Exicure Inc. (XCUR) Granted Orphan Drug Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Cavrotolimod

Exicure, Inc. (NASDAQ: XCUR), a pioneer in gene regulatory and immunotherapeutic drugs utilizing spherical nucleic acid (SNA™) technology, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation for its clinical product candidate, cavrotolimod (AST-008), for the treatment of patients with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC).

“We are excited to have been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA for cavrotolimod for MCC,” said Dr. Douglas Feltner, Chief Medical Officer of Exicure. “This designation marks significant progress toward our goal of fulfilling the unmet medical need and finding a treatment for Merkel cell carcinoma patients.”

Exicure previously announced that the FDA granted two Fast Track designations for cavrotolimod (AST-008) for MCC and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC), both in the advanced/metastatic setting after progression on anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies.

About Orphan Drug Designation

Orphan Drug Designation is a designation granted by the FDA which provides orphan status to drugs or biologics which are intended to treat rare diseases or disorders that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. This designation provides the sponsor of the drug certain incentives, including tax credits for qualified clinical trials and fee waivers. Orphan Drug Designation confers eligibility for seven years of market exclusivity to an orphan drug post-approval, subject to a receipt by the FDA of marketing approval.

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