Arcus Biosciences was a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Hayward, California, focused on developing novel cancer immunotherapies and inflammatory disease treatments. The company was founded in 2015 by Terry McGuire and Jennifer D. Johnson, building on research from Stanford University.
Arcus Biosciences operated with a mission to create differentiated cancer immunotherapies by targeting key pathways in the tumor microenvironment. The company established strategic partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies including Gilead Sciences and Pfizer, leveraging its proprietary technology platform to develop next-generation immunotherapies[1].
The company's approach focused on:
Arcus was founded in 2015 with technology licensed from Stanford University, focusing on adenosine receptor biology. The company raised over $400 million in multiple financing rounds before its IPO in 2018.
In 2016, Arcus entered into a strategic collaboration with Gilead Sciences, granting Gilead exclusive rights to Arcus's clinical-stage programs. This partnership was expanded multiple times, including:
| Drug Candidate | Target | Indication | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domvanalimab | TIGIT | NSCLC, gastric cancer | Phase 3[3] |
| Zimberelimab | PD-1 | Multiple cancers | Phase 2/3 |
| Etrumadenant | A2a/A2b adenosine receptor | Renal cell carcinoma | Phase 2 |
| Quemliclustat | CD73 | Solid tumors | Phase 1/2 |
| Mupadolimab | CD73 | Solid tumors | Phase 1/2 |
The adenosine pathway is a key immunosuppressive mechanism in the tumor microenvironment. Tumors produce adenosine through CD73 and CD39 enzymes, which then activate A2a and A2b receptors on immune cells, suppressing anti-tumor immunity[4].
Arcus's adenosine receptor antagonists (etrumadenant) block this immunosuppressive signaling, potentially restoring immune cell function.
TIGIT (T-cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains) is an immune checkpoint expressed on T cells and NK cells. Domvanalimab is a next-generation anti-TIGIT antibody that prevents TIGIT from binding to its ligands (CD155, CD112), thereby enhancing anti-tumor immune responses[5].
While primarily focused on immuno-oncology, Arcus's adenosine receptor antagonists may have implications for neuroinflammation in brain tumors and potential CNS applications[6]:
Brain tumor immunotherapy: CD73 and adenosine pathway inhibition in glioblastoma
CNS inflammation: Potential applications in autoimmune encephalitis
Blood-brain barrier: Research on CNS penetration of immunotherapies
Tumor Microenvironment
CD73
Glioblastoma
Arcus Pipeline Overview. Corporate Presentation. ↩︎
Gilead to Acquire Arcus. Press Release. ↩︎
Domvanalimab Clinical Trials. ClinicalTrials.gov. ↩︎
Adenosine Pathway in Cancer. Nature Reviews Cancer. ↩︎
TIGIT in Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancer Cell. 2020. ↩︎
CD73 in Glioblastoma. Neuro-Oncology. ↩︎