BELTSVILLE, Md., June 21, 2023 (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 announced the presentation of a poster that defines the mechanism of NC525-induced apoptosis of leukemic cells, but not healthy hematopoietic cells, at the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies (FOCIS) annual meeting in Boston. NC525 is a humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) that specifically binds to LAIR-1 and is being developed for the treatment of advanced myeloid leukemias, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndrome and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML).

“Our pre-clinical models showed that NC525 specifically eradicates leukemic stem cells (LSCs) and blast cells, while preserving healthy hematopoietic cells,” said Solomon Langermann, Ph.D., NextCure’s chief scientific officer. “The data presented in the poster define the mechanism that leads to specific induction of apoptosis in leukemic cells, but not in healthy immune cells. We look forward to continuing NC525’s clinical development and providing an update on the trial in the fourth quarter of this year.”

NC525, a humanized LAIR-1 mAb, targets and destroys AML blasts and LSCs. AML remains incurable for most patients with current therapies. High expression of LAIR-1 is seen on leukemic stem cells and blast cells, where it plays a role in survival of these cancer cells. LAIR-1 expression is relatively lower on normal hematopoietic stem cells and does not play a role in survival of normal immune cells, making it an ideal anti-leukemic target. The current Phase 1 study is an open-label, non-randomized, dose escalation trial to determine safety and tolerability of NC525 in adult patients with relapsed or refractory AML.

Details of the poster presentation are as follows:

Title: LAIR-1 Signal Transduction Determines Leukemic Cell Fate
Abstract Number: W189
Session Date: Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Session Time: 7:30 AM - 7:30 PM ET

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 disease 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. http://www.nextcure.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Words such as “expects,” “believes,” “intends,” “hope,” “forward” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements in this press release include, among others, statements about NextCure’s plans, objectives, and intentions with respect to the discovery of immunomedicine targets and 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: our limited operating history and no products approved for commercial sale; our history of significant losses; our need to obtain additional financing; risks related to clinical development, including that early clinical data may not be confirmed by later clinical results; risks that pre-clinical research may not be confirmed in clinical trials; risks related to marketing approval and commercialization; and the unproven approach to the discovery and development of product candidates based on our FIND-IO platform. 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 NextCure’s most recent Form 10-K and subsequent Form 10-Q. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. NextCure assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, even if expectations change.

Investor Inquiries
Timothy Mayer, Ph.D.
NextCure, Inc.
Chief Operating Officer
(240) 762-6486
IR@nextcure.com