Agenus Inc (NASDAQ: AGEN), an immuno-oncology company with a pipeline of immune-modulating antibodies, cancer vaccines, adjuvants and adoptive cell therapies, announced yesterday that it has dosed its first patient in the clinical trial of its next-generation anti-CTLA-4 antibody (AGEN1181).

The product is a novel 'Fc engineered' antibody with potential for enhanced anti-tumour functions and is specifically designed to increase cancer killing immune cells and deplete cells that block the activity of these cancer killing cells.

The Phase 1, open-label, multicentre study is intended to evaluate the maximum tolerated dose of AGEN1181 in patients with advanced solid tumours. It will also assess the safety, tolerability, PK, and PD profiles and immunogenicity of this antibody. The result will determine the product's recommended phase II dose.