NextCure Inc.

• NextCure Inc.
• NA

NXTC

We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering and developing novel, first-in-class immunomedicines to treat cancer and other immune-related diseases by restoring normal immune function. We view the immune system holistically and, rather than target one specific immune cell type, we focus on understanding biological pathways, the interactions of cells and the role each interaction plays in an immune response. Through our proprietary Functional, Integrated, NextCure Discovery in Immuno-Oncology, or FIND-IO, platform, we study various immune cells to discover and understand targets and structural components of immune cells and their functional impact in order to develop immunomedicines.

We are focused on patients who do not respond to current therapies, patients whose cancer progresses despite treatment and patients with cancer types not adequately addressed by available therapies. We are committed to discovering and developing first-in-class immunomedicines, which are immunomedicines that use new or unique mechanisms of action to treat a medical condition, for these patients. Our lead product candidate, NC318, is a first-in-class immunomedicine against a novel immunomodulatory receptor called Siglec-15, or S15. In October 2018, we initiated a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of NC318 in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors. We expect completion of the Phase 1 portion of this trial in the fourth quarter of 2019 and completion of the Phase 2 portion in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Our second product candidate, NC410, is a novel immunomedicine designed to block immune suppression mediated by an immune modulator called Leukocyte-Associated Immunoglobulin-like Receptor 1, or LAIR-1. We expect to submit an investigational new drug application, or IND, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, for NC410 in the first quarter of 2020.

Our approach to identifying targets for new immunomedicines is based on our FIND-IO platform. FIND-IO embodies a rational approach to the discovery of novel cell surface and secretory molecules that drive functional immune responses. We use our immunology knowledge, experience, capabilities and tools we have developed, including our FIND-IO platform, to support our discovery efforts. We are working to discover novel targets that play a key role in mediating immune dysfunctions that allow tumors to evade the immune system.

We are seeking to identify and develop immunomedicines that counteract these outcomes and to further validate and advance our product candidates. We have identified multiple novel targets using our FIND-IO platform, including those for which certain of our research programs are being designed to target. In addition, the immunosuppressive properties of S15, the target of NC318, were discovered using a predecessor of our FIND-IO platform.

NC318, our lead immunomedicine program, is a monoclonal antibody targeting S15, which is expressed on highly immunosuppressive cells called M2 macrophages and on tumor cells. The immunosuppressive properties of S15 were discovered in 2015 at Yale University by our scientific founder Dr. Lieping Chen. Dr. Chen was also the first to discover a molecule he called B7-H1, which is now more widely known as PD-L1, or programmed cell death protein ligand 1, which is the ligand for PD-1, or programmed cell death 1. In preclinical research, we and others have observed that S15 promotes suppression of T cell proliferation and negatively regulates T cell function. NC318 is designed to block this S15-mediated immune suppression and restore T cell function and anti-tumor immunity in the tumor microenvironment, or TME, which we believe will reduce and kill tumors. We believe NC318 has the potential to treat multiple cancer indications because S15 is expressed in multiple tumor types and has a unique ability to modulate immune responses in the TME.

In addition, because S15 and PD-L1 expression in tumors generally appear to be non-overlapping, we believe NC318 may be well suited to treat patients who are not responding to PD-1/PD-L1 directed cancer therapies. We are initially evaluating NC318 for the treatment of advanced or metastatic solid tumors, which could include ovarian cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, or HNSCC. 

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