ChemoCentryx Announces Positive Overall Survival Results with CCR2 Inhibitor CCX872 for Locally Advanced/Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jan. 22, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ChemoCentryx, Inc., (Nasdaq:CCXI), announced today positive overall survival (OS) results from an ongoing Phase Ib clinical trial of the Company's second CCR2 inhibitor - CCX872 - in the treatment of locally advanced/metastatic pancreatic cancer. The study demonstrated OS of 29% at 18 months with CCX872 and FOLFIRINOX combination therapy in all patients treated. The OS rate of 29% in the present study of CCX872 compares favorably with previously published OS rates of 18.6% using FOLFIRINOX alone to treat pancreatic cancer patients with metastatic disease. The findings will be presented during the ASCO-SITC Clinical Immuno-Oncology Symposium, being held January 25-27, 2018 in San Francisco, CA.

"The positive findings from our pancreatic cancer trial demonstrate that improved patient survival could result from selectively inhibiting CCR2 with CCX872, thereby blocking the immune-suppressing cells that CCR2 maintains in the tumor environment. This is a new approach aimed at liberating the body's own potential for a powerful anti-tumor immune response," said Thomas J. Schall, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of ChemoCentryx. "These data support CCX872 as a very promising, novel immunotherapeutic approach to treating this deadly form of cancer. Building on these highly encouraging results, we look forward to the opportunity to advance CCX872 in combination with other therapies."

The ongoing, Phase Ib, multi-center, open-label clinical trial of CCX872 for advanced pancreatic cancer completed enrollment in March 2016. All patients enrolled in the trial had advanced non-resectable pancreatic cancer (76% of patients having metastatic disease), and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status score of less than or equal to 2. Fifty patients received FOLFIRINOX (fluorouracil [5-FU], leucovorin, irinotecan, oxaliplatin) once every two weeks (maximum 12 cycles) plus daily doses of CCX872 for 12 weeks. Patients showing at least stable disease at the end of the 12-week treatment period were eligible to continue CCX872 treatment until disease progression.

Patients were followed for OS and blood samples were taken at baseline and at intervals throughout the active treatment period for hematologic and flow cytometric analysis of circulating immune cell populations. At 18 months, better OS was associated with lower peripheral blood monocyte counts at baseline. The presentation at ASCO-SITC will be the first publication of OS data at 18 months.

Details for the poster presentation are as follows:

Abstract Title: Overall Survival in a Trial of Orally Administered CCR2 Inhibitor CCX872 in Locally Advanced/Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer: Correlation with Blood Monocyte Counts

Abstract Number: 92

Session Information: Poster Session B, Poster F1

Presentation Date & Time: Friday, January 26, 2018, at 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. PT

Location: San Francisco Marriott Marquis, San Francisco, CA

About CCX872

CCR2 bearing cells are thought to have immunosuppressive behavior and effectively help tumors hide from the body's immune response to tumor cells.

CCR2 is found on subsets of monocytes, macrophages and myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). CCX872 is an orally administered, potent and selective inhibitor of CCR2. Inhibition of CCR2 has been associated with decreased tumor growth in many preclinical solid tumor models including pancreatic cancer, metastatic melanoma, colorectal cancer, breast cancer and other solid tumors.

About Pancreatic Cancer

It is estimated that over 337,000 cases of pancreatic cancer are diagnosed worldwide every year. In the United States, the estimated incidence of pancreatic cancer in 2018 is approximately 55,500 people; prevalence is only negligibly higher owing to the poor survival rates on current therapy. Within five years of diagnosis, 93 percent of patients die from their disease. Current standards of care include chemotherapeutic regimens that have significant toxicities and, in a minority of cases, surgical resection.

About ChemoCentryx

ChemoCentryx is a biopharmaceutical company developing new medications targeted at inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and cancer. ChemoCentryx targets the chemokine and chemoattractant systems to discover, develop and commercialize orally-administered therapies. ChemoCentryx is currently focusing on its late stage drug candidates for patients with rare kidney diseases, avacopan (CCX168) and CCX140.

Avacopan is an orally-administered small molecule that is a selective inhibitor of the complement C5a receptor, or C5aR. Avacopan is in Phase III development for the treatment of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic auto-antibody-associated vasculitis (ANCA Vasculitis). In clinical studies to date, avacopan was shown to be safe, well tolerated and provided effective control of the disease while allowing elimination of high-dose steroids, part of the current standard of care. Avacopan is also being developed in patients with C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted avacopan orphan-drug designation for ANCA Vasculitis, C3G and aHUS. The European Commission has granted orphan medicinal product designation for avacopan for the treatment of two forms of ANCA Vasculitis: microscopic polyangiitis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis (formerly known as Wegener's granulomatosis), as well as for C3G. Avacopan was also granted access to the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) PRIority MEdicines (PRIME) initiative, which supports accelerated assessment of investigational therapies addressing unmet medical need.

The Company's other late stage drug candidate is CCX140, an inhibitor of the chemokine receptor known as CCR2, which is currently being developed for patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a debilitating kidney disease.

ChemoCentryx's Kidney Health Alliance with Vifor Pharma provides Vifor Pharma with exclusive rights to commercialize avacopan and CCX140 in markets outside of the U.S. and China.

ChemoCentryx also has early stage drug candidates that target chemoattractant receptors in other Inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and in cancer.

http://ir.chemocentryx.com/