Coherus BioSciences has officially rebranded as Coherus Oncology, marking the completion of its strategic transformation to focus exclusively on innovative cancer immunotherapy. The commercial-stage oncology company announced the name change on May 30, 2025, to better align with its mission of developing proprietary immuno-oncology medicines that target immune resistance mechanisms in cancer treatment.
The rebrand reflects the company's commitment to advancing next-generation combination therapies designed to overcome current treatment limitations. "The field of cancer immunotherapy has been reinvigorated by the promise and power of combination therapies," said Jill O'Donnell-Tormey, Ph.D., Coherus Oncology board member and Senior Advisor to the Cancer Research Institute.
LOQTORZI Anchors Immuno-Oncology Strategy
Central to Coherus Oncology's pipeline is LOQTORZI (toripalimab-tpzi), a next-generation PD-1 inhibitor that serves as the foundation of the company's immuno-oncology franchise. LOQTORZI holds the distinction of being the only FDA-approved treatment indicated in combination with chemotherapy for recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
The company is developing LOQTORZI for additional tumor types with the goal of establishing it as the PD-1/ICI backbone for future treatment combinations that may extend patient survival. This strategy positions the drug as a platform for combination approaches targeting various cancer types.
Novel Pipeline Targets Immune Resistance
Coherus Oncology is advancing two mid-stage clinical candidates designed to address immune resistance mechanisms that limit current therapy effectiveness.
CHS-114 represents a highly selective cytolytic CCR8 antibody that specifically binds and preferentially depletes CCR8+ tumor regulatory T cells (Tregs) with no off-target binding. The compound is currently being evaluated in combination with toripalimab in Phase 1b studies in patients with advanced solid tumors, including second-line head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and second-line gastric cancer.
"CCR8+ Tregs represent one of the most promising targets in cancers, enabling selective depletion of tumor immune suppression while mitigating the risk of breaking tolerance and leading to severe autoimmunity," explained Alexander Rudensky, Ph.D., Coherus Scientific Advisory Board Co-Chair and Chairman of the Immunology Program at Sloan Kettering Institute.
IL-27 Antagonist Shows Multi-Cancer Activity
Casdozokitug, a first-in-class clinical-stage IL-27 antagonist, has demonstrated monotherapy activity in treatment-refractory non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), as well as combination activity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
A randomized Phase 2 study is currently underway evaluating casdozokitug in combination with toripalimab and bevacizumab versus toripalimab and bevacizumab alone in patients with first-line advanced metastatic HCC. The company continues to focus on squamous NSCLC as an area for future clinical development.
Expert Leadership Drives Development Strategy
The transformation is supported by a scientific advisory board that includes pioneers in Treg immunology, T cell exhaustion, and cytokine biology. The board of directors comprises industry leaders from organizations including the Cancer Research Institute, Merck, United Healthcare, and Bristol Myers Squibb.
"Our objective is to set new standards of cancer care with novel combinations that broadly target the immune system and resistance," said Theresa LaVallee, Ph.D., Chief Scientific and Development Officer of Coherus Oncology.
The company's strategy focuses on expanding LOQTORZI's use in NPC while advancing new indications through combinations with both pipeline candidates and industry partners. This approach aims to drive synergies from proprietary combinations, including first-in-class anticancer agents targeting liver, lung, head and neck, and other cancers.
