ChemoCentryx Identifies Novel Orally Administered Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor CCX559 for Next Generation Cancer Treatment

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., June 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ChemoCentryx, Inc., CCXI today announced that it has identified an orally administered checkpoint inhibitor, CCX559, and plans to initiate clinical development in the first half of 2021. Data to be presented on Wednesday, June 24 at 10:35 a.m. ET, during the virtual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), showed that the Company's optimized checkpoint inhibitors led to marked inhibition of the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction and signaling in vitro and potent anti-tumor effects in animal models.

"Our new highly-potent, highly-specific orally administered checkpoint inhibitor furthers the Company's aim to advance novel medications that offer precise modes of action with convenient dosing and favorable safety for patients in need," said Thomas J. Schall, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of ChemoCentryx. "Beyond ease of use, our orally administered small molecule approach provides flexibility in dosing schedules to more specifically fine tune checkpoint inhibition to combat tumors and avoid side effects. We believe this approach may more effectively penetrate the tumor microenvironment as well, allowing us to target certain cancers that antibodies can't reach. Finally, we see potential for CCX559 as both a monotherapy or as a complement to antibody therapy regimens. We plan to advance CCX559 into clinical development in the first half of 2021, furthering our long-term goal of becoming a fully-integrated pharmaceutical company, driving revenue and re-investing in our pipeline."

The PD-1/PD-L1 pathway protects tumor cells from the immune system's cancer-fighting activity. Inhibition of PD-L1 has the potential to prevent PD-1 binding to PD-L1, thereby exposing tumor cells to the full force of the immune system's anti-tumor response.

ChemoCentryx optimized several small molecule PD-L1 inhibitors it designed to disrupt the interaction of PD-1 with PD-L1. Active compounds were found to be highly potent in several functional cell-based assays, a mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) assays, and by human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-mediated tumor cell killing assessments. Potential clinical candidate compounds were selected for potency and oral bioavailability and were evaluated in vivo using murine tumor models. Assessment of the tumor microenvironment demonstrated that the lead compounds almost completely blocked the interaction of PD-L1 on tumor cells with PD-1 on immune effector cells, thus enhancing the immune responses against tumor. Importantly, the in vivo anti-tumor effects of ChemoCentryx's small molecules were consistently as good or better than the antibody therapeutics to the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in these models.

To view the full abstract and AACR presentation information, visit: https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/9045/presentation/5435.

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's lead drug candidate, avacopan (CCX168), successfully completed a pivotal Phase III trial in ANCA-associated vasculitis.

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

Forward-Looking Statements
ChemoCentryx cautions that statements included in this press release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements. Words such as "may," "could," "will," "would," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend," "predict," "seek," "contemplate," "potential," "continue" or "project" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include the Company's statements regarding the achievement of anticipated goals and milestones, whether CCX559 will enter clinical development in the first half of 2021 and whether the Company's drug candidates will be shown to be effective in ongoing or future clinical trials. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by ChemoCentryx that any of its plans will be achieved. Actual results may differ from those set forth in this release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in the ChemoCentryx business and other risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").  Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and ChemoCentryx undertakes no obligation to revise or update this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. Further information regarding these and other risks is included under the heading "Risk Factors" in ChemoCentryx's periodic reports filed with the SEC, including ChemoCentryx's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 10, 2020 and its other reports which are available from the SEC's website (www.sec.gov) and on ChemoCentryx's website (www.chemocentryx.com) under the heading "Investors." All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This caution is made under the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Contacts:
Susan M. Kanaya
Executive Vice President,
Chief Financial and Administrative Officer
investor@chemocentryx.com

Media:
Stephanie Tomei
408.234.1279
media@chemocentryx.com

Investors:
William Slattery, Jr., Burns McClellan
212.213.0006 
bslattery@burnsmc.com