Benzinga | Sep 10, 2020 08:32AM EDT

Corvus Pharmaceuticals Says Patients Treated In First Two Cohorts Of Phase 1 Study Of CPI-006 For COVID-19 Had Low Pre-Treatment Titers Of Antibodies And Produced Robust Antibody Responses Within 7 Days Of Treatment

Characterization of novel immunotherapy approach with CPI-006 and details of COVID-19 clinical trial results submitted for publication online at medRxiv.org



Patients treated in first two cohorts of Phase 1 study had low pre-treatment titers of antibodies and produced robust antibody responses within 7 days of treatment

Titers of IgG, IgM and neutralizing antibodies continually increased out to 28 days post-treatment

BURLINGAME, Calif., Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRVS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced updated data from its ongoing Phase 1 study investigating the potential for CPI-006 to provide a novel immunotherapy approach for patients with COVID-19. The results demonstrated that all evaluable patients treated in the first two cohorts (0.3 and 1.0 mg dose of CPI-006) of the study produced significant titers of antibody to SARS-CoV-2 within seven days of receiving the treatment, with levels of antibody, including neutralizing antibodies, continually increasing out to 28 days. In addition, all of these patients were discharged from the hospital with clinical improvement and none experienced any drug-related safety issues. The study has completed enrollment in the third cohort (3.0 mg dose of CPI-006) of five patients, with the overall study expected to enroll up to 30 patients.

"The initial data from the first two cohorts of COVID-19 patients treated with the lowest doses of CPI-006 are very encouraging, with patients promptly achieving high titers of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies despite low pre-treatment levels," said Richard A. Miller, M.D., president and chief executive officer of Corvus. "We believe the robust antibody responses were induced by the B cell activation triggered with CPI-006 in our study and that such responses may effectively eradicate the SARS-CoV-2 virus within treated patients and provide them with prolonged immunity. These results are consistent with the known activity of CPI-006 shown in vitro and in vivo in our ongoing cancer studies where CPI-006 binding to B cells leads to their activation and differentiation into both antibody-producing plasma cells and memory B cells. We have completed enrollment in the third cohort and we plan to meet with FDA to discuss our plans for a pivotal study."

Dr. Miller added, "CPI-006's unique immunotherapy approach to treating COVID-19 may provide advantages over other therapies in development. Specifically compared to passively administered monoclonal antibody approaches, we believe CPI-006 could trigger B cell activation at much lower antibody dose levels and provide activity against potential new mutant variants because it works by activating the immune system to generate polyclonal anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Based on this unique mechanism, we are considering the potential for CPI-006 to be used earlier, including symptomatic outpatients and in combination with vaccination, with the hope that it could limit or eliminate the need for booster injections and produce long-term immunity."