BELTSVILLE, Md., April 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NextCure, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXTC), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering and developing novel, first-in-class immunomedicines to treat cancer and other immune-related diseases, today presented preclinical and investigational new drug (IND)-enabling data for NC762 at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2021. NC762 is a humanized monoclonal antibody specific for B7-H4 and is being developed for the treatment of cancer.

“The research presented by our team reinforces our confidence that NC762, our third program, is a novel immunomedicine with unique anti-tumor properties. We believe it has the potential to provide benefit in multiple oncology indications, particularly in cancers where high B7-H4 expression has been observed, such as breast, ovarian and lung cancers,” said Michael Richman, NextCure’s president and chief executive officer. “We look forward to advancing NC762 into the clinic this quarter and continuing our efforts to broaden our pipeline of innovative immunomedicines for patients.”

Key highlights from the presentation include:

• NC762 demonstrated specificity for human B7-H4, which is widely expressed in multiple cancers.

• In a dose-dependent manner, NC762 inhibited tumor growth in a xenograft murine tumor model in the absence of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

• The inhibitory effect of NC762 on tumor growth was not dependent on T cells or NK cells; however, NK cells contributed to enhanced anti-tumor activity mediated by NC762.

• Binding to Fc gamma receptors was not required for NC762 activity, suggesting a novel antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC)-independent mechanism for tumor inhibition.

• IND-enabling studies in non-human primates demonstrated a half-life of approximately 8-10 days and no safety concerns in toxicology studies or cytokine release assays were observed.
  

Details of the poster presentation are as follows:

Poster Title: Development and Functional Characterization of NC762, a Novel Therapeutic Antibody Targeting B7-H4, for the Treatment of Malignancies
Session Title: Tumor-Immune System Interactions
Abstract: 3193

About NC762
NC762 is a monoclonal antibody targeting B7-H4, a protein expressed on multiple tumor types. We believe NC762 acts by inhibiting tumor cell growth and killing tumor cells, including by enhancing immune response. In preclinical studies, NC762 inhibits the growth of human melanoma tumors in mice and inhibits tumor cell growth independently of immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment. We believe that NC762 has the potential to treat multiple tumor types.

About NextCure, Inc.
NextCure is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering and developing novel, first-in-class immunomedicines to treat cancer and other immune-related diseases. Through our proprietary FIND-IO™ platform, we study various immune cells to discover and understand targets and structural components of immune cells and their functional impact in order to develop immunomedicines. Our initial focus is to bring hope and new treatments to patients who do not respond to current cancer therapies, patients whose cancer progresses despite treatment and patients with cancer types not adequately addressed by available therapies. www.nextcure.com

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts, assumptions and other information available to NextCure as of the date hereof. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding NextCure’s expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future and can be identified by forward-looking words such as “may,” “will,” “potential,” “expects,” “believes,” “intends,” “hope,” “towards,” “forward,” “later” and similar expressions. Examples of forward-looking statements in this press release include, among others, statements about the development plans for NC762 and expected upcoming milestones, the potential benefits of NC762, and NextCure’s plans, objectives and intentions with respect to the discovery and development of immunomedicines. Forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statement. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others: the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on NextCure’s business, including NextCure’s clinical trials, third parties on which NextCure relies and NextCure’s operations; positive results in preclinical studies may not be predictive of the results of clinical trials; NextCure’s limited operating history and no products approved for commercial sale; NextCure’s history of significant losses; NextCure’s need to obtain additional financing; risks related to clinical development, marketing approval and commercialization; the unproven approach to the discovery and development of product candidates based on NextCure’s FIND-IO platform; and dependence on key personnel. More detailed information on these and additional factors that could affect NextCure’s actual results are described in NextCure’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including in Item 1A of NextCure’s most recent Form 10-K and elsewhere in the Company’s filings with the SEC. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and NextCure assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, even if expectations change.

CONTACT: Investor Inquiries Timothy Mayer, Ph.D. NextCure, Inc. Chief Operating Officer (240) 762-6486 IR@nextcure.com Media Inquiries Emily Wong MacDougall (781) 235-3060 NextCure@macbiocom.com