Overview

While the involvement of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in cancer has been appreciated for years, many studies with older COX-2 inhibitors (“coxibs”) have shown only moderate efficacy due to (1) an inability to select patients for whom coxib therapy might be most efficacious and (2) side effects limiting the achievement of optimal doses for cancer.  Clinical studies have now validated non-invasive biomarkers that readily identify cancer patients whose cancers are COX-2 driven and most likely to respond to coxib therapy. Euclicoxibs™ are designed to maximize anti-cancer efficacy in those patients and to address the side effect issues and dose limitations of other coxibs. In addition, exciting emerging biology suggests that Euclicoxibs™ may restore host anti-tumor immune responses.

Euclises has developed a portfolio of Euclicoxibs™ and has selected ECP-1014 as a lead clinical candidate. Euclises’ initial focus for clinical development comprises those cancers in which the COX-2 pathway has been demonstrated to promote invasion, progression, and resistance to approved therapies.  This includes a significant subset of non-small cell lung (NSCLC), colorectal (CRC), head & neck (HNSCC), and pancreatic (PDAC) cancer patient populations.

Within these cancers, it is critical to identify those specific patients whose cancers are COX-2 driven—the Right Patient. Treating these patients calls for a COX-2 inhibitor with a safety profile that permits sufficient dosing and combination with appropriate standard of care therapies—the Right Drug. Finally, halting progression of COX-2 driven cancers requires near complete suppression of COX-2 activity in the tumors—the Right Dose. Euclises believes that these three elements—Right Patient, Right Drug, and Right Dose—will add up to life-saving benefits for a significant number of cancer patients—the Right Treatment.