Sources
[1] Jiang, P. & Jandrot-Perrus, M. New advances in treating thrombotic diseases: GPVI as a platelet drug target. Drug Discov. Today 19, 1471–1475 (2014).
Acticor Biotech is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, a spin-off from INSERM (French National Institute of Health and Medical Research), which is developing an innovative “first in-class” treatment for cardiovascular emergencies, with a primary focus on Acute Ischemic Stroke.
Acticor Biotech’s drug candidate, glenzocimab, is a humanized monoclonal antibody fragment (Fab), directed against the human platelet glycoprotein GPVI. GPVI blockade has demonstrated its effective antithrombotic potential in experimental models of thrombosis, without increasing pathological bleeding1.
Key features of glenzocimab relevant to a safe treatment of the acute phase of ischemic stroke are:
- A dual mode of action targeting the primary occlusion as well as the thrombo-inflammation in the downstream circulation
- Anti-thrombotic activity by reducing the recruitment of platelets on thrombus even during thrombus lysis, and promoting platelets disaggregation
- Reduction of intracranial hemorrhages and mortality in ACTIMIS clinical trial
- Good safety profile in ischemic stroke patients
In July 2022, Acticor Biotech was granted Priority Medicines (PRIME) status by the European Medicines Agency for glenzocimab in the treatment of stroke, recognizing the potential clinical benefit of glenzocimab and its relevance to the unmet medical need.
In May 2022, Acticor Biotech presented the results of the phase 1b/2a clinical trial to assess the safety of glenzocimab in Acute Ischemic Stroke as an add-on therapy to Standard of Care (ACTIMIS NCT03803007). The positive results of this study were announced on February 22, 2022. (Click here for the press release and the webinar presenting the results). The study met its primary endpoint confirming the safety of glenzocimab in patients suffering from Acute Ischemic Stroke.
Acticor Biotech launched in September 2021 an international phase 2/3 adaptive clinical trial (ACTISAVE NCT05070260) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of glenzocimab as an add-on therapy to thrombolysis, with or without additional mechanical thrombectomy, during the acute phase of Ischemic Stroke. As of September 2023, more than 380 patients were randomized in ten countries.
Acticor Biotech is also partner in the RHU BOOSTER consortium (supported by a French government grant No. ANR-18-RHUS-0001), in which glenzocimab efficacy is evaluated in a multicenter Phase 2/3 clinical trial including 260 stroke patients eligible for mechanical thrombectomy, the GREEN study (NCT05559398). The primary objective of this trial is to evaluate the efficacy of glenzocimab in combination with mechanical thrombectomy.
[1] Jiang, P. & Jandrot-Perrus, M. New advances in treating thrombotic diseases: GPVI as a platelet drug target. Drug Discov. Today 19, 1471–1475 (2014).