CG0070: A Genetically Modified Immunotherapy for Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

"With the bladder indication, we're essentially giving the virus locally through the catheter into the bladder. It's a really safe procedure. We don't have or expect any systemic toxicities of the over-100 patients so far in over 800 installations.”

CG Oncology is focused on developing immunotherapies for the treatment of bladder cancer, with their lead program, CG0070, a prime contender. The oncolytic immunotherapy uses a genetically modified oncolytic adenovirus delivered through a catheter to target and destroy bladder tumor cells through their defective retinoblastoma pathway.

The first patient was dosed in the phase 2 CORE-001 trial (NCT04387461) of CG0070 in combination with pembrolizumab (Keytruda; Merck) for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer unresponsive to bacillus calmette-guerin in December 2020. The trial aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CG0070 plus Keytruda in up to 35 patients.

GeneTherapyLive spoke with Arthur Kuan, chief executive officer, CG Oncology, to learn more about the company’s background and development of CG0070. He discussed some data investigators have collected so far in the phase 2 trial. 

REFERENCE

CG Oncology announces first patient dosed in phase 2 clinical trial of CG0070, an oncolytic immunotherapy, in combination with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer unresponsive to bacillus calmette-guerrin. News release. CG Oncology. December 9, 2020. Accessed July 29, 2021. https://www.biospace.com/article/releases/cg-oncology-announces-first-patient-dosed-in-phase-2-clinical-trial-of-cg0070-an-oncolytic-immunotherapy-in-combination-with-keytruda-pembrolizumab-for-non-muscle-invasive-bladder-cancer-unresponsive-to-bacillus-calmette-guerin/