Corvus Pharmaceuticals Announces New Preclinical Data Highlighting Potential of Soquelitinib to Treat Systemic Sclerosis

Core Insights - Corvus Pharmaceuticals announced new preclinical data supporting the potential of soquelitinib, an ITK inhibitor, for treating immune diseases, particularly systemic sclerosis [1][2] - The data will be presented at ACR Convergence 2024, highlighting the efficacy of soquelitinib in preventing lung damage and inflammation associated with systemic sclerosis [1][5] Company Overview - Corvus Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing ITK inhibition as a novel immunotherapy approach for various cancers and immune diseases [6] - The lead product candidate, soquelitinib, is an investigational oral small molecule drug that selectively inhibits ITK [6][8] Research Findings - Preclinical studies utilized a Fra-2 transgenic mouse model, demonstrating that soquelitinib treatment resulted in significant reductions in lung infiltration and fibrosis, improved clinical scores, and reduced pulmonary hypertension [3][4] - The treatment showed efficacy in a second model of pulmonary fibrosis, confirming its potential benefits in immune-mediated fibrotic diseases [4] Disease Context - Systemic sclerosis, also known as scleroderma, is a rare autoimmune disease affecting approximately 125,000 people in the U.S. and 2.5 million worldwide, leading to significant morbidity and mortality [7] - The disease is characterized by inflammation, fibrosis, and vascular damage, with interstitial lung disease being a major cause of death among patients [7] Clinical Development - Corvus is currently enrolling patients in a Phase 3 trial for soquelitinib in peripheral T cell lymphoma and a Phase 1 trial for atopic dermatitis, indicating a strategic focus on expanding the clinical applications of soquelitinib [2][8]