Media
2023 Angel Pharmaceuticals Year in Review
As we bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, let us follow our editor to look back at the Angel Pharmaceuticals news highlights published throughout the Year of the Rabbit:
Mupadolimab (CPI-006), the world's only CD73 antibody with B-cell immune-stimulating function, successfully completed dosing of the first Chinese patient in February 2023. Clinical trials are currently underway in combination with pembrolizumab for non-small cell lung cancer and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Soquelitinib (CPI-818), the world's first ITK inhibitor, has made smooth progress in its Phase Ib clinical trial, with interim clinical data released and fruitful results from indication expansion studies.
In April 2023, at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, Angel Pharmaceuticals, together with the Department of Lymphoma at Peking University Cancer Hospital and Corvus Pharmaceuticals, jointly presented translational research findings on CPI-818. Related reading: [Angel Pharmaceuticals Presents Latest Translational Research Findings on CPI-818 (ITK Inhibitor) at the 2023 AACR Annual Meeting]
From June 13 to 17, 2023, at the 17th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma (17-ICML 2023) held in Lugano, Switzerland, the company, together with Corvus Pharmaceuticals, presented the latest Phase I/Ib clinical data on CPI-818. Related reading: [Angel Pharmaceuticals Presents Latest Research Findings from CPI-818 Clinical Trial at the 17th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma (ICML) 2023]
From December 9 to 12, 2023, at the 65th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting (ASH 2023) held in San Diego, California, USA, Angel Pharmaceuticals presented the latest data from the CPI-818 Phase I/Ib clinical trial. Related reading: [[2023 ASH] Angel Pharmaceuticals Successfully Presents Latest Data from Phase I/Ib Clinical Trial of Soquelitinib (ITK Inhibitor)]
About Angel Pharmaceuticals
Angel Pharmaceuticals is an innovative drug company dedicated to oncology and autoimmune diseases. With the mission of benefiting Chinese patients, Angel is committed to bringing globally top-tier innovative drugs for serious diseases such as cancer and autoimmune disorders to China. In October 2020, Angel Pharmaceuticals completed its Series A financing round, co-invested by Beta Fund, Hisun Pharmaceuticals, Tigermed, and Puhua Investment, and established a strategic partnership with Corvus Pharmaceuticals (CRVS) of the U.S. For more information, please visit www.angelpharma.com.
About Soquelitinib
Soquelitinib (CPI-818) is an investigational oral small-molecule drug that selectively inhibits ITK (interleukin-2-inducible T-cell kinase) in clinical studies. ITK is an enzyme expressed primarily on T cells and plays a role in T-cell and natural killer (NK) cell lymphomas and leukemias, as well as in normal immune function. The immune effects mediated by soquelitinib result in Th1 skewing, and this effect is attributable to the high selectivity of soquelitinib for ITK. Studies on the mechanism of action of soquelitinib have shown its potential to control the differentiation of normal T helper cells and enhance immune responses by increasing the production of cytotoxic killer T cells and inhibiting the production of cytokines that support cancer cell survival. Soquelitinib has also been shown to prevent T-cell exhaustion, a major limitation of current immunotherapies and CAR-T therapies. It has been demonstrated that the optimal dose of soquelitinib can influence T-cell differentiation, induce the production of Th1 helper cells, while blocking the development of Th2 and Th17 cells and the production of Th2-related cytokines. Th1 T cells are essential for tumor immunity, viral infections, and other infectious diseases. Th2 and Th17 helper T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of many autoimmune and allergic diseases. Angel Pharmaceuticals believes that inhibiting this specific molecular target in T cells may have therapeutic benefits for patients with cancers, including solid tumors, as well as those with autoimmune and allergic diseases. This is based on interim results from a Phase I/Ib clinical trial in patients with refractory T-cell lymphomas, which has demonstrated efficacy in a very advanced, relapsed/refractory T-cell malignancy population.
About Mupadolimab
Mupadolimab is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting CD73 with a unique mechanism that activates B cells to generate immune responses against tumor antigens and viruses. In preclinical studies, it has demonstrated immunomodulatory activity leading to lymphocyte activation, induction of antibody production by B cells, and effects on lymphocyte trafficking. Compared to other anti-CD73 antibodies and small-molecule drugs under development, Mupadolimab can stimulate B cells while blocking the production of immunosuppressive adenosine. B-cell activation may enhance immune responses within the tumor microenvironment, thereby improving clinical outcomes. Outside of China, the Phase 1/1b clinical trial of Mupadolimab in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors has been completed.
