New Human Data Reinforces CAN10's Potential for Treating Systemic Sclerosis

Cantargia, a biotech firm listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange (ticker: CANTA), has announced promising findings for its CAN10 antibody, which is currently undergoing phase I clinical trials for systemic sclerosis treatment. The company's research has discovered that the cytokines targeted by CAN10, namely IL-1, IL-33, and IL-36, are significantly elevated in the skin samples of systemic sclerosis patients. These cytokines are known to trigger fibrosis in skin cells derived from patients, a process that CAN10 has been shown to prevent. In animal models, the antibody has also been effective in normalizing the expression of genes linked to the disease in humans.
The findings were showcased at the Systemic Sclerosis World Congress held in Prague from March 14 to 16, 2024. Cantargia's CEO, Göran Forsberg, expressed enthusiasm about the progress of the CAN10 program, which is transitioning from trials with healthy volunteers to patient studies in the third quarter of 2024. Systemic sclerosis is a severe autoimmune disorder characterized by fibrosis in the skin, lungs, and other organs, with current treatments primarily addressing symptoms rather than the disease's root causes. In the United States, it is estimated that around 100,000 individuals are affected by the condition. CAN10 has been granted orphan drug status in the U.S. for the treatment of systemic sclerosis.
The latest research indicates that IL1RAP and its associated signaling molecules are overexpressed in the skin of patients with systemic sclerosis. This overexpression leads to fibrosis as fibroblasts promote an excessive accumulation of connective tissue. CAN10 has been shown to reduce these disease-related mechanisms. The results build upon previous findings that demonstrated the beneficial effects of blocking IL1RAP in mouse models of the disease, where treatment with a CAN10 equivalent reduced fibrosis in the skin and lungs.
These collaborative results with Prof. Dr. Jörg Distler's leading research group at Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany, were presented at the congress and are also available on Cantargia's website. The poster presentation is titled "Combined blockade of IL-1, IL-33, and IL-36 signaling by targeting IL1RAP ameliorates skin and lung fibrosis in preclinical models of systemic sclerosis," and was scheduled for March 15th and 16th, 2024.
Cantargia is focused on developing antibody-based therapies for life-threatening diseases, with a platform centered on the protein IL1RAP, which is implicated in various cancers and inflammatory conditions. The company's primary program involves the antibody nadunolimab (CAN04), which is being clinically evaluated, primarily in combination with chemotherapy, for pancreatic cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and triple-negative breast cancer. The interim data for these combinations suggest enhanced efficacy compared to chemotherapy alone. Cantargia's second program, the antibody CAN10, targets IL1RAP differently from nadunolimab and is being developed to treat severe autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, with an initial focus on systemic sclerosis and myocarditis.
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