Apogenix develops innovative immunotherapeutics for the treatment of cancer and viral infections, such as COVID-19. The company has built a promising pipeline of drug candidates that target different tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily-dependent signaling pathways, thereby restoring the immune response against tumors in cancer patients and reducing lymphopenia and inflammatory cell death in patients with viral infections.
Lead immunotherapy candidate asunercept is in clinical development for the treatment of solid tumors, malignant hematological diseases, and COVID-19. It is currently being evaluated in an Apogenix-sponsored clinical phase II trial in patients with COVID-19 disease in Spain and Russia as well as in an investigator initiated trial (IIT) in COVID-19 patients sponsored by the Medical University of Vienna. Asunercept has been shown to prolong overall survival in a phase II trial in recurrent glioblastoma and has demonstrated hematological improvements in a phase I trial in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Asunercept was granted PRIME (PRIority MEdicines) designation by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of glioblastoma.
Apogenix has also developed a proprietary technology platform for the construction of novel TNF superfamily receptor agonists (HERA-ligands) for wide use in oncology. Due to their specific molecular structure, these HERA-ligands have clear advantages over other biotherapeutics, such as antibodies. Apogenix’ HERA-ligands have shown strong anti-tumor efficacy in vitro and in vivo, with a benign safety profile. Apogenix is utilizing its technology platform to develop CD40, CD27, GITR, HVEM, and 4-1BB receptor agonists for cancer immunotherapy.