IL1RAP

LUND, SE / ACCESSWIRE / March 14, 2024 / Cantargia (STO:CANTA) Cantargia (Cantargia AB; Nasdaq Stockholm:CANTA) today reported new data highlighting the potential of the CAN10 antibody, currently in phase I clinical development, as therapy in systemic sclerosis. All signaling systems targeted by CAN10 (IL-1, IL-33 and IL-36) were found to be highly upregulated in patient skin biopsies. These cytokines induce fibrosis in skin fibroblasts isolated from patients, and this manifestation of disease was blocked by CAN10. In mouse models, CAN10 reversed the aberrant expression of several genes involved in the systemic sclerosis pathogenesis in humans. The data is presented at the Systemic Sclerosis World Congress in Prague 14-16 March 2024. "We are very excited about the progress in the CAN10 program which is quickly advancing from the ongoing healthy volunteer investigations towards studies in patients. The new data provides important information further increasing our confidence in CAN10 as a future therapy of inflammatory diseases" said Göran Forsberg, CEO of Cantargia. CAN10 is currently in phase I clinical development with transition from healthy volunteers to patients planned for Q3, 2024. One of the lead indications, systemic sclerosis, is a life-threatening autoimmune disease resulting in fibrosis in the skin, lung, and other internal organs. Current treatments focus on symptomatic treatment rather than addressing underlying disease mechanisms. It is estimated that in the US, approximately 100,000 patients suffer from the disease. CAN10 has orphan drug status in the US for treatment of systemic sclerosis. The new results demonstrate that both the target for CAN10, IL1RAP, and the IL1RAP-dependent signaling molecules IL-1, IL-33 and IL-36, are upregulated in skin from systemic sclerosis patients. This disease develops as fibroblasts promote the formation of an excessive buildup of connective tissue in skin and internal organs, so-called fibrosis. The results show that IL-1, IL-33 and IL-36 collagen production on skin fibroblasts from systemic sclerosis patients, leading to fibrosis. These disease-associated mechanisms can be reduced by CAN10. These new data strengthen previously reported beneficial effects of IL1RAP-blockade in three mouse models of systemic sclerosis, where treatment with a mouse surrogate of CAN10 reduced both skin and lung fibrosis. Additional gene expression analysis of mouse systemic sclerosis skin showed decreased expression of several key disease-related profibrotic factors in the skin by CAN10. In summary, the data show that CAN10 targets central processes important for systemic sclerosis and that CAN10 provides an opportunity to treat underserved systemic sclerosis patients. These data were generated in collaboration with a world-leading research group headed by Prof. Dr. Jörg Distler at the Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany and will be presented as a poster at the 8th Systemic Sclerosis World Congress March 14-16, 2024 in Prague, Czech Republic. The poster is now also available at Cantargia's web page . Title: 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 Session Title: Innovative therapies Session Date and Time: Friday March 15th 1.30-2.30 pm and Saturday March 16th 1-2 pm Poster Number: 317 This information is information that Cantargia is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 2024-03-14 17:31 CET. About Cantargia Cantargia AB (publ), reg. no. 556791-6019, is a biotechnology company that develops antibody-based treatments for life-threatening diseases and has established a platform based on the protein IL1RAP, involved in a number of cancer forms and inflammatory diseases. The main program, the antibody nadunolimab (CAN04), is being studied clinically primarily in combination with chemotherapy with a focus on pancreatic cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and triple-negative breast cancer. Positive interim data for the combinations indicate stronger efficacy than would be expected from chemotherapy alone. Cantargia's second development program, the antibody CAN10, blocks signaling via IL1RAP in a different manner than nadunolimab and addresses treatment of serious autoimmune/inflammatory diseases, with initial focus on systemic sclerosis and myocarditis. Cantargia is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (ticker: CANTA). More information about Cantargia is available at . About CAN10 The CAN10 antibody binds strongly to its target IL1RAP and has a unique capability to simultaneously inhibit signaling via IL-1, IL-33 and IL-36. Inhibition of these signals can be of significant value in the treatment of several inflammatory or autoimmune diseases. The initial focus of CAN10 will be on two severe diseases: myocarditis and systemic sclerosis. In preclinical in vivo models of myocarditis, a CAN10 surrogate antibody significantly reduced the development of inflammation and fibrosis, and significantly counteracted the deterioration of the cardiac function. The CAN10 surrogate also inhibited disease development in models of systemic sclerosis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, atherosclerosis and peritonitis. A clinical phase I study, investigating CAN10 in healthy volunteers and psoriasis patients, is ongoing. Up to 80 subjects may be included in the trial, the first clinical data set shows good safety. Additional data from the trial are expected continuously during 2024. Attachments Cantargia presents new human data further supporting CAN10 in the treatment of systemic sclerosis SOURCE: Cantargia View the original press release on accesswire.com

LUND, SE / ACCESSWIRE / March 05, 2024 / Cantargia (STO:CANTA) (Cantargia AB; Nasdaq Stockholm: CANTA) today reported new preclinical data highlighting how nadunolimab, an IL1RAP-targeting antibody currently in phase II clinical development, may induce antitumor activity in pancreatic cancer by blocking fibrosis. The data will be presented as a poster at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2024 in San Diego and were generated in a collaboration with Nordic Bioscience A/S and the group of Dr. Marcus Järås at Lund University. "These new data are really promising and strengthen our confidence of nadunolimab as future therapy for pancreatic cancer" said Göran Forsberg, CEO of Cantargia. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal disease with poor survival prognosis. Nadunolimab is currently in phase II clinical development in first line PDAC and has shown pronounced effects including a much longer survival than expected from historical controls. One factor that significantly contributes to the poor treatment response in PDAC is the high abundance of tumor-supporting stroma, driven by the excessive activity of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). The new data now show that in pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts, interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha) and IL-1beta both induce formation of type III collagen (as measured by PRO-C3), a biomarker which has been found to correlate with poor survival in PDAC. Similarly, formation of type III collagen could also be induced by pancreatic cancer cells when co-cultured with pancreatic CAFs. Notably, addition of nadunolimab to the in vitro co-cultures potently blocked the induction of type III collagen formation. Thus, the new data strengthen the role of IL-1alpha and IL-1beta in pancreatic tumor fibrosis and highlight the potential for nadunolimab to counter the detrimental, fibrotic microenvironment in PDAC tumors. "One of the clinical challenges in treating pancreatic cancer relates to the tumor promoting fibrosis, a hallmark of this disease. Nadunolimab's ability to block this fibrosis is very promising and gives a strong support to the clinical and translational results we have to date" said David Liberg, CSO of Cantargia. The data was generated in collaboration with Nordic Bioscience A/S and Lund University and will be presented by Dr. Nicholas Willumsen from Nordic Bioscience at the AACR Annual Meeting April 5-10 in San Diego, California. The abstract has now been published on the conference website (link). Title: ILRAP blockade mediates anti-fibrotic effects in pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts Session Title: The Tumor Microenvironment as a Drug Target Session Date and Time: Monday Apr 8, 2024 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM Published Abstract Number: 2895 After the conference, the poster will be available at Cantargia's web page (link). About Cantargia Cantargia AB (publ), reg. no. 556791-6019, is a biotechnology company that develops antibody-based treatments for life-threatening diseases and has established a platform based on the protein IL1RAP, involved in a number of cancer forms and inflammatory diseases. The main program, the antibody nadunolimab (CAN04), is being studied clinically primarily in combination with chemotherapy with a focus on pancreatic cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and triple-negative breast cancer. Positive interim data for the combinations indicate stronger efficacy than would be expected from chemotherapy alone. Cantargia's second development program, the antibody CAN10, blocks signaling via IL1RAP in a different manner than nadunolimab and addresses treatment of serious autoimmune/inflammatory diseases, with initial focus on systemic sclerosis and myocarditis. Cantargia is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (ticker: CANTA). More information about Cantargia is available at . About nadunolimab (CAN04) The antibody nadunolimab binds strongly to its target IL1RAP and functions by inducing ADCC and blocking IL-1alpha and IL-1beta signaling. Nadunolimab can thereby counteract the IL-1 system which contributes to the immune suppressive tumor microenvironment and development of resistance to chemotherapy. Nadunolimab is investigated in multiple clinical trials; the phase I/IIa trial CANFOUR, NCT03267316, evaluates nadunolimab in combination with standard chemotherapies in patients with PDAC (gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel) or NSCLC (platinum-based chemotherapies). Positive interim data show durable responses for the combination therapy in 73 PDAC patients, resulting in median iPFS of 7.2 months and median OS of 13.2 months. An even higher median OS of 14.2 months was observed in a subgroup of patients with high tumor levels of IL1RAP. Strong efficacy was also observed in 30 NSCLC patients with median PFS of 7.0 months and a response rate of 53%; even higher responses were observed in non-squamous NSCLC patients. Early efficacy data from the phase Ib/II trial TRIFOUR, NCT05181462, also shows signs of promising efficacy in TNBC with a 60% response rate for nadunolimab combined with carboplatin/gemcitabine. Nadunolimab is also investigated with chemotherapy in the clinical trials CAPAFOUR, NCT04990037, and CESTAFOUR, NCT05116891, and with the checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab in the CIRIFOUR trial, NCT04452214. Attachments Cantargia reports new preclinical data on antitumor effects of nadunolimab in pancreatic cancer SOURCE: Cantargia View the original press release on accesswire.com

LUND, SWEDEN / ACCESSWIRE / February 22, 2024 / Cantargia (STO:CANTA) Cantargia (Cantargia AB (publ); Nasdaq Stockholm: CANTA) today announced its interim report for the fourth quarter and year-end 2023. "During 2023, Cantargia made important progress, despite the year being challenging from a global perspective. Our new results with nadunolimab have generated great interest and we expect a continued exciting news flow going forward. CAN10 also achieved significant milestones when the first individuals started treatment followed by the first clinical results", said Göran Forsberg, CEO of Cantargia. Significant events in the fourth quarter Positive signals of efficacy and favorable safety were presented for nadunolimab in combination with chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). New preclinical data providing further support for Cantargia's clinical projects in both cancer and cardiovascular disease was presented. The decision by the European Patent Office, EPO, that Cantargia's patent, covering IL1RAP-binding antibodies with specific functional properties, would remain in force was appealed by a third party. The appeal was subsequently withdrawn. A directed share issue was completed of approximately SEK 60 M before deduction of transaction costs, implying a prolonged runway into 2025. Significant events after the end of the period The first results from the ongoing phase I clinical trial of CAN10 shows that the antibody binds to the target, IL1RAP, without any safety concerns. The study progresses according to plans. New clinical and preclinical results show that nadunolimab can reduce neuropathy, a serious side effect of chemotherapy and so-called antibody drug conjugates (ADC). Regulatory approval was obtained in the US to initiate the phase IIb trial of nadunolimab in pancreatic cancer. Financial information January - December 2023 Net sales: SEK 0.0 M (0.0) Operating loss: SEK -290.0 M (-381.5) Loss after tax: SEK -280.0 M (-371.8) Loss per share: before and after dilution, SEK -1.65 (-2.90) Equity/assets ratio: 75 (82) per cent Total available funds: SEK 194.7 M (426.7) Fourth quarter 2023 Net sales: SEK 0.0 M (0.0) Operating loss: SEK -71.1 M (-89.7) Loss after tax: SEK -71.3 M (-90.6) Loss per share: before and after dilution, SEK -0.40 (-0.54) In conjunction to the report, Cantargia invites investors, analysts, and media to an audiocast with teleconference (in English) on February 22, at 3:00 p.m. CET, where Cantargia's CEO, Göran Forsberg, and CFO, Patrik Renblad, will present Cantargia and comment on the year-end report, followed by a Q&A-session. If you wish to participate via webcast, please use the link below. Via the webcast you will be able to ask written questions. Webcast: If you wish to participate via teleconference, please register on the link below. After registration you will be provided phone numbers and a conference ID to access the conference. You can ask questions verbally via the teleconference: The webcast will also be available on demand on Cantargia's corporate website: . About Cantargia Cantargia AB (publ), reg. no. 556791-6019, is a biotechnology company that develops antibody-based treatments for life-threatening diseases and has established a platform based on the protein IL1RAP, involved in a number of cancer forms and inflammatory diseases. The main program, the antibody nadunolimab (CAN04), is being studied clinically primarily in combination with chemotherapy with a focus on pancreatic cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and triple-negative breast cancer. Positive interim data for the combinations indicate stronger efficacy than would be expected from chemotherapy alone. Cantargia's second development program, the antibody CAN10, blocks signaling via IL1RAP in a different manner than nadunolimab and addresses treatment of serious autoimmune/inflammatory diseases, with initial focus on systemic sclerosis and myocarditis. Cantargia is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (ticker: CANTA). More information about Cantargia is available at . Attachments Cantargia Year End Report 2023 SOURCE: Cantargia View the original press release on accesswire.com