erus BioSciences(CHRS) Newsfilter·2024-12-18 13:30Core Insights - Coherus BioSciences has initiated a randomized Phase 2 study evaluating the combination of casdozokitug, toripalimab, and bevacizumab in patients with liver cancer, specifically unresectable locally advanced or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) [1][2][3] Company Developments - The Phase 2 study (NCT06679985) aims to assess the safety, efficacy, and dosing of the triplet combination in first-line HCC patients, with an expected enrollment of up to 72 patients [2][3] - Casdozokitug is a first-in-class IL-27 antagonist that has shown promising responses in combination with standard care therapies [2][3] - The upcoming ASCO GI Annual Meeting will feature a poster presentation of final clinical and biomarker data from the Phase 2 trial [1][4] Clinical Data and Efficacy - Previous studies, such as the Phase 3 HEPATORCH study, demonstrated that toripalimab combined with bevacizumab significantly outperformed sorafenib monotherapy, with an objective response rate of 25.3% compared to 6.1% and median overall survival of 20 months versus 14.5 months [3][4] - The combination of toripalimab and bevacizumab was well tolerated, with no new safety signals identified, supporting its use as a first-line treatment option for advanced HCC [3][4] Market Context - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for approximately 90% of primary liver cancers and is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, with an estimated 41,630 new cases and 29,840 deaths in the U.S. in 2024 [4][5] - The treatment landscape for liver cancer is evolving with the introduction of immunotherapy combinations, which are expected to improve outcomes for patients [5]