Corvus Pharmaceuticals Announces New Data Highlighting Potential of Ciforadenant to Overcome Immunotherapy Resistance in Metastatic Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer

Core Insights - Corvus Pharmaceuticals announced new data indicating that ciforadenant, an adenosine A2A receptor antagonist, may help overcome resistance to anti-PD1 immunotherapy in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) [1][3] Group 1: Research Findings - The data was presented at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 39th Annual Meeting, highlighting the role of myeloid cells and the adenosine gene signature in mCRPC [2][4] - SPP1+ myeloid cells were identified as critical mediators of resistance to immunotherapy, with increased prevalence in mCRPC patients compared to those with earlier-stage prostate cancer [4][6] - Ciforadenant treatment in a murine model showed reduced immunosuppression and enhanced sensitivity to anti-PD1 therapy, along with decreased SPP1+ macrophage infiltration in tumors [6] Group 2: Clinical Trial Data - The Phase 1b/2 clinical trial of ciforadenant included 35 patients with advanced mCRPC, with 11 receiving ciforadenant as monotherapy and 24 receiving it in combination with atezolizumab [6] - Among those receiving combination therapy, 5 out of 24 (21%) exhibited PSA partial responses (PSA reductions >30%), compared to 1 out of 11 (9%) in the monotherapy group [6] Group 3: Company Overview - Corvus Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative immunotherapy approaches for various cancers and immune diseases [7] - The company's lead product candidate, ciforadenant, is designed to block adenosine's immunosuppressive effects in the tumor microenvironment [8]