Anti-BTN1A1 antibody therapy is emerging as a new treatment option in the immune checkpoint inhibitor market, according to research published in the official journal of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) in the United States. The study focuses on the BTN1A1 inhibitor Nelmastobat (hSTC810).
On the 18th, STCube, a company developing immune checkpoint inhibitors, announced that research results on Nelmastobat and its target protein BTN1A1 were published in the SCI-level international journal Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC). JITC is the official journal of SITC, the world’s leading authority in the field of immuno-oncology, composed of over 4,600 researchers and physicians from 63 countries worldwide.
The paper, authored solely by STCube Research Institute (STCube Pharmaceuticals), consolidates previous studies on immune checkpoint inhibition therapy targeting BTN1A1.
This paper elucidates the characteristics of the novel immune checkpoint protein BTN1A1 and reveals its correlation with PD-L1, which currently holds the largest share in the immune checkpoint inhibitor market. It also demonstrates the anticancer therapeutic effects of Nelmastobat, an immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting BTN1A1.
The STCube research team stated, “This JITC paper represents an authoritative international evaluation of existing research on anti-BTN1A1 immunotherapy,” adding, “It is an important publication that can be recognized as objective data in the global new drug development market.”
They continued, “Although existing immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4 have significantly contributed to cancer treatment, only about 20% of patients respond to these therapies, and the long-term response rate is low. Additionally, immune-related adverse effects remain challenges to be addressed. The discovery of an additional immune checkpoint, BTN1A1, and the development of BTN1A1 inhibitors will serve as a major milestone to address the unmet medical needs of existing immuno-oncology therapies.”
Furthermore, they said, “All BTN1A1-related research outcomes currently in preparation will be evaluated by prestigious international journals, and we look forward to forthcoming clinical research publications.”
BTN1A1 is a substance that suppresses immune cell activation. It is strongly detected in various solid tumor tissues and is expressed mutually exclusively with PD-L1. Anti-BTN1A1 immunotherapy, which blocks BTN1A1, holds significant meaning as a new treatment alternative for patients who do not respond to existing anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 therapies.
Currently, STCube is conducting a Phase 1b/2 clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of a combination therapy of paclitaxel and Nelmastobat in patients with recurrent or refractory extensive-stage small cell lung cancer. Additionally, investigator-initiated clinical trials are underway to assess the efficacy and safety of a combination therapy of capecitabine and Nelmastobat in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who have failed prior treatments or are untreatable.
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