Corbus Pharmaceuticals presents results on CRB-601 at 2023 SITC meeting

Corbus Pharmaceuticals announced that results from two pre-clinical studies on its CRB-601 anti-aVb8 integrin monoclonal antibody were presented as posters at the 38th Annual Meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, SITC, being held in San Diego, CA November 1-5, 2023. In a study titled “CRB-601, an integrin alphavbeta8 blocking antibody entering Phase I: pre-clinical and translational biomarkers for indication selection” (Vaishali Shinde, et al), researchers evaluated the anti-tumor activity, immunological changes and biomarkers of response of CRB-601 in pre-clinical mouse models. Results showed: CRB-601 demonstrated immunomodulatory effects as reflected in changes in cytotoxic CD8+ T cell population and gene expression in the TME. Integrin avbeta8 blockade led to modulation in TGFbeta pathway related genes and downregulation of pathway biomarker pSMAD2. Corbus’s proprietary avbeta8 IHC assay enables understanding of the prevalence and expression pattern of the avbeta8 in human tumors. Understanding gene and protein expression levels for various solid tumors may enable rational indication and patient selection. A second study titled CRB-601, a selective integrin alphavbeta8-blocking antibody, prevents TGFbeta activation, promotes immune cell remodeling, and exhibits potent antitumor activity, researchers assessed the tumor growth inhibition of CRB-601+/- anti PD-1 in three tumor models. Results showed: CRB-601 advances immunotherapeutic strategies by antagonizing integrin alphavbeta8, enhancing the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in vivo. The synergistic administration of CRB-601 with anti-PD-1 agents significantly enhances tumor-specific cytotoxic T-cell responses, suggesting an enriched T-cell precursor population. Concurrently, a noticeable reduction in PMNs count is observed, indicating a transition towards a less immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. This favorable shift is further strengthened by the elevated IFNgamma activity observed, which signals enhanced anti-tumor activity mediated by immune cells, showcasing a promising therapeutic synergy for improved cancer treatment outcomes.