Crescendo widens pivotal solid tumour therapy trial

The CB307 study expansion involves the addition of a new pembrolizumab combination cohort

Crescendo Biologics, a company focused on T cell-enhancing therapies, has revealed that it plans to boost its continuing phase 1b clinical trial of its CB307 treatment candidate.

This expansion will unfold through the addition of a new pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1) combination cohort.

The monotherapy expansion cohort is currently taking place among those particular individuals with PSMA+ metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in a ‘last-line’ setting. Meanwhile, the additional pembrolizumab combination expansion cohort is due to commence later this year.

The financing of projects – some $32m – has been generated through all major existing shareholders. These funders include Takeda, Andera Partners, Sofinnova Partners, IP Group BioNTech, Quan Capital and a new investor, Kreos Capital.

Sonia Benhamida, principal at Kreos Capital, was optimistic about the expanded trial: “We have been very impressed with the Crescendo team, and the power and potential of the Humabody VH platform is evident across their proprietary and partnered programmes.”

She added: “Our investment model is ideally suited to Crescendo’s needs at this time, and we are pleased to partner with the Crescendo management team and to enable the acceleration and execution of the expanded clinical plan for CB307.”

Theodora Harold, chief executive officer at Crescendo Biologics, explained: “Preclinical data generated by Crescendo, such as those recently presented at AACR in Orlando, as well as clinical data presented by others earlier this year, illustrate the profound effect that adding PD-1 antagonism can have to the co-stimulation of T cells, including via CD137 agonism.”

She concluded: “We are very excited to further investigate the activity of the combination of CB307 plus pembrolizumab in our clinical study and would like to thank everyone involved in the trial and our existing investors for their ongoing support as well as the team at Kreos Capital for joining us and sharing our vision.”