NextCure Begins Dosing in Phase 1 Trial of LNCB74 for Cancer Treatment

BELTSVILLE, MD, USA I January 10, 2025 I NextCure, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXTC), a company at the forefront of biopharmaceutical innovation, has made significant progress in its developmental pipeline by administering the first dose in a Phase 1 clinical trial for LNCB74. This experimental therapy is a B7-H4-targeting antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) aimed at treating a variety of cancers.

The commencement of patient dosing marks an important step forward in NextCure's ambitious B7-H4 ADC program. Udayan Guha, M.D., Ph.D., who serves as Senior Vice President of Clinical & Translational Development at NextCure, emphasized the importance of this development. He stated, “Dosing the first patient in the LNCB74 Phase 1 study represents a significant milestone for NextCure as we continue to advance our B7-H4 ADC program. We look forward to establishing the safety, tolerability, and preliminary anti-tumor activity of LNCB74. We believe this novel ADC could potentially transform treatment options for multiple cancers.”

The green light for this trial was given by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2024, when they cleared the Investigational New Drug application for LNCB74, allowing the study to proceed. This clearance was a critical step, enabling NextCure to begin clinical investigations into the safety and efficacy of LNCB74 in humans.

LNCB74 is not a standalone effort; it is the result of a collaboration between NextCure and LigaChem Biosciences, Inc. The two companies are working together under a partnership and co-development agreement to bring this promising therapy to fruition.

NextCure is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing innovative therapies for cancer patients who do not respond to existing treatments or whose disease progresses despite current therapies. The company's approach focuses on leveraging unique mechanisms of action, such as antibody-drug conjugates, antibodies, and proteins. NextCure's strategy hinges on its deep understanding of biological pathways, biomarkers, and cell interactions, particularly within the tumor microenvironment, to develop therapies that can elicit beneficial biological responses.

As the Phase 1 trial of LNCB74 gets underway, NextCure is poised to assess the safety and preliminary effectiveness of this novel treatment. The company is hopeful that LNCB74 will offer a new therapeutic avenue for treating multiple cancers, potentially reshaping the landscape of cancer treatment options.

NextCure has built its reputation on developing differentiated therapies that target unique biological mechanisms, aiming to address unmet medical needs in oncology. The initiation of the LNCB74 trial represents another step toward accomplishing this mission, with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for cancer patients worldwide.

By collaborating with LigaChem Biosciences, NextCure is able to leverage additional expertise and resources, thereby enhancing the potential success of the LNCB74 program. The partnership underscores the importance of collaborative efforts in advancing complex biopharmaceutical research and development.

Overall, the dosing of the first patient in the LNCB74 Phase 1 study is an encouraging development for NextCure and its stakeholders. As the study progresses, the company remains committed to discovering and developing groundbreaking therapies that offer hope to those battling cancer.