Curis Gains As Blood Cancer Drug Progresses, December Readout in Focus

On Wednesday, Curis Inc. (NASDAQ:CRIS) announced updated positive clinical trial results for its investigational drug emavusertib, alongside expanded trial timeline guidance.

The biotechnology firm detailed key advances across its ongoing clinical programs evaluating the oral IRAK4 and FLT3 inhibitor for targeted blood cancers.

Analyst Adds CLL Valuation, Revises Launch Timelines

HC Wainwright wrote that TakeAim CLL enrollment is running ahead of plan, with consented patients rising to 10 and year-end guidance raised to 5-10 patients. The analyst views the December readout as the nearest-term value driver.

The firm reiterated the Buy rating on the stock and raised the price forecast from $17 to $43.

Analyst Sara Nik said the update adds a valuation for emavusertib in Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) following the launch of the TakeAim CLL study, assuming a 10% probability of success, $500 million in peak sales and a 2032 commercial launch.

The update also pushes the estimated launch for PCNSL to 2029 from 2028, reflecting management’s timeline for completing enrollment by 2027 and the follow-up needed to support an accelerated approval filing.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia /Myelodysplastic Syndromes (AML/MDS) launch estimate was moved to 2032 from 2030, as further development depends on additional funding.

Upcoming Data Could Drive Further Upside

Nik said upside could come from upcoming data from the registrational PCNSL cohort, the initial CLL readout, and potential expansion into additional Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) subtypes where BTK inhibitors are already used.

The management noted that duration of response (DoR) in BTKi-experienced patients is expected to exceed four to six months, with some patients on therapy for close to three years.

“Directionally, this is reassuring against what we view as the relevant regulatory bar for an ORR-based accelerated approval,” Nik wrote in an investor note on Friday.

CRIS Stock Price Activity: Curis shares were up 6.60% at $4.98 at the time of publication on Friday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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