Business
Cullinan Oncology Announces First Patient Dosed in Phase 1 Trial Evaluating CLN-617, a Novel Fusion Protein Uniquely Harnessing Both IL-2 and IL-12 Cytokines
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cullinan Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: CGEM), a biopharmaceutical company focused on modality-agnostic, targeted
About this update from Cullinan Therapeutics, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cullinan Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: CGEM), a biopharmaceutical company focused on modality-agnostic, targeted oncology therapies, today announced that the first patient has been dosed with CLN-617 in a Phase 1 clinical trial. This is a first-in-human, multi-center, open label study designed to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and preliminary efficacy of CLN-617 alone and in combination with pembrolizumab, a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) targeted checkpoint inhibitor, in patients with advanced solid tumors. “While checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized immuno-oncology, only a minority of patients respond, often due to the tumors lacking appreciable numbers of cancer-specific T cells, referred to as “cold” tumors. IL-2 and IL-12 are cytokines that work together to stimulate an immune response to cancer cells, potentially resulting in increased T cell infiltration, activation, and proliferation and thereby turning the tumor ‘hot,’” said Jeffrey Jones, MD, MPH, MBA, Chief Medical Officer, Cullinan Oncology. “CLN-617 is a first-in-class cytokine therapy uniquely combining human IL-2, IL-12, a collagen binding domain, and a size-enhancing domain in a single molecule designed for intratumoral injection. These unique characteristics are intended to promote retention of the cytokines in the injected tumor and potentially provide enhanced safety and efficacy. In pre-clinical models, intratumoral administration of CLN-617 stimulated a broad systemic immune response, resulting in the regression of non-injected distal tumors and the generation of a memory T cell response that enhanced long-term survival. We look forward to working with investigators to explore the potential of CLN-617, Cullinan Oncology’s sixth program in clinical development.” About CLN-617CLN-617 is a potential first-in-class cytokine therapy comprised of two potent and synergistic antitumor cytokines, IL-2 and IL-12, in a single molecule. The molecule is intended for intratumoral injection and employs collagen-binding and size-enhancing domains designed to retain the CLN-617 molecule inside the tumor and thereby enhance efficacy and reduce toxicity. While CLN-617 is injected and retained locally in the tumor, it directs a broad immune response that may help eradicate not only the in...