BURLINGAME, Calif., Nov. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRVS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced new data highlighting the potential of ciforadenant, the Company’s adenosine A2A receptor antagonist, to overcome resistance to anti-PD1 immunotherapy in the treatment of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

The data were presented today in an oral session at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 39th Annual Meeting by Aram Lyu, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at Fred Hutch Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco and Parker Scholar at the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Dr. Lyu’s abstract, titled “Identification and therapeutic target of myeloid-mediated mechanisms of immunotherapy resistance in prostate cancer” was selected as a Top 100 abstract by SITC.

“These studies reveal important details on the role of the adenosine pathway on the immunobiology of mCRPC, including the importance of myeloid cells and the adenosine gene signature,” said Richard A. Miller, M.D., co-founder, president and chief executive officer of Corvus. “The mechanism is consistent with and builds on results from our clinical trials in renal cell cancer and prostate cancer, along with the potential for the adenosine gene signature to select patients most likely to respond. This could be an important advancement for patients with tumors that are resistant to checkpoint inhibitors, and is supportive of our ongoing clinical trial of ciforadenant in combination with ipilimumab and nivolumab in front line renal cell cancer.”

SITC Oral Presentation Overview and Key Data

Previous studies have shown that mCRPC is resistant to therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors. While tumor associated macrophages are known to contribute to immunosuppression with the tumor microenvironment, this study identified SPP1+ myeloid cells as a potential critical mediator of resistance to immunotherapy. The team led by Lawrence Fong, M.D. used single cell RNA expression profiling of tumor biopsies to measure levels of these cells in patients with early localized or metastatic hormone responsive prostate cancer compared to patients with mCRPC. The results showed that SPP1+ macrophages were more prevalent as cancer progresses to mCRPC patients. 

Dr. Fong is the scientific director of the Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center at Fred Hutch, where he is also a professor in the Translational Sciences and Therapeutics Division and a Bezos Family Distinguished Scholar in Immunotherapy.

The researchers created a murine model that confirmed that SPP1+ macrophages were associated with suppressed immunity to prostate cancer and shortened overall survival. Further analysis of the related genetic pathways revealed involvement of adenosine signaling through the adenosine 2A receptor. The researchers utilized ciforadenant to inhibit adenosine signaling in this model and the key findings demonstrating its potential to overcome this resistance to immunotherapy include:

• Ciforadenant treatment associated with reduced immunosuppression and enhanced sensitivity to anti-PD1 therapy in the model 
• Ciforadenant treatment associated with reduced SPP1+ macrophage infiltration in the tumors, supporting a shift to a less immunosuppressive myeloid environment
• The Adenosine Gene Signature, a biomarker that reflects adenosine induced immunosuppression in the tumor, was elevated in SPP1+ macrophages
• Results from the model were consistent with data from the Phase 1b/2 clinical trial of ciforadenant in patients with mCRPC, which included data from 35 patients with advanced mCRPC, including 11 who received ciforadenant as a monotherapy (100 mg twice daily) and 24 that received ciforadenant (100 mg twice daily) in combination with atezolizumab (840 mg delivered intravenously every two weeks). 5 of 24 (21%) receiving combination therapy had PSA partial responses defined as PSA reductions >30%, compared to 1 of 11 (9%) receiving monotherapy

About Corvus Pharmaceuticals

Corvus Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering the development of ITK inhibition as a new approach to immunotherapy for a broad range of cancer and immune diseases. The Company’s lead product candidate is soquelitinib, an investigational, oral, small molecule drug that selectively inhibits ITK. Its other clinical-stage candidates are being developed for a variety of cancer indications. For more information, visit www.corvuspharma.com.

About Ciforadenant

Ciforadenant (CPI-444) is an investigational small molecule, oral, checkpoint inhibitor designed to disable a tumor’s ability to subvert attack by the immune system by blocking the binding of adenosine to immune cells present in the tumor microenvironment. Adenosine, a metabolite of ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate), is produced within the tumor microenvironment where it may bind to the adenosine A2a receptor present on immune cells and block their activity. Ciforadenant has been shown to block the immunosuppressive effects of myeloid cells present in tumors and preclinical studies published in 2018 demonstrated synergy with combinations of anti PD1 and anti-CTLA4 antibodies.

Adenosine Gene Signature

The adenosine gene signature is a biomarker that reflects adenosine induced immunosuppression in the tumor. These genes express chemokines that recruit myeloid cells including immunosuppressive tumor associated myeloid cells, which are thought to mediate resistance to anti-PD-(L)1 treatment.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements related to the potential efficacy of the Company’s product candidates including ciforadenant; the potential use of ciforadenant to treat metastatic renal cell cancer and mCRPC, including the potential to overcome resistance to immunotherapy; and the potential for the adenosine gene signature to select patients most likely to respond to treatment. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. These statements often include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” “seek,” “will,” “may” or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the Company’s control. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to risks detailed in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 6, 2024, as well as other documents that may be filed by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, the following factors, among others, could cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements: the Company’s ability to demonstrate sufficient evidence of efficacy and safety in its clinical trials of its product candidates; the accuracy of the Company’s estimates relating to its ability to initiate and/or complete preclinical studies and clinical trials and release data from such studies and clinical trials; the results of preclinical studies and interim data from clinical trials not being predictive of future results; the Company’s ability to enroll sufficient numbers of patients in its clinical trials; the unpredictability of the regulatory process; regulatory developments in the United States and other foreign countries; the costs of clinical trials may exceed expectations; and the Company’s ability to raise additional capital. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee that the events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur, and the timing of events and circumstances and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All such statements speak only as of the date made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

INVESTOR CONTACT:
Leiv Lea
Chief Financial Officer
Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
+1-650-900-4522
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Sheryl Seapy
Real Chemistry
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