SAN CARLOS, Calif., Nov. 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Apexigen, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing a new generation of antibody therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, announced today that Ovid Trifan, M.D., Ph.D., Vice President for Clinical Development, presented preclinical data supporting the development of the Company’s proprietary CD40 agonistic antibody, APX005M, at a poster session at the 30th Annual Meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC 2015), taking place November 4-8 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.
APX005M, currently in Phase 1 clinical evaluation, is the first CD40 agonistic antibody that binds the CD40 ligand binding site with high affinity. Data presented today demonstrate that APX005M elicited strong immune stimulating activity, including:
- Activating antigen presenting cells such as dendritic cells, B cells and monocytes
- Stimulating IL-12 production, which is required for activation of tumor specific T cells
- Enhancing the antigen-specific T cell response via activating antigen processing and presentation by dendritic cells and B cells
“APX005M has unique design characteristics, which we believe will translate into clinical efficacy, while maintaining an excellent safety profile. Its ability to stimulate both innate and adaptive immune mechanisms against tumors may position APX005M as a key component of immuno-oncology therapeutics,” said Dr. Trifan. “We are currently conducting a Phase 1 dose-escalation study of APX005M in patients with advanced solid tumors and look forward to reporting on our continued clinical progress.”
The co-stimulatory receptor CD40 plays an important role in the control and regulation of immune activation. CD40 is considered the interface between the innate and adaptive immune systems and regulates the crosstalk between T cells and antigen presenting cells, both of which are essential to activate a tumor-specific immune response. Anti-CD40 antibodies have been shown to be potent boosters of anti-tumor immune responses and capable of inhibiting growth of multiple tumor types as a single agent as well as in combination with other immunotherapeutic agents in tumor models.
Abstract #209, entitled “The CD40 Agonistic Monoclonal Antibody APX005M has Potent Immune Stimulatory Capabilities,” was presented today in Coinhibition and Costimulation Track.
About APX005M
APX005M is a novel, humanized monoclonal antibody designed to reverse the systemic immune suppression that typically affects cancer patients. APX005M targets CD40, a co-stimulatory receptor that is essential for activating both innate and adaptive immune systems. Binding of APX005M to CD40 initiates and amplifies a complex, multi-cellular immune response bringing components of both immune systems to work in concert against cancer, activating antigen-presenting cells (i.e., dendritic cells, monocytes and B-cells) and resulting in cancer-specific T-cell responses. APX005M is currently in Phase 1 clinical development for the treatment of solid tumors.
About Apexigen
Apexigen is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing a new generation of antibody therapeutics for oncology, with an emphasis on new immuno-oncology agents that could harness the patient’s immune system to combat and eradicate cancer. APX005M and the Company’s additional preclinical programs were discovered using APXiMAB, Apexigen’s proprietary product discovery platform. This platform has enabled the Company and its collaboration partners to discover and develop high-quality therapeutic antibodies against a variety of molecular targets, including targets that are difficult to drug with conventional antibody technologies. Six product candidates discovered using APXiMAB are currently in clinical development, either internally by Apexigen or by its partners. For more information, please visit www.apexigen.com.
Contacts:
Apexigen, Inc.
Mark Nevins
Vice President, Business Development
+1 650-931-6236, ext. 502
info@apexigen.com
For Media Inquiries
Karen L. Bergman
BCC Partners
+1 650-575-1509
kbergman@bccpartners.com
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/apexigen-presents-preclinical-data-from-novel-immuno-oncology-candidate-apx005m-at-sitc-2015-meeting-300173713.html
SOURCE Apexigen, Inc.
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