Cantargia develops antibody-based pharmaceuticals against interleukin-1 receptor accessory protein (IL1RAP). The antibody CAN04 binds IL1RAP with high affinity and functions through both Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity (ADCC) and blockade of IL-1 signaling. A new phase Ib clinical trial investigates CAN04 in combination with pembrolizumab which targets PD-1 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04452214(https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03267316)). A second ongoing trial investigates CAN04 in combination with two different chemotherapy regimens.

The first patient has now been dosed with CAN04 in combination with pembrolizumab, the latter a standard immune therapy for several different cancer forms. The trial will be performed at three different centres in the US with the goal to investigate this combination in up to 18 patients with non-small cell lung cancer, head and neck cancer, bladder cancer or malignant melanoma who progressed on previous therapy with pembrolizumab. Recruitment timelines are estimated to be 9-12 months.

In addition to exploring CAN04 in the context of cancer progression after pembrolizumab therapy, the data generated will be used to potentially expand the use of CAN04. The results from this trial, together with the data generated on CAN04 in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy, will be the basis for studies of CAN04 in combination with pembrolizumab and chemotherapy.

Immune therapy has now become a cornerstone in the treatment of many types of cancer and we are very pleased to start the clinical investigation of CAN04 in that setting. This trial is the starting point to explore the opportunities for new groups of patients to receive CAN04, says Göran Forsberg, CEO of Cantargia.

Patients progressing on PD-1 based therapies still have very few useful immune therapy treatment options. The concept of counteracting immune suppressive signals to allow additional beneficial treatment with immune therapy beyond the PD-1/PDL-1 antibodies is very appealing. I look forward to taking part in this trial investigating the addition of one of these novel immune therapeutics to pembrolizumab says Prof Roger Cohen, coordinating investigator at Abramson Cancer Center and the Perelman School of