Guangzhou, 18 Jan, 2022 -- LintonPharm Co., Ltd., a China-based biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development of T cell engaging bispecific antibodies for cancer immunotherapy, announces that it has completed the enrollment of stage 1 of the global phase III trial (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04222114). This trial evaluates the safety and efficacy of Catumaxomab, a bispecific monoclonal antibody, in adult patients with advanced Gastric Cancer with Peritoneal Carcinomatosis (GCPC).

Gastric cancer is the 5th most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, with more than 1 million new cases in 2020 ^[1]. Peritoneal carcinomatosis occurs in approximately 70% of gastric cancer patients and it is one of the leading causes of death. Malignant ascites is one of its complications, which indicates unfavorable prognosis ^[2]. There are limited choices of treatments for patient with GCPC. Based upon Catumaxomab’s previous pivotal trial results in Europe, the company is cautiously optimistic about its prospects in GCPC.

About Catumaxomab

Catumaxomab was approved by the European Medicines Agency in 2009 for the treatment of malignant ascites. This bispecific antibody binds to a transmembrane glycoprotein on the tumor cell--the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)--and CD3 on the T cell, and also recruits immune accessory cells through FcγR binding. Catumaxomab destroys tumor cells mainly by engaging T cells. And the involving immune accessory cells have the potential to induce long-term anti-tumor vaccinal effect which has been verified in animal models.

Currently, a global Phase I/III clinical trial for advanced Gastric Cancer with Peritoneal Carcinomatosis (clinicaltrials.gov:NCT04222114) , and a multi-center Phase I/II clinical trial for Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04799847) have been authorized.

About LintonPharm

LintonPharm Co., Ltd. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company committed to developing innovative T cell engaging bispecific antibodies with the goal of turning malignant cancers into manageable and possibly curable diseases. LintonPharm, in collaboration with Lindis Biotech, is developing catumaxomab in clinical stage, with potential application in a broad range of cancers. Meanwhile, new products developed on  a next generation bispecific antibody platform targeted on hematological and solid tumors are in CMC development and expected to submit IND in late 2022. For more information, please visit www.lintonpharm.com/.

Reference

[1].  World Health Organization (WHO). Globocan 2020. Global Cancer Observatory. Accessed January 7, 2021. https://gco.iarc.fr/

[2]. 中国抗癌协会胃癌专业委员会，胃癌腹膜转移防治中国专家共识，中华胃肠外科杂志，5;20:481-490，DOI:10.3760/cma.j.issn.1671-0274.2017.05.001