– First patient dosed in a Phase 1b/2 study evaluating STC-15, a METTL3 inhibitor, in combination with LOQTORZI, a next-generation PD-1 inhibitor –
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coherus BioSciences, Inc. (“Coherus,” NASDAQ: CHRS), today announced a clinical collaboration with STORM Therapeutics, Ltd. (“STORM”) to evaluate STC-15, a METTL3 inhibitor, in combination with LOQTORZI (toripalimab-tpzi), a next-generation PD-1 inhibitor, in a Phase 1b/2 study for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), melanoma and endometrial cancer.
“We are excited to partner with STORM on the development of the LOQTORZI/STC-15 combination, with patient dosing underway in the Phase 1b/2 study,” said Theresa LaVallee, Ph.D., Chief Scientific and Development Officer of Coherus. “This collaboration is another example of our strategy for expanding potential LOQTORZI indications beyond NPC through cost-efficient drug supply agreements and evaluating LOQTORZI with novel mechanisms in prioritized tumor types such as NSCLC, HNSCC, and others.”
The phase 1b study will evaluate STC-15, a METTL3 inhibitor, in combination with LOQTORZI to determine the safety and efficacy of the combination. The phase 2 portion of the study will evaluate expansion cohorts in NSCLC, HNSCC, endometrial cancer and melanoma, in up to 188 patients in the United States. (NCT06975293)
Under the terms of the clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement, Coherus will provide LOQTORZI to STORM, which will be the sponsor of the Phase 1b/2 clinical combination trial. STORM and Coherus each retain all commercial rights to their respective compounds, including as monotherapies or as combination therapies.
About Coherus
Coherus is a fully integrated commercial-stage innovative oncology company with an approved next-generation PD-1 inhibitor, LOQTORZI® (toripalimab-tpzi), growing revenues and a promising pipeline that includes two mid-stage clinical candidates targeting liver, lung, head & neck, and other cancers. Our strategy is to grow sales of LOQTORZI in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and advance the development of new indications for LOQTORZI in combination with both our pipeline candidates as well as our partners’, driving sales multiples and synergies from proprietary combinations.
Coherus’ immuno-oncology pipeline includes multiple antibody immunotherapy candidates focused on enhancing the innate and adaptive immune responses to enable a robust antitumor response and enhance outcomes for patients with cancer. Casdozokitug is a novel IL-27 antagonistic antibody currently being evaluated in multiple Phase 1/2 and Phase 2 studies in patients with advanced solid tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. CHS-114 is a highly selective cytolytic anti-CCR8 antibody currently in Phase 1b studies in patients with advanced solid tumors, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and gastric cancer.
For more information about LOQTORZI, including the U.S. Prescribing Information and important safety information, please visit www.loqtorzi.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
The statements in this press release include express or implied forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act about Coherus that involve risks and uncertainties relating to future events and the future performance of Coherus. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Words such as “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,” “future,” “opportunity,” “likely,” “target,” variations of such words, and similar expressions or negatives of these words are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. You can also identify forward-looking statements by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions.
Examples of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, express or implied statements regarding: the ability of Coherus’ pipeline to enhance outcomes for cancer patients; expectations about future synergies; projections about growth in sales; expectations for future enrollment in clinical trials; projections about the expansion of indications for LOQTORZI; and the assumptions underlying or relating to such statements.
These forward-looking statements are based on Coherus’ current plans, estimates and projections. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, assumptions and changes in circumstances, many of which are beyond the control of Coherus. A number of important factors, including those described in this press release, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in any forward-looking statements. Factors that may affect future results and may cause these forward-looking statements to be inaccurate include, without limitation: uncertainties about the potential impact of unforeseen liabilities, future capital expenditures, revenues, costs, expenses, earnings, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition and losses on Coherus’ prospects, business and operations in the future; risks and uncertainties in executing collaboration agreements and other joint ventures; risks and uncertainties of conducting clinical trials; the risks of Coherus’ dependence on an ability to raise funds, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all; and risks and uncertainties of any litigation, regulatory actions and other legal proceedings.
While the foregoing list of factors presented here is considered representative, no list should be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that the transaction described above will in fact be consummated in the manner described or at all. For a further discussion of these and other factors that could cause Coherus’ future results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements see the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Coherus’ Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2025, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on May 12, 2025, as updated by Coherus’ subsequent reports filed with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are made based on the current good faith beliefs and judgments of Coherus’ management, and the reader is cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statements made by Coherus. Unless required by law, Coherus is not under any duty and undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, of new information, data or methods, future events or other changes.
