Curis Targets BTKi-Exposed CLL With New Emavusertib Combo Trial: What Investors Should Watch

Curis Inc. (CRIS) announced an update on their ongoing clinical study.

Curis Inc. (CRIS) has outlined a new Phase 2 study called “A Phase 2 Study of Emavusertib in Combination With an Approved Bruton Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor in Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Other B-cell Malignancies.” The main goal is to test whether adding emavusertib to an existing Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) can improve outcomes for people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and related B‑cell cancers. This matters because CLL patients often stay on BTKi drugs for years, and many eventually see their cancer return or stop responding, leaving a clear need for stronger, durable treatment options.

The study tests a combination of two oral drugs: emavusertib (an experimental cancer pill from Curis) and zanubrutinib (an approved BTKi already used in CLL and other B‑cell cancers). Emavusertib is designed to boost cancer cell killing and possibly overcome resistance, while zanubrutinib provides the current standard BTK pathway blockade. Together, they aim to deepen responses in patients who are responding only partially and to regain control in those whose disease has come back after earlier BTKi benefit.

This is an interventional, Phase 2 trial with a non-randomized, stepwise design. All patients receive the drug combination; there is no placebo or comparison arm. Treatment is given in sequence across two cohorts that represent different stages of disease: patients with partial responses on zanubrutinib and patients whose CLL has relapsed after previous benefit. There is no blinding, so both doctors and patients know which drugs are being used. The main purpose is treatment-focused: to see if the combo can shrink disease, extend control, and offer a new option for BTKi-exposed patients.

The study is listed as “not yet recruiting,” with an initial submission date of November 26, 2025, which signals that trial startup planning is under way but enrollment has not begun. The same November 26, 2025 date is shown as the latest update, indicating this is an early-stage posting rather than a mature dataset with results. No primary completion or final completion dates are posted yet, so investors should assume that any meaningful data readout is several years away from first patient dosing.

For investors, this update reinforces Curis’s focus on emavusertib as a key value driver in blood cancers, especially in combination with established BTKi drugs. While there is no near-term data catalyst, the study targets a commercially important niche: CLL patients on chronic BTKi therapy who have residual disease or relapse, a group that remains underserved despite strong BTKi adoption. Positive future data could support a differentiated positioning for emavusertib alongside branded BTKi agents from Beigene (zanubrutinib), AbbVie/J&J (ibrutinib), and others, potentially enabling Curis to tap into the large and growing CLL treatment market. In the short run, the listing mainly supports a long-term development story rather than immediate revenue, so sentiment impact may be modest but constructive for long-term holders who value pipeline depth over near-term cash flows.

The study is currently listed as not yet recruiting and has been recently updated, with further details available on the ClinicalTrials portal.

To learn more about CRIS’s potential, visit the Curis Inc. drug pipeline page.