Drug candidates

Bexmarilimab

Igniting the immune system

Bexmarilimab is a first-in-class anti-Clever-1 antibody and one of the most advanced myeloid cell-targeting immunotherapy candidates in clinical development. Macrophage re-programming is an emerging field of immunotherapy that is gaining scientific and clinical validation. We believe bexmarilimab is the best-in-class molecule in the field of macrophage re-programming.

Clever-1 is an immunosuppressive receptor found on macrophages leading to tumor growth and metastases (i.e., it helps cancer to evade the immune system), and a novel immune checkpoint target for drug development.

Discovered by Faron and wholly owned, this investigational immunotherapy is designed to overcome resistance to existing treatments and optimize clinical outcomes, by targeting myeloid cell function, removing immunosuppression and igniting the immune system against cancer.

In combination with standard-of-care, and in both solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, bexmarilimab may improve the efficacy of current cancer treatments and bring the promise of immunotherapy to a broader population.

Priming the tumor microenvironment

Bexmarilimab primes the tumor microenvironment for optimal antitumor immune responses (i.e., to enhance the clinical benefit of concomitant therapies). Clinical data from the Company’s trials of bexmarilimab show increased immune activation as measured by the proinflammatory cytokines, such as interferons (IFNs), supporting potential combinations with standard of care, such as checkpoint inhibitors, which require an IFN response to work.

A broad development program is underway investigating its potential in both hematological malignancies and solid tumors.

Unique mode of action

By targeting the Clever-1 receptor on macrophages, bexmarilimab alters the tumor microenvironment, reprogramming tumor associated macrophages from an immunosuppressive (M2) state to an immunostimulatory (M1) one, upregulating IFN production and antigen presentation, priming the immune system to recognize and attack tumors making cancer cells susceptible to standard of care.

• In solid tumors, the result is increased antigen presentation, secretion of proinflammatory cytokines such as IFN-gamma (which is critical for both innate and adaptive immunity), and activation of T cells, converting nonresponsive ‘cold’ tumors into responsive ‘hot’ tumors.
• In hematological malignancies Clever-1 is not expressed on only on monocytes and macrophages, it is also expressed on the leukemic cancer cells (blasts) themselves. Blasts are a young form of macrophages in the path of becoming an adult, fully differentiated cells, which develop abnormally and cannot be controlled, allowing cancer to spread. This provides bexmarilimab with a dual mode of action, activating an immune response by targeting the monocytes and, at the same time, targeting the leukemic cancer cells themselves, to reduce their metabolic fitness, limit their viability and increase their sensitization to standard therapies.