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Corcept Therapeutics Initiates Phase 1b Trial of Relacorilant Plus Pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) in Patients with Adrenal Cancer with Cortisol Excess
MENLO PARK, Calif., March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NASDAQ: CORT), a commercial-stage company engaged in the discovery
About this update from Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated
[{"type":"text","content":"MENLO PARK, Calif., March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NASDAQ: CORT), a commercial-stage company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs to treat severe metabolic, oncologic and psychiatric disorders by modulating the effects of cortisol, today announced enrollment of the first patient in the Phase 1b trial of relacorilant in combination with the PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab (Merck’s medication, Keytruda®) in patients with adrenal cancer with cortisol excess. “Cortisol activity blunts the cancer-killing attributes of immunotherapeutic agents such as checkpoint inhibitors,” said Andreas Grauer, MD, Corcept’s Chief Medical Officer, “which may be why pembrolizumab is rarely effective as monotherapy in patients with adrenal cancer with cortisol excess. Our trial will examine whether adding relacorilant to pembrolizumab therapy will reduce cortisol-activated immune suppression sufficiently to help pembrolizumab achieve its intended tumor-killing effect, while relacorilant treats the Cushing’s syndrome caused by excess cortisol activity.” The open-label, Phase 1b trial has a planned enrollment of 20 patients with metastatic or unresectable adrenal cancer with cortisol excess at five sites in the United States. About Relacorilant Relacorilant is a non-steroidal, selective modulator of the glucocorticoid receptor that does not bind to the body's other hormone receptors. Corcept is studying relacorilant in a variety of serious disorders, including Cushing’s syndrome and adrenal, ovarian and pancreatic cancer. Relacorilant is proprietary to Corcept and is protected by composition of matter and method of use patents. Relacorilant has received orphan drug designation in the United States for the treatment of Cushing’s syndrome and pancreatic cancer. About Corcept Therapeutics Corcept is a commercial-stage company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs to treat severe metabolic, oncologic and psychiatric disorders by modulating the effects of the stress hormone cortisol. Korlym® was the first drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for patients with Cushing’s syndrome. Corcept has discovered a large portfolio of proprietary compounds, including relacorilant, that selectively modulate the effects of cortisol. The company owns extensive United States and foreign ...