On February 22, 2018 Xencor, Inc. (NASDAQ: XNCR), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing engineered monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, asthma and allergic diseases and cancer, reported that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase 1 clinical trial of XmAb18087, a bispecific antibody for the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors (NET) and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) (Press release, Xencor, FEB 22, 2018, View Source [SID1234524359]).

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"XmAb18087 engages the immune system against tumors by binding to somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) and CD3," said Paul Foster, M.D., chief medical officer at Xencor. "In preclinical studies, XmAb18087 has shown potent killing of human tumor cell lines in vitro and in vivo and the stimulation of target-dependent T-cell activation. This is our first bispecific antibody targeting solid tumors to enter into clinical trials, and we expect to file INDs for three more bispecific antibodies for solid tumors this year."

The trial is a multiple ascending dose study to determine the safety and tolerability, pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity, and preliminary anti-tumor activity of weekly intravenous administration of XmAb18087 and to determine the maximally tolerated dose and regimen in patients with advanced NET or GIST.

For more information about the XmAb18087 clinical trial please visit to View Source (identifier: NCT03411915).

About Neuroendocrine Tumors
Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are abnormal growths that begin in neuroendocrine cells, which are distributed widely throughout the body. Most neuroendocrine tumors occur in the lungs, appendix, small intestine, rectum and pancreas. It is estimated that more than 12,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor each year. For more information visit www.cancer.net.

About Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are soft-tissue sarcomas, cancers that grow from cells of the body’s connective or supportive tissues, that can be located in any part of the digestive system. The most common sites of GISTs are the stomach and small intestine. Each year, as many as 3,500 to 4,000 adults in the United States will be diagnosed with a GIST. For more information visit www.cancer.net.

About Xencor’s XmAb Bispecific Technology
As opposed to traditional monoclonal antibodies that target and bind to a single antigen, bispecific antibodies are designed to elicit multiple biological effects that require simultaneous binding to two different antigen targets. Xencor’s XmAb bispecific Fc domain technology is designed to maintain full-length antibody properties in a bispecific antibody, potentially enabling favorable in vivo half-life and simplified manufacturing.