Corvus Pharmaceuticals Announces Presentation of Additional Data from the Phase 1/1b Clinical Trial of Soquelitinib for Patients with T Cell Lymphoma

Core Insights - Corvus Pharmaceuticals announced additional data from its Phase 1/1b clinical trial of soquelitinib for T cell lymphoma, showcasing strong anti-tumor activity and encouraging results compared to standard treatments [1][2] Company Overview - Corvus Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing ITK inhibition as a new immunotherapy approach for various cancers and immune diseases [10] - The lead product candidate is soquelitinib, an investigational oral small molecule drug that selectively inhibits ITK [10] Clinical Trial Data - The Phase 1/1b trial enrolled 25 patients, with 23 evaluable patients showing a 39% objective response rate, including a 26% complete response rate [4][6] - The median duration of response was 17.2 months, with a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 6.2 months and an 18-month PFS rate of 30%, significantly better than the <20% rate for standard treatments [6] - Soquelitinib was well-tolerated, with no new safety signals or dose reductions reported [6] Future Trials - A registrational Phase 3 trial is underway for soquelitinib in patients with relapsed Peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL), aiming to enroll 150 patients [4] - The trial will compare soquelitinib against physician's choice of either belinostat or pralatrexate, with the primary endpoint being PFS [4] Mechanism of Action - Soquelitinib is designed to selectively inhibit ITK, which plays a crucial role in T cell immune function, potentially enhancing anti-tumor immunity by reducing T cell exhaustion [9] - The drug has shown the ability to shift T cell differentiation towards Th1 helper cells, which are essential for tumor immunity [9] Industry Context - Peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) accounts for about 10% of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in Western populations, with a high relapse rate and poor outcomes for patients [7] - There are currently no FDA-approved treatments for relapsed PTCL based on randomized trials, highlighting a significant unmet medical need [4][7]