• Pipeline
• Clinical Trials

Pipeline

• Product Pipeline
• First Adnectin Product: CT-322

Product Pipeline

We believe that Adnectins™ and PROfusion™ provide us with the opportunity to build a unique pipeline of best-in-class targeted biologics across multiple therapeutic areas.

Our research strategy is to create differentiated Adnectin-based product candidates that meet areas of important unmet medical need. Working with our colleagues in the broader Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) organization, we pursue the discovery and development of targets which meet the following criteria:

• high degree of confidence in the biological pathway intervention point
• clinically meaningful differentiation versus existing treatments

Adnectins are broadly applicable to a wide range of targets, creating significant opportunity to advance differentiated products across many therapeutic areas.

Our first Adnectin clinical candidate, CT-322, is a novel anti-angiogenesis agent designed to block the VEGFR-2 pathway, which is believed to be the primary driver of the growth of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) that support tumor growth. In Phase 1, CT-322 showed evidence indicative of biological activity on the VEGFR-2 pathway. CT-322 is currently in Phase 2 clinical trials in the United States in recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (rGBM), and in a Phase 1b/2 trial for first-line GBM.

We are advancing Adnectin therapeutics across a range of disease types, including oncology, immunology, and cardiovascular disease.

First Adnectin Product: CT-322

CT-322 is a highly potent, specific and complete VEGFR-2 pathway antagonist. Pre-clinical and clinical studies show that this novel molecule has the potential to inhibit the formation of new blood vessels in tumors, which is vital to the progression of tumor growth.

The VEGFR-2 pathway can be triggered by multiple activating proteins: VEGF-A, VEGF-C and VEGF-D. It is widely recognized that binding of one of these activating proteins to human VEGFR-2 stimulates the growth of cells that form new blood vessels. This pathway is used by tumor cells to stimulate the production of new blood vessels to supply nutrients that enable tumor growth. Clinical samples from cancer patients have previously demonstrated that human VEGF-A, VEGF-C, and/or VEGF-D are over-expressed in a variety of tumor cells.

Anti-angiogenic drugs that block the formation of these new blood vessels are an important product category for the treatment of cancer. Cancer cells secrete a variety of protein activators or growth factors that bind to receptors and promote angiogenesis. We believe that a primary pathway in this process is the VEGFR-2 pathway.

In a Phase 1 dose-escalating clinical trial in solid tumors and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, CT-322 was generally well-tolerated at doses up to 2 mg per kg per week. The clinical trial results are consistent with the mechanism that CT-322 is acting as an antagonist to its intended target, human VEGFR-2. CT-322 demonstrated desirable PK properties and pharmacological activity, based on biological and plasma biomarkers. In addition, there was no clinically relevant immune response observed in clinical trials. CT-322 is currently in Phase 2 clinical development in the United States in recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (rGBM) and in a Phase 1b/2 study for first line GBM. To learn more about our clinical trials for CT-322, please click here.