Compugen Presents Preliminary Translational Data Demonstrating Immune Activation in the Tumor Microenvironment by COM701 at the TIGIT Therapies Digital Summit

HOLON, Israel, Dec. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Compugen Ltd. (Nasdaq: CGEN), a clinical-stage cancer immunotherapy company and a leader in predictive target discovery, today announced the presentation of preliminary translational data from patient biopsies demonstrating immune activation in the tumor microenvironment (TME) after treatment with COM701, Compugen's potentially first-in-class anti-PVRIG antibody, as a monotherapy and in combination with nivolumab at the TIGIT Therapies Digital Summit.

"These translational data are exciting as they represent the first demonstration of immune activation in the TME of patients who have been treated with COM701 monotherapy or in combination with nivolumab and add to previous data showing immune activation in peripheral blood taken from treated patients," said Eran Ophir, Ph.D., Vice President of Research and Drug Discovery at Compugen. "In addition, we are encouraged by the observed increases in clonal expansion of T cells, immune infiltration and immune activation in an MSS-CRC patient with a confirmed response after COM701 and nivolumab combination therapy given this is an indication that is unlikely to respond to PD-(L)1 blockade. These results are consistent with our earlier findings supporting PVRIG pathway involvement in early differentiation memory T cell priming and activation and provide important evidence of immune modulation at the location critical for efficacy, the tumor site."

Dr. Ophir continued "These data, combined with our earlier findings suggest PVRIG plays a distinct role within the DNAM-1 axis. We look forward to continued investigation of PVRIG blockade in the clinic which we believe has the potential to drive immune responses to address both inflamed and less inflamed tumor types that are typically unresponsive to current checkpoint inhibitors".

Key new findings from the presentation titled, "Harnessing PVRIG & TIGIT Combination in Anti-Cancer Immunity" presented by Dr. Ophir include:

• Increased TME immune activation and TCR clonality was observed in a patient with PVRL2⁺, PD-L1^low MSS-CRC with a partial response following treatment of COM701 in combination with nivolumab
• COM701 induced immune activation in the TME of a patient with ovarian cancer, showing increased CD8+ T cells and markers of immune activation
• COM701 in combination with nivolumab induced markers of activated dendritic cells in the serum of 2 responding patients

The presentation will be available on the publication section of Compugen's website.

About Compugen  

Compugen is a clinical-stage discovery and development company utilizing its broadly applicable, predictive computational discovery platforms to identify novel drug targets and develop therapeutics in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Compugen's lead product candidate, COM701, a potentially first-in-class anti-PVRIG antibody, for the treatment of solid tumors, is undergoing Phase 1 studies as a single agent and in dual, and triple combinations. COM902, Compugen's second fully owned clinical antibody targeting TIGIT, for the treatment of solid and hematological tumors, is undergoing Phase 1 studies as a single agent and in dual combination. Partnered programs include bapotulimab, a therapeutic antibody in Phase 1 development targeting ILDR2 licensed to Bayer under a research and discovery collaboration and license agreement, and AZD2936, a TIGIT/PD-1 bispecific in Phase 1 development derived from COM902 through a license agreement with AstraZeneca for the development of bispecific and multi-specific antibodies. Compugen's therapeutic pipeline of early-stage immuno-oncology programs includes myeloid targets. Compugen is headquartered in Israel, with offices in South San Francisco, CA. Compugen's shares are listed on Nasdaq and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CGEN. For additional information, please visit Compugen's corporate website at www.cgen.com. 

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions of Compugen. Forward-looking statements can be identified using terminology such as "will," "may," "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "potential," "plan," "goal," "estimate," "likely," "should," "confident," and "intends," and similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the effect that treatment with COM701 monotherapy or in combination with nivolumab had on the immune activation in the TME, on increases in clonal expansion of T cells, and on immune infiltration of patients, statements regarding PVRIG playing a distinct role within the DNAM-1 axis, and statements regarding PVRIG blockade having the potential to drive immune responses to address both inflamed and less inflamed tumor types that are typically unresponsive to current checkpoint inhibitors. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Compugen to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Among these risks: the effect of the global COVID-19 pandemic may negatively impact the global economy and may also adversely affect Compugen's business and operations; clinical trials of any product candidates that Compugen, or any current or future collaborators, may develop may fail to satisfactorily demonstrate safety and efficacy to the FDA, and Compugen, or any collaborators, may incur additional costs or experience delays in completing, or ultimately be unable to complete, the development and commercialization of these product candidates; Compugen's approach to the discovery of therapeutic products is based on its proprietary computational target discovery infrastructure, which is unproven clinically; and Compugen does not know whether it will be able to discover and develop additional potential product candidates or products of commercial value. These risks and other risks are more fully discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of Compugen's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as well as other documents that may be subsequently filed by Compugen from time to time with the SEC. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent Compugen's views only as of the date of this release and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Compugen does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements unless required by law.

Company Contact: 

Yvonne Naughton, PhD 
Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
Email: [email protected] 
Tel: +1 (628) 241-0071 

Investor Relations Contact:

John Mullaly
LifeSci Advisors, LLC
Email: [email protected] 
Tel: +1 (617) 429-3548

SOURCE Compugen Ltd.