Cantargia AB announced today it will expand the clinical development program for its antibody CAN10 to include treatment-resistant atopic dermatitis (AD) as its second target indication. The company will focus specifically on patients with moderate to severe AD who do not respond to first-line biologic treatment with dupilumab.
The Swedish biotech company has received strong support from key opinion leaders for this strategic expansion, which complements CAN10's lead indication in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Both programs align with Cantargia's initial focus on inflammatory dermatological diseases.
Novel Mechanism Targets Treatment-Resistant Population
CAN10 is an antibody designed to target IL1RAP (interleukin-1 receptor accessory protein), which simultaneously inhibits multiple inflammatory pathways including IL-1, IL-33, and IL-36. This broad mechanism of action differs significantly from current first-line biologic treatments like dupilumab, which blocks only IL-4 and IL-13 signaling.
"As Atopic Dermatitis is an immunologically and phenotypically heterogenous disease, which can involve both the innate and adaptive parts of the immune system, targeting the broad IL-1 family of cytokines by blocking IL1RAP appears promising, and could be very effective, even in the around 10% of people with moderate to severe AD who are complete non-responders to IL-4 and IL-13 blockage," said Prof. Thomas Bieber, MD, PhD, MDRA, Professor of Dermatology and Allergy from Davos and Zurich, Switzerland.
Addressing Significant Unmet Need
Atopic dermatitis affects between 2.1% and 4.9% of adults globally, with approximately 50% experiencing moderate disease and 2-8% suffering from severe symptoms. Despite the availability of dupilumab as first-line biologic therapy, only about one-third of patients achieve optimal treatment outcomes, highlighting the heterogeneous nature of the disease and the need for alternative treatment approaches.
Morten Lind Jensen, Chief Medical Officer of Cantargia, emphasized the strategic rationale: "It is clear that the potential of CAN10 includes targeting inflammatory diseases, where activation of very broad inflammatory pathways challenges the specific targeting of individual cytokines. Therefore, we believe that positioning CAN10 for treatment of resistant atopic dermatitis, where a significant unmet medical need remains, can benefit many people."
Clinical Development Timeline
CAN10 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical trial focused primarily on safety. The company plans to initiate a pilot Phase 2 study in treatment-resistant AD patients that will run parallel to the planned Phase 2 trial in hidradenitis suppurativa, which is expected to begin toward the end of 2025.
Cantargia anticipates that clinical results from the AD study will be available within 12 months of study initiation. The parallel development strategy allows the company to efficiently explore CAN10's potential across multiple inflammatory dermatological conditions.
Promising Preclinical Evidence
The scientific rationale for developing CAN10 in inflammatory conditions is supported by preclinical data. In various in vivo models of inflammatory diseases—including systemic sclerosis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, atherosclerosis, myocarditis, and peritonitis—a CAN10 surrogate antibody significantly reduced disease progression.
The ongoing Phase 1 study has already demonstrated good safety at completed dose levels, with additional data expected throughout 2025. These early safety findings provide encouragement for the planned expansion into Phase 2 studies.
Broader Portfolio Context
CAN10 represents Cantargia's second development program, complementing its oncology-focused antibody nadunolimab (CAN04). While nadunolimab is being studied in combination with chemotherapy for various cancers including pancreatic cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and triple-negative breast cancer, CAN10 addresses the company's strategic expansion into autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
This dual-program approach leverages Cantargia's expertise in IL1RAP biology across multiple therapeutic areas, potentially maximizing the value of their scientific platform while addressing significant unmet medical needs in both oncology and inflammatory diseases.
