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Corbus Pharmaceuticals Licenses Two Integrin Targeting mAbs Further Expanding Pipeline into Cancer and Fibrotic Diseases
Corbus diversifies pipeline with two new mAbs that target integrins that inhibit activation of TGFβ High potency anti- α vβ8 mAb licensed from University of
About this update from Corbus Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Corbus diversifies pipeline with two new mAbs that target integrins that inhibit activation of TGFβ High potency anti- α vβ8 mAb licensed from University of California San Francisco and anti-αvβ6/αvβ8 mAb licensed from Panorama Research Inc. Both mAbs expected to start Phase 1 testing in 2022Capital and resources in place to advance multiple programs into clinical developmentCompany to host conference call and webcast today, Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at 8:30 a.m. ET Norwood, MA, June 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Corbus Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRBP) (“Corbus” or the “Company”), today announced licensing deals for two new monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), CRB-601 and CRB-602, that target integrins to inhibit activation of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ). This new integrin program, in addition to the existing endocannabinoid system program, strengthens and diversifies Corbus’ immunology pipeline for inflammatory, fibrotic, and metabolic diseases, and cancer. With these additions, Corbus expects to have four compounds other than lenabasum in Phase 1 testing in 2022. Targeting integrins to inhibit TGFβ activation TGFβ is a multifunctional cytokine involved in many cellular processes, including cell growth and differentiation, immune responses, wound healing, and tissue repair. TGFβ plays a key role in fibrosis and also promotes cancer growth and metastasis via its effects in the tumor microenvironment (TME). The integrins αvβ6 and αvβ8 are expressed by cancer cells, and αvβ6 is also expressed on epithelial cells in fibrotic diseases. These integrins enable TGFβ to exert its biologic effects by releasing it from its latent complex. The goal of blocking these integrins is to inhibit the deleterious effects of TGFβ. A number of other preclinical and early clinical stage programs are testing this approach of inhibiting αv integrins. CRB-601 and CRB-602 are two novel and distinct anti-integrin mAbs: CRB-601 is an anti- α vβ8 mAb rationally designed by Dr. Stephen Nishimura and his colleagues at the University of California San Francisco and is potent at picomolar concentrations in inhibiting activation of TGFβ. C6D4, the parent mAb of CRB-601, has single agent activity as well as synergistic activity when combined with an anti-PD1 mAb in syngeneic mouse tumor models. Corbus plans to develop CRB-601 for treatment of solid tumor...