Benzinga | Feb 4, 2021 07:39AM EST

CureVac Expands Lead RNA Cancer Program Phase 1 Trial in Advanced Melanoma

CureVac N.V. (NASDAQ:CVAC), a global biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of transformative medicines based on messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), today announced the start of an expansion of the ongoing Phase 1 study with its lead RNA-based cancer drug candidate, CV8102. Initial results from the dose-escalation part in four solid cancer types were presented at the SITC conference in 2020. CV8102 had shown promising evidence of efficacy after intratumoral application as a single agent, and in combination with systemic anti-PD-1 antibody treatment. Translation of a locally induced immune response into a systemic immune response was observed in several patients, showing the ability of CV8102 to impact injected as well as distant lesions. The objective of the expansion is to confirm safety, tolerability, and efficacy of CV8102 in patients with advanced melanoma at 600?g, the selected dose to be advanced in a Phase 2 clinical trial. Furthermore, the trial expansion will evaluate the effects of CV8102 on systemic and intratumoral immune markers, which will provide additional clinical insights on CV8102's mode of action.

"Initial clinical data in cancer has demonstrated the ability of our RNA immunomodulator to trigger a systemic immune response attacking cancer not only at the site of injection but also in other areas of the body," said Ulrike Gnad-Vogt, Senior Vice President Area Head Oncology at CureVac. "The CV8102 trial expansion is expected to provide further insights into clinical efficacy and mechanism of action in patients with advanced PD-1 refractory melanoma, an indication with a high unmet medical need. We are very pleased to see CV8102 progress to the next stage, an important step to further leverage the potential of immunostimulating RNA therapeutics in oncology."

The expansion part of the trial will enrol 30 patients with PD-1 refractory melanoma, who will receive intratumoral injections of CV8102 in combination with PD-1 antibodies, as well as 10 patients who will be treated with CV8102 only. Initially, CV8102, with or without co-administration of anti-PD-1 treatment, will be injected weekly for five weeks, followed by three injections at two- or three-week intervals depending on the anti-PD-1 antibody schedule. Patients showing evidence of clinical benefit are eligible for further injections for up to 12 months.