STOCKHOLM, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cantargia AB today announces new pre-clinical results from the antibody CAN04 (nidanilimab) in combination with platinum-based chemotherapies. Cantargia has previously reported synergistic antitumor effects between and the platinum compound cisplatin and CAN04. The new preclinical results show synergistic antitumor effects in vivo using CAN04 also in combination with carboplatin or oxaliplatin as well as CAN04 combined with the cisplatin and gemcitabine doublet. In all these settings, CAN04 also counteracted the chemotherapy-induced toxicity. CAN04 is currently combined with cisplatin and gemcitabine in a clinical phase IIa study in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Cantargia develops antibody-based pharmaceuticals against the interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein (IL1RAP). The antibody drug candidate CAN04 is investigated in combination with two different chemotherapy regimes in a phase IIa clinical trial (CANFOUR) in patients with NSCLC or pancreatic cancer (www.clinicaltrials.gov). During 2018, Cantargia reported positive effects in preclinical studies when CAN04 was combined with the chemotherapy cisplatin.

Cisplatin is often used in combination with other chemotherapies, such as gemcitabine. In the ongoing phase IIa clinical study, CAN04 is combined with cisplatin and gemcitabine in NSCLC patients with advanced disease who has not previously been treated with chemotherapy. In the new preclinical study, CAN04 increased the efficacy of this combination and counteracted their combined toxicity. The effects were investigated in a NSCLC model in immunodeficient mice.

Cisplatin is part of a family of platinum-based cancer therapies which also includes carboplatin and oxaliplatin. Altogether, these therapies are routinely used in the treatment of a large number of solid tumor forms. Synergistic antitumor effects were also documented in the new studies when combining CAN04 with carboplatin or oxaliplatin in mouse in vivo models of cancer and CAN04 also counteracted toxicity from these agents.

Results from these preclinical studies is planned to be presented at scientific conferences during 2019.

"Platinum-based chemotherapy is a cornerstone in cancer therapy. We are enthused by these positive effects of CAN04 which results in a synergistic increase of the efficacy by platinum-based chemotherapies as well as reduced toxicity. Such a combination is investigated in patients with NSCLC and results are expected early 2020", Göran Forsberg, Cantargia's CEO says.

For further information, please contact

Göran Forsberg, CEO
Telephone: +46 (0)46-275-62-60
E-mail: goran.forsberg@cantargia.com

This is information that Cantargia AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 08.30 CET on 14 May 2019.

About Cantargia

Cantargia AB (publ), reg. no. 556791-6019, is a biotechnology company that develops antibody-based treatments for life-threatening diseases. The basis for this is the protein IL1RAP that is involved in a number of diseases and where Cantargia has established a platform. The main project, the antibody CAN04 (nidanilimab) is being studied in the clinical phase I/IIa CANFOUR with a primary focus on non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer. The study is conducting both monotherapy and combination therapy. Cantargia's other project, CANxx, is in the research phase and is aiming to develop a IL1RAP binding antibody optimised for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Cantargia is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (ticker: CANTA). More information about Cantargia is available at http://www.cantargia.com.

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SOURCE Cantargia AB