Surface Oncology Announces Publication of New Study Demonstrating the Role of the IL-27 Pathway in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

- Non-clinical findings further support the potential of SRF388 to treat patients suffering from liver cancer -

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Surface Oncology (Nasdaq: SURF), a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing next-generation immunotherapies that target the tumor microenvironment, today announced that findings from a study interrogating the role of the IL-27 pathway in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been published in the online edition of Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). The study was conducted by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Fox Chase Cancer Center in collaboration with Surface.

Researchers found that IL-27 receptor signaling promoted HCC development in mice, and that IL-27 served as an immunological checkpoint that regulates natural killer (NK) cell and innate immune cell activation. The study also demonstrated that pharmacological neutralization of IL-27 using an antibody developed by Surface led to increased NK and innate immune cell activation and reduced HCC development. The study incorporated observations on the effect of IL-27 on several models of HCC development, including a model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a known risk factor for the development of liver cancer, which is increasing in prevalence.

“The findings published in Cancer Discovery, combined with previously reported translational and early clinical data, support our hypothesis that IL-27 blockade is a promising immunotherapy for patients with cancer,” said Vito Palombella, Ph.D., chief scientific officer at Surface. “HCC is the most common form of liver cancer and characterized by a poor survival rate and limited treatment options. These data bolster our belief that SRF388, a first-in-class IL-27 neutralizing antibody, holds the potential to become an important treatment option for patients confronting this devastating disease.”

Surface’s lead IL-27 antibody, SRF388, is currently being evaluated in multiple clinical studies, including a randomized Phase 2 trial designed to evaluate its efficacy and safety in combination with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in patients with first-line advanced or metastatic HCC. SRF388 was granted Orphan Drug designation and Fast Track designation for the treatment of HCC from the FDA.

About Surface Oncology:
Surface Oncology is an immuno-oncology company developing next-generation antibody therapies focused on the tumor microenvironment. Its pipeline includes two wholly-owned clinical-stage programs targeting CD39 (SRF617) and IL-27 (SRF388), as well as a preclinical program focused on selectively depleting regulatory T cells in the tumor microenvironment via targeting CCR8 (SRF114). In addition, Surface has two partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies: a collaboration with Novartis targeting CD73 (NZV930; Phase 1) and a collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline targeting PVRIG (GSK4381562, formerly SRF813; Phase 1). Surface’s novel, investigational, cancer immunotherapies are designed to achieve a clinically meaningful and sustained anti-tumor response and may be used alone or in combination with other therapies. For more information, please visit www.surfaceoncology.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
Certain statements set forth in this press release constitute “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as “believes,” “expects,” “plans,” “potential,” “would” or similar expressions, and the negative of those terms. These forward-looking statements are based on Surface Oncology’s management’s current beliefs and assumptions about future events and on information currently available to management.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Surface Oncology’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties related to Surface Oncology’s ability to successfully develop SRF388, SRF617, SRF114 and its other product candidates through current and future milestones or regulatory filings on the anticipated timeline, if at all, the therapeutic potential of Surface Oncology’s product candidates, the risk that results from preclinical studies or early clinical trials may not be representative of larger clinical trials, the risk that Surface Oncology’s product candidates, including SRF388, SRF617 and SRF114, will not be successfully developed or commercialized, the risks related to Surface Oncology’s dependence on third-parties in connection with its manufacturing, clinical trials and preclinical studies, and the potential impact of COVID-19 on Surface Oncology’s clinical and preclinical development timelines and results of operations. Additional risks and uncertainties that could affect Surface Oncology’s future results are included in the section titled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2021, available on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov and Surface Oncology’s website at www.surfaceoncology.com. Additional information on potential risks will be made available in other filings that Surface Oncology makes from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on assumptions that Surface Oncology believes to be reasonable as of this date. Except as required by law, Surface Oncology assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons if actual results differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements.

Contact
Scott Young
(617) 865-3250
syoung@surfaceoncology.com

Source: Surface Oncology, Inc.