Chinese biopharmaceutical company Innovent Biologics Inc revealed on Thursday that it has dosed the first patient with advanced solid tumors under a phase I clinical trial of anti-CTLA-4 (Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte-associated Antigen-4) monoclonal antibody (IBI310).

According to the company, IBI310, a fully human monoclonal antibody blocking CTLA-4 (Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte-associated Antigen-4). When CTLA-4 binds to its ligands, T cell activation is negatively regulated. IBI310 binds to CTLA-4 and blocks the interaction of CTLA-4 with its ligands leading to augmented T-cell activation and proliferation including the activation and proliferation of tumour infiltrating T-effector cells.

This phase I clinical study in China will be conducted in two parts. The phase 1a evaluates the tolerability and safety of IBI310 as a monotherapy for patients with advanced malignancies and the phase 1b evaluates IBI310 in combination with sintilimab, our anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, for patients with advanced melanoma.

Malignant melanoma is a neoplasm that develops from melanocytes. Melanoma is one of the fastest-growing malignant tumours and increases with an annual growth rate of 3%-5%.