SAN DIEGO and SUZHOU, China, Jan 28 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Adagene Inc. (“Adagene”) (Nasdaq: ADAG), a company transforming the discovery and development of novel antibody-based therapies, today announced the first patient has been dosed in a combination cohort of its anti-CD137 agonist, ADG106, with its anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibody (mAb), ADG116, in patients with advanced/metastatic solid tumors. The dose escalation cohort will evaluate the safety and tolerability of this novel, proprietary combination in patients with advanced/metastatic solid tumors.
“Existing cancer therapies that target CD137 and CTLA-4 are associated with safety concerns, creating a significant unmet need and high threshold for agents that are both safe and potent. With ADG106 and ADG116, we now have two promising agents to test the therapeutic potential of these two potent pathways together to safely inhibit tumor growth,” said Anthony W. Tolcher, M.D., FRCPC, FACP, co-founder of NEXT Oncology™ and study investigator. “While the oncology community has long known of the compelling preclinical rationale for this intriguing combination, safety has been a barrier to further exploration. Given the encouraging individual safety profiles of both ADG 106 and ADG116 in patients so far, we finally have the rare and exciting opportunity to be the first to move this combination into clinic and improve patient care.”