NEW YORK – NextPoint Therapeutics on Thursday said it is advancing investigational new drug application-enabling studies of a T-cell engager, NPX372, to gauge its potential as a treatment for cancers expressing the immunomodulatory receptor B7-H7, or HHLA2.
B7-H7 is upregulated in a number of solid tumors, including colorectal, non-small cell lung, kidney, and prostate cancers, independent of other receptors in the B7 family such as PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4. Similar to these other targets, B7-H7 is an immune checkpoint that mediates tumor immune system escape by inhibiting activation of key pathways.
At the same time, Cambridge, Massachusetts-headquartered NextPoint is developing an immunohistochemistry assay for B7-H7 expression to select patients likely to benefit from NPX372 in clinical studies. The firm is exploring other biomarker strategies as well to further define the optimal patient population.
NPX372 will be NextPoint's third B7-H7-targeted investigational drug to enter clinical development. In August 2023, it launched a Phase I trial of another B7-H7-targeted monoclonal antibody, NPX267. And in February, the firm began a Phase I trial of its B7-H7-targeted monoclonal antibody NPX887 in B7-H7-expressing solid tumors.
"As part of our ongoing immune checkpoint clinical programs, NPX267 and NPX887, we have developed a clinical biomarker for B7-H7 expression, which allows us to selectively target patients across various tumor types who may benefit from a potent T-cell engager such as NPX372," NextPoint CEO Ivan Cheung said in a statement.