LEXINGTON, Mass., May 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Curis, Inc. CRIS, a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative and effective therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation for the development of fimepinostat (CUDC-907) in patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy. Previously reported results from Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical studies demonstrated that treatment with fimepinostat resulted in a complete or partial response in one out of every four patients with R/R DLBCL with MYC alterations. The median duration of response for all responding patients in these studies was over one year. 

"We are pleased with this Fast Track designation, which will enable us to accelerate and efficiently develop fimepinostat for patients with R/R DLBCL, especially patients whose tumors have MYC alterations," said Ali Fattaey, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Curis. "R/R DLBCL with MYC alterations is a significant unmet clinical need and patients with this disease have a very poor prognosis. We are encouraged by the FDA's recognition of the underserved patient population, as well as the potential durable benefit that fimepinostat can provide for these patients to become a new precision oncology therapy. We expect to re-initiate enrollment as part of a pivotal study to assess fimepinostat efficacy in this patient population this year. As we work toward the start of this study, we are also continuing to lay the groundwork for potential registration of fimepinostat, which involves coordination with commercial product manufacturers as well as a potential diagnostic test."

The FDA Fast Track process is designed to facilitate the development and expedite review of drugs used to treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need. Fast Track designation provides the company with early and more frequent meetings and written communications with the FDA regarding fimepinostat's development plan, trial design and data collection to support the drug's approval. Fast Track designation also provides eligibility for Accelerated Approval and Priority Review, given the appropriate criteria are met, as well as Rolling Review with regards to the submission of the completed sections of the NDA for review by the FDA.

About Curis, Inc. 

Curis is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative and effective drug candidates for the treatment of human cancers, including fimepinostat (CUDC-907), which is being investigated in clinical studies in patients with lymphomas and solid tumors. Curis is also engaged in a collaboration with Aurigene in the areas of immuno-oncology and precision oncology. As part of this collaboration, Curis has exclusive licenses to oral small molecule dual antagonists of PD1 and VISTA, including PDL1/VISTA antagonist CA-170, and oral small molecule dual antagonists of PD1 and TIM3, including PDL1/TIM3 antagonist CA-327, as well as to molecules designed to inhibit the IRAK4 kinase, including CA-4948. CA-170 is currently undergoing testing in a Phase 1 trial in patients with advanced solid tumors and lymphomas and in a Phase 2 trial in India conducted by Aurigene. CA-4948 is currently undergoing testing in a Phase 1 trial in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Curis is also party to a collaboration with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, under which Genentech and Roche are commercializing Erivedge® for the treatment of advanced basal cell carcinoma. For more information, visit Curis's website at www.curis.com.

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SOURCE Curis, Inc.