- COVID-19 study immune response data found to be consistent with proposed mechanism
- Oncology Phase 1b/2 clinical trial enrolling patients with head and neck cancers and patients with lung cancer; data anticipated at SITC meeting in November
BURLINGAME, Calif., Sept. 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRVS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today provided an update on its development programs in oncology and infectious disease for mupadolimab (formerly CPI-006), a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against CD73 with a proposed dual mechanism of activating B cells to generate immune responses to viruses and tumor antigens, and inhibiting the production of immunosuppressive adenosine in the tumor micro environment.
Corvus is developing mupadolimab as a therapeutic for oncology indications and for infectious disease, starting with COVID-19. Today the Company announced results from its Phase 3 clinical trial of mupadolimab for COVID-19, which have been published online at medRxiv.org. The results, which cover 40 patients that were enrolled in the trial prior to its voluntary discontinuation, suggest improvement in the primary and key secondary endpoints in patients treated with single doses of mupadolimab at 2mg/kg and 1mg/kg compared to placebo. No drug related adverse events were reported in the trial.
“We believe the results from our Phase 3 Covid trial show the potential for a dose response effect on the primary endpoint of time to respiratory failure or death for the 2mg/kg and 1mg/kg mupadolimab cohorts compared to placebo. Secondary endpoints also favored the cohorts receiving mupadolimab. Most interestingly, antiviral responses in the 2mg/kg cohort trended higher across all variants tested, including delta. Cross reactivity to the delta variant is of interest as patients were enrolled prior to its emergence as the dominant variant in the United States,” said Richard A. Miller, M.D., co-founder, president and chief executive officer of Corvus. “As expected when we discontinued the trial, statistical significance was not reached due to the sample size. However, we are very encouraged by the consistent trends and immune response data, which we believe support mupadolimab’s proposed mechanism of action and its potential value for the treatment of viral infections. Combined with the findings in our previous Phase 1 trial in 29 patients, we believe there is mounting evidence that mupadolimab could become a universal treatment for viral diseases, with the ability to address immune escape from variants. We plan to evaluate our next steps with mupadolimab for COVID-19 as we continue to analyze the trial data and explore partnership opportunities to continue its development as a therapeutic.”
Mupadolimab also is currently being studied in a Phase 1b/2 clinical study in patients with HPV+ oropharyngeal cancers and non small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) that have failed previous treatment with anti-PD-1 therapy and chemotherapy. Data from the Phase 1b/2 clinical study has been accepted for presentation at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) annual meeting in November.
“Mupadolimab is one of the most studied anti-CD73 antibodies and is uniquely positioned with a potential dual mechanism, B cell activation and inhibition of immunosuppressive adenosine production,” said Dr. Miller. “The complementary mechanisms could result in enhanced immune responses to viral antigens and to tumor antigens. We believe this will enable a unique approach to treating cancers, that can benefit both from removing the adenosine-mediated blockade of the immune system and enhancing immune responses through B cell activation. We look forward to presenting new data from our Phase 1b/2 oncology study at the SITC meeting in November.”
Mupadolimab for COVID-19 Trial Results
This was a randomized, double blind placebo-controlled trial design. In July, Corvus discontinued the clinical trial, which had planned to enroll approximately 1,000 patients, due to positive trends exhibited by COVID-19 vaccines in lowering serious infection and hospitalizations at that time. The discontinuation was not related to any safety or efficacy issues observed in study patients and occurred prior to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases and before the dominant emergence of the delta variant. Of the 40 patients enrolled prior to the discontinuation, 15 received the mupadolimab 2mg/kg dose, 14 received the mupadolimab 1mg/kg dose, and 11 received placebo. Treatment arms were well balanced, except for the 2mg/kg cohort, which had patients with more severe disease on admission with 60% on non-invasive ventilation or high flow oxygen devices, compared to 7% in the 1mg/kg cohort and 27% in the placebo cohort. Data from the three cohorts remained blinded until the final analysis.
The primary endpoint of the clinical trial was the proportion of patients progressing to respiratory failure or death during the 28 days after dosing. In the 2mg/kg cohort, 93.3% of patients were alive and free from respiratory failure, compared to 85.7% in the 1mg/kg cohort and 81.1% in the placebo. The results in the placebo control group were in line with results reported in other randomized trials. In addition, positive trends favoring mupadolimab treatment compared to placebo were seen for all the key secondary endpoints, including time to clinical improvement, time to sustained clinical improvement and time to hospital discharge.
| Mupadolimab 2mg/kg and 1mg/kg vs. placebo (all received standard of care treatment) | |||
| 2 mg/kg + SOC (N=15) | 1 mg/kg + SOC (N=14) | Placebo + SOC (N=11) | |
| Primary Endpoint: | |||
| Free from Respiratory Failure or Death (%) | 93.3 | 85.7 | 81.1 |
| Secondary Endpoints: | |||
| Median Days to Improvement (95% CI) | 7.0 (4-9) | 5.5 (3-14) | 11.0 (2-14) |
| Median Days Sustained Improve (95% CI) | 8.0 (4-12) | 6.0 (3-14) | 11.0 (2-21) |
| Median Days to Discharge (95% CI) | 6.0 (4-12) | 4.0 (2-5) | 7.0 (2-12) |
The results also included anti-viral antibody responses for 26 patients for which pre-treatment and day 28 blood serum are available (8 from the 1mg/kg cohort, 11 from the 2mg/kg cohort and 7 from the placebo cohort). Serum titers in the 2mg/kg cohort appeared to trend higher against the original COVID-19 strain and variants (alpha (B.1.1.7), beta (B.1.351), gamma (P.1) and delta (B.1.617.2), with several patients exhibiting very high titers. Patients in the 2mg/kg cohort demonstrated higher cross-reactivity with the beta, gamma and delta variants compared to 1mg/kg and placebo.
About Corvus Pharmaceuticals
Corvus Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. Corvus’ lead product candidate is mupadolimab (CPI-006), a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against CD73 that has exhibited immunomodulatory activity and activation of immune cells in preclinical studies. The Company’s second clinical program, CPI-818, is an investigational, oral, small molecule drug that selectively inhibited ITK in preclinical studies, and is in a multicenter Phase 1/1b clinical trial in patients with several types of T-cell lymphomas. Its third clinical program, ciforadenant (CPI-444), is an oral, small molecule inhibitor of the A2A receptor. For more information, visit www.corvuspharma.com.
About Mupadolimab
Mupadolimab (CPI-006) is an investigational, potent humanized monoclonal antibody that is designed to react with a specific site on CD73. In preclinical studies, it has demonstrated immunomodulatory activity resulting in activation of lymphocytes, induction of antibody production from B cells and effects on lymphocyte trafficking. While there are other anti-CD73 antibodies and small molecules in development for treatment of cancer, such agents react with a different region of CD73. Mupadolimab is designed to react with a region of the molecule that acts to stimulate B cells and block production of immunosuppressive adenosine. Mupadolimab is being studied in combination with pembrolizumab in a Phase 1/1b study in patients with advanced HPV+ (human papilloma virus) head and neck cancers. It is postulated that the activation of B cells will enhance immunity to viral antigens within the tumors of these patients, leading to improved clinical outcomes.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements related to the potential safety and efficacy of mupadolimab, CPI-818 and ciforadenant, the Company’s ability and our Chinese partner, Angel Pharmaceuticals’ ability to develop and advance product candidates into and successfully complete preclinical studies and clinical trials, whether mupadolimab could become a universal treatment for viral diseases with the ability to address immune escape from variants, whether mupadolimab’s mechanisms could result in enhanced immune responses to viral antigens and to tumor antigens and the timing of reporting data in the Company’s oncology trials. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. These statements often include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” “seek,” “will,” “may” or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the Company’s control. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to, risks detailed in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 2, 2021, as well as other documents that may be filed by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, the following factors, among others, could cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements: the Company’s ability to demonstrate sufficient evidence of efficacy and safety in its clinical trials of mupadolimab, CPI-818 and ciforadenant; the accuracy of the Company’s estimates relating to its ability to initiate and/or complete preclinical studies and clinical trials; the results of preclinical studies may not be predictive of future results; the results of clinical trials that did not achieve statistical significance may not be predictive of future results; the unpredictability of the regulatory process; regulatory developments in the United States, and other foreign countries; the costs of clinical trials may exceed expectations; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s operations and clinical development plans, as well as the operations of its partners and suppliers; and the Company’s ability to raise additional capital. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee that the events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur, and the timing of events and circumstances and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All such statements speak only as of the date made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
INVESTOR CONTACT:
Leiv Lea
Chief Financial Officer
Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
+1-650-900-4522
llea@corvuspharma.com
MEDIA CONTACT:
Sheryl Seapy
Real Chemistry
+1-949-903-4750
sseapy@realchemistry.com
