- COVID-19 ARDS patients treated with a single dose of the anti-LIGHT monoclonal antibody CERC-002 demonstrated robust improvement in the primary endpoint (proportion of patients alive and free of respiratory failure over the 28-day study period) compared to placebo (n=62, odds ratio [OR] = 2.62, p=0.059)
- A prespecified subgroup analysis of patients 60 years of age showed that CERC-002 treatment led to a greater than 3-fold increase in likelihood of avoiding respiratory failure and death compared to placebo (n=33, OR = 3.38, p=0.054)
- 28-day mortality was reduced by approximately 50% in patients treated with CERC-002 (3 patients) vs. placebo (6 patients). There were a total of 4 COVID-19 related deaths in patients on CERC-002 vs. 9 on placebo as of
December 2020 . These data will be updated and analyzed at the 60-day timepoint - Importantly, CERC-002 showed activity on top of corticosteroids in COVID-19 ARDS (>90% of patients in the trial received corticosteroids and >60% received remdesivir)
- CERC-002 dramatically and rapidly reduced serum free-LIGHT levels
- CERC-002 was well tolerated with no drug related SAEs and no clinically meaningful differences in immunosuppression or other SAEs between CERC-002 and placebo
- The company intends to meet with the FDA and believes that these data support the initiation of a registration trial and filing for Breakthrough Therapy Designation. Additionally, the company is continuing its program in severe pediatric-onset Crohn’s disease and is exploring the applicability of CERC-002 in non-COVID-19 ARDS
The trial demonstrated robust improvement in the primary endpoint (proportion of patients alive and free of respiratory failure over the 28-day study period) compared to placebo in COVID-19 patients with ARDS treated with a single dose of the anti-LIGHT monoclonal antibody CERC-002 (n=62, OR = 2.62, p=0.059; these data trended towards statistical significance, p≤0.05). A prespecified subpopulation of patients 60 years of age showed similar improvement in the primary endpoint (n=33, OR = 3.38, p=0.054). CERC-002-treated patients in the subpopulation of patients 60 years of age also had a shorter average hospital stay compared with placebo-treated patients.
These data further showed a numerical mortality benefit favoring CERC-002 with 4 patients dying on active drug and 9 on placebo as of
Importantly, >90% of patients received concomitant systemic corticosteroids and >60% received remdesivir. Thus CERC-002 showed activity on top of corticosteroids in COVID-19 ARDS.
No drug-related serious adverse effects (SAEs) were reported in the trial, and there was no increase in infections in CERC-002 treated patients. The large majority of hospitalized COVID-19 patients had elevated LIGHT (TNFSF14) levels in their serum upon admission. Consistent with its targeted mechanism of action, CERC-002 dramatically and rapidly reduced LIGHT levels in nearly all treated patients, while patients on placebo saw a rise in LIGHT levels through Day 5. LIGHT levels were higher in the older patients who have a higher risk of death and respiratory failure. Moreover, these data demonstrate that corticosteroid therapy does not seem to affect serum LIGHT levels and that CERC-002 provides additional benefit on top of corticosteroid therapy.
“I would first like to thank the patients, their families, and the investigators for their participation in this important study,” said
A presentation of these data updates can be found on the “Company Information” page of the “Investors” section on the
CERC-002 (anti-LIGHT monoclonal antibody)
CERC-002 is a fully human anti-LIGHT or tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 14 (TNFSF14) monoclonal antibody licensed from Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. It is the only clinical stage anti-LIGHT therapy and has the potential to treat a number of LIGHT-associated immune diseases including cytokine storm-induced COVID-19 ARDS. It is currently in development for pediatric onset Crohn’s disease and cytokine storm induced COVID-19 ARDS.
Role of LIGHT in Acute Inflammatory Response
LIGHT (homologous to Lymphotoxin, exhibits inducible expression and competes with HSV glycoprotein D for binding to herpesvirus entry mediator, a receptor expressed on T lymphocytes) is a cytokine with inflammatory actions encoded by the TNFSF14 gene. LIGHT plays an important role in regulating immune responses in the lung, gut and skin. It stimulates T Cell and B Cell response as well as induces the release of other cytokines such as IL1, IL6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF and GM-CSF. It thus plays a key role in immune responses to viral pneumonia and other diseases.
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1 Perlin DS, Zafir-Lavie I, Roadcap L, et
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