Cardiff Oncology Secures Patent For Onvansertib And Bevacizumab Combo In Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Cardiff Oncology is a clinical-stage biotechnology company utilising PLK1 inhibition to develop innovative therapies for cancer treatments. The firm has secured a new U.S. patent (No. 12,263,173) that extends exclusivity for its novel cancer therapy involving onvansertib, a PLK1 inhibitor, used in combination with bevacizumab (Avastin). The patent is valid until at least 2043, explicitly covers the method of using this drug pairing to treat metastatic colorectal cancer (mcrc) in patients who have not previously received bevacizumab.  

Mark Erlander, Chief Executive Officer of Cardiff Oncology, said in a statement, “The expansion of our intellectual property portfolio strategically positions Onvansertib for broader market opportunities and future growth. While our current lead program in mCRC focuses on the first-line RAS-mutated patient population, the claims in this patent cover the broader applicability of onvansertib for bev naïve mCRC patients across all lines of therapy. Additionally, last fall, the USPTO issued to us a patent with claims covering the use of onvansertib for the first-line treatment of bev naïve patients with a KRAS mutation.”

He further added, “Building upon this, the newly issued patent encompasses all mCRC patients, with RAS-mutated or RAS wild-type mCRC. Overall, we believe the extensive applicability of onvansertib has the potential to drive widespread adoption, facilitate seamless integration into clinical practice, and potentially redefine the standard of care for the treatment of mCRC.”

Onvansertib is currently being assessed in a first-line Phase 2 clinical trial (CRDF-004), combined with FOLFIRI or FOLFOX plus bevacizumab. This study targets mCRC patients with RAS mutations and aims to determine the safety and efficacy of the treatment regimen. The trial is randomised and open-label, allowing researchers to monitor real-time treatment responses and outcomes.

Cardiff Oncology released preliminary findings from the CRDF-004 trial in December 2024, showing promising early results. The company anticipates sharing more detailed clinical data in the first half of 2025.