Elpiscience Biopharmaceuticals, a China-based biopharmaceutical company, has announced that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase I clinical trial in Australia for its pipeline candidate, ES009. This investigational drug is an anti-LILRB2 (ILT4) monoclonal antibody developed to target cancers, marking a significant step in the company’s oncology research and development efforts.
ES009: Targeting Immune Suppression in Cancer
LILRB2 is a protein expressed on the surface of myeloid cells, which plays a role in immune suppression within the tumor microenvironment (TME). ES009 is designed to bind to a unique epitope on LILRB2, blocking its interaction with multiple ligands. This mechanism reprograms myeloid cells from an anti-inflammatory phenotype to a pro-inflammatory phenotype, thereby stimulating T cells to target and attack cancer cells.
Phase I Study Design and Objectives
Following a strong performance in preclinical testing, the Phase I study will assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD), and preliminary clinical activity of ES009. This trial is crucial for understanding the drug’s behavior in human subjects and determining its potential efficacy in treating cancer patients.-Fineline Info & Tech
