Crescendo Biologics, a clinical stage immuno-oncology company, has announced a translational science collaboration with The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London. Working together, the organisations will further characterise the non-clinical pharmacology of CB307, Crescendo’s lead programme.
CB307 is a novel, half-life extended PSMA x CD137 bispecific currently in a Phase I clinical study. It's designed for the conditional and durable activation and expansion of tumour-specific T cell populations, exclusively within the tumour microenvironment. The alliance with the ICR will drive valuable mechanistic insights into the pharmacology of CB307 in both in vitro and in vivo settings. It will include studies on patient-derived prostate cancer tissues to extend the understanding of PSMA and CD137 co-localisation and their influence on CB307-mediated T cell enhancement.
Professor Johann de Bono, Regius Professor of Cancer Research and Head of the Division of Clinical Studies at the ICR, said: “We are very pleased to have initiated this important work with the team at Crescendo. Next generation immunotherapies could offer much-needed new treatment options to patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer, as well as other cancer types with high prevalence. We expect this collaboration to provide meaningful additional insights into the mechanisms and activity of CB307 in a variety of relevant settings.”
Dr Andrew Pierce, VP Translational Biology at Crescendo, said: “The ICR is a world-renowned research institution, and we are very excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with Professor de Bono and his team to further explore the immunobiology of PSMA and CD137, including their co-localisation in tumour tissue. The results of these translational studies will be of great importance in understanding the profile of CB307, especially when placed alongside the clinical results as they continue to emerge from our ongoing clinical programme.”
