We are working together to discover innovative cancer therapies.
| Collaborator | Drug Candidate | Disease |
|---|---|---|
 | CA-170 (Oral Small Molecule VISTA/PD-L1 Antagonist) CA-327 (Oral Small Molecule TIM3/PD-L1 Antagonist) | Multiple Cancers |
| CA-4948 (Oral Small Molecule IRAK4 Inhibitor) | Hematologic malignancies |
 | Erivedge® (Hedgehog Pathway Inhibitor) | Basel Cell Carcinoma |
Immunotherapy is one of the most exciting cancer treatment strategies that has recently emerged and is based on employing and activating an individual’s immune system against his or her own tumor. One of these strategies that has demonstrated great clinical benefit relies on targeting inhibitory immune checkpoints and is exemplified by several approved drugs, such as ipilimumab, nivolumab, pembrolizumab and atezolizumab. This approach relies on targeting the inhibitory receptors such as CTLA4 and PD-1 or PD-L1 on the surface of specialized immune cells, including T cells. This immune checkpoint inhibition strategy results in activation of immune cells which in turn build and generate an effective immune response directed at the patient’s tumor. Curis’ collaborator Aurigene is one of the first companies to target inhibitory immune checkpoints using synthetic small molecule compounds that can be administered orally and result in potent immune-mediated anti-tumor activity thus far in the preclinical setting.
In January 2015, Curis entered into a collaboration, license and option agreement with Aurigene for the discovery, development and commercialization of compounds that either (i) target immune-modulating molecular targets (“immuno-oncology”), or (ii) modulate the specific activity of a cellular protein that may be altered in certain human cancers (“precision oncology”). Under the Collaboration, Curis has the option to obtain exclusive, royalty-bearing licenses to Aurigene technology to develop, manufacture and commercialize products containing such compounds.
In the collaboration, Aurigene is primarily responsible for all preclinical activities for each program and will seek to generate at least one development candidate that meets the criteria for advancement into preclinical studies to support the filing of an investigational new drug (IND) application and providing supply of drug candidate(s) for Phase 1 clinical trials.
For each program that Curis exercises its option, Curis obtains an exclusive, royalty-bearing license to develop, manufacture and commercialize compounds from such program, including the development candidate, and products containing such compounds worldwide, with the exception of India and Russia. For each licensed program, Curis is obligated to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop, obtain regulatory approval for, and commercialize at least one product in each of the U.S., specified countries in the European Union, and Japan.
