Scholar Rock presents additional preclinical data on SRK-181-mIgG1

Scholar Rock announced additional data on the mechanism of action of a highly specific inhibitor of TGFbeta1 activation in syngeneic mouse tumor models that emulate clinically-observed primary resistance to checkpoint blockade therapy. Detailed preclinical results are being presented at the American Association for Cancer Research, or AACR, annual meeting. The preclinical data demonstrate that treatment with SRK-181-mIgG1, a highly specific inhibitor of TGFbeta1 activation, in combination with an anti-PD1 immunotherapy, can drive tumor regression or control, resulting in significant survival benefit compared to anti-PD1 monotherapy, the company said. In addition, newly presented immune response data show that combination treatment leads to infiltration and expansion of CD8+ T cells and a reduction of immunosuppressive myeloid cells, suggesting TGFbeta1’s multiple contributions to primary resistance to CBT. “These new preclinical results reinforce our belief that a highly specific inhibitor of TGFbeta1 activation can enable the immune response to overcome a key mechanism of primary resistance to checkpoint blockade therapy, even in tumors that express other TGFbeta isoforms, and could meaningfully expand the number of patients who could benefit from checkpoint blockade therapies. With the recently announced nomination of SRK-181 as the first product candidate in our cancer immunotherapy program, we are eagerly working towards initiating a Phase 1 trial in patients with solid tumors in mid-2020,” said Nagesh Mahanthappa, President and CEO of Scholar Rock.
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