Phanes Therapeutics Doses First Patient in PT886 Chemotherapy Study

Phanes Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biotech company specializing in innovative oncology drug discovery and development, has announced a significant milestone. The first patient has been administered PT886 in a clinical study combining the drug with chemotherapy. Dosing has been completed in two specific cohorts: one for first-line treatment of pancreatic cancer and another for second-line treatment of gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers.

PT886 is a pioneering bispecific antibody targeting claudin 18.2 and CD47. This antibody, resembling a native IgG, was granted orphan drug designation by the FDA for pancreatic cancer treatment in 2022. Earlier this year, it received Fast Track designation for treating patients with metastatic claudin 18.2-positive pancreatic adenocarcinoma. In 2023, Phanes entered a clinical collaboration with Merck, known as MSD outside the US and Canada, to study PT886 in combination with Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab).

The ongoing multi-center Phase I/II clinical trial of PT886, called the TWINPEAK study (NCT05482893), is assessing the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and preliminary efficacy of PT886. This study is targeting patients with locally advanced or metastatic gastric, gastroesophageal junction, and pancreatic cancers that have either progressed after all available standard treatments or for whom standard therapy is ineffective, intolerable, or deemed inappropriate. Additionally, a Phase I clinical trial of PT886 is underway in China (CTR20241655).

Phanes Therapeutics is also conducting other Phase I clinical trials. These include the MORNINGSTAR study featuring their best-in-class monoclonal antibody program, PT199, and the SKYBRIDGE study with PT217. Both PT886 and PT217 are groundbreaking bispecific antibodies and have been granted orphan drug designation and Fast Track designation by the FDA.

The company has developed a robust pipeline of novel biologics aimed at addressing significant unmet medical needs in cancer. This success is largely attributed to their proprietary technology platforms: PACbody®, SPECpair®, and ATACCbody®. These platforms are instrumental in advancing their drug development initiatives.

Phanes Therapeutics continues to focus on innovative solutions to improve cancer treatment and remains a key player in the biotechnology landscape.