SHANGHAI & SUZHOU, China & GERMANTOWN, Md.– Elpiscience Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Elpiscience”), a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing next-generation cancer immunotherapies, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase 1/2 clinical study, evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and preliminary anti-tumor efficacy of ES104 for the treatment of unresectable locally advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) in China. ES104 is a bispecific antibody that simultaneously blocks the Delta-like ligand 4/Notch (DLL4) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) signaling pathways that are critical to angiogenesis and tumor vascularization.
In prior clinical testing, ES104 demonstrated significant anti-tumor activity in patients who had failed multiple lines of therapy and were considered resistant to currently approved anti-VEGF therapies. Elpiscience received Center of Drug Evaluation (CDE) INC clearance for ES104 in October 2021. ES104 is currently the only clinical-stage bispecific antibody targeting VEGF and DLL4 in China.
“We are excited to initiate this Phase 1/2 clinical study of ES104. In a recent Phase 1 study, ES104 showed single-agent activity in advanced gastric cancer and CRC patients who were considered treatment resistant to anti-VEGF containing regimens,” said Steve Chin, CMO of Elpiscience. “We look forward to the potential therapeutic benefit of ES104 for the treatment of CRC patients in China.”
