On May 1, 2017 ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZIOP), a biopharmaceutical company focused on new immunotherapies, reported its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2017, and provided an update on the company’s recent activities (Filing, Q1, Ziopharm, 2017, MAY 1, 2017, View Source [SID1234518767]).

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"ZIOPHARM is making significant advances, including progress towards finalizing a registration path for Ad-RTS-hIL-12 + veledimex for recurrent glioblastoma and furthering development in our point-of-care approach with T-cell CAR-based therapies," said Laurence Cooper, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of ZIOPHARM Oncology. "ZIOPHARM is assessing several paths for the pivotal trial, including a single-arm study of Ad-RTS-hIL-12 + veledimex compared to historical controls. With a commercialization path in view, we are evaluating partnership opportunities for Ad-RTS-hIL-12 + veledimex to understand the breadth of options available to ZIOPHARM for bringing this important therapeutic candidate to patients."

"The IL-12 data from the brain cancer trial firmly establishes that the RheoSwitch Therapeutic System works as a switch in humans," added Dr. Cooper. "By combining the most clinically advanced non-viral gene integration platform, Sleeping Beauty, and transcriptional switch system, RheoSwitch, we will use our point-of-care approach to significantly shorten the time to manufacture T cells and to tailor the expression of introduced genes after infusion using veledimex. This will address two major issues with CAR-based therapies, namely the cost of therapy and control of T cells to reduce toxicity."

Recent Updates
Ad-RTS-hIL-12 + veledimex
Ad-RTS-hIL-12 + veledimex is ZIOPHARM’s gene therapy candidate for the controlled expression of interleukin-12 (IL-12), a critical protein for stimulating an anti-cancer immune response, using a RheoSwitch Therapeutic System (RTS) inducible gene-delivery system, or switch, that enables controlled in vivo expression of therapeutic proteins. ZIOPHARM is currently conducting a multi-center Phase 1 study of Ad-RTS-hIL-12 + orally administered veledimex in patients with recurrent or progressive glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an aggressive form of brain cancer.
ZIOPHARM will be presenting updated results from its Phase 1, multicenter, dose-escalation study of Ad-RTS-hIL-12 + veledimex in patients with recurrent or progressive glioblastoma at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting on June 5, 2017.

"Our initial discussions with regulators have been encouraging, and we look forward to moving Ad-RTS-hIL-12 + veledimex into a pivotal study as quickly as possible this year. Details of the pivotal Phase 3 trial will be made available following completion of discussions with regulators and clinical advisors," said Francois Lebel, M.D., Executive Vice President, Research and Development, Chief Medical Officer at ZIOPHARM. "We continue to see encouraging outcomes in our Phase 1, multi-center study of Ad-RTS-hIL-12 + veledimex in patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas and plan to share updated results from this study at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper)."

The Company also expects to initiate Phase 1 studies of Ad-RTS-hIL-12 + veledimex in pediatric brain cancer, as well as in combination with an anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor in adult glioblastoma, as planned, in the first half of 2017.

Adoptive Cell Therapies
ZIOPHARM is developing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell (CAR+ T), T-cell receptor (TCR) T cell (TCR+ T), and natural killer (NK) adoptive cell-based therapies. These programs are being advanced in collaboration with Intrexon Corporation, MD Anderson Cancer Center, the National Cancer Institute and Merck Serono, the biopharmaceutical business of Merck KGaA (CAR+ T only).
Announced Advancement of Next-Generation Non-Viral CAR+ T Platform Empowered by Membrane-Bound IL-15 Under RTS Gene Switch Control. In April 2017, ZIOPHARM and its partners, Intrexon and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, announced the advancement of a unique approach to develop therapeutic candidates for two CAR+ T targets expressed on a wide range of tumor types, including hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. The distinctive methodology centers on the proprietary RTS platform to regulate production of membrane-bound interleukin-15 (mbIL15) co-expressed with CARs and Sleeping Beauty, a non-viral genetic modification system to genetically modify clinical-grade T cells. The companies expect to advance this innovative approach towards the clinic in 2018.

The IL-15 cytokine is increasingly recognized as a key driver of therapeutic effect in CAR+ T therapy, including in a recent Journal of Clinical Oncology publication which correlated lymphoma remissions in patients whose IL-15 levels were elevated after lymphodepleting chemotherapy. Through the RTS gene switch, the expression of mbIL15 can be regulated to help CARs target cancers in a controlled manner, thus providing a new paradigm in T-cell therapy.
Announced Advances in Point-of-Care Approach for Rapidly Producing CAR-Expressing T Cells Utilizing the Sleeping Beauty System. In January 2017, ZIOPHARM announced improved production times utilizing its non-viral platform to engineer T cells in an ongoing Phase 1 study of second-generation Sleeping Beauty-modified CD19-specific CAR+ T cells. ZIOPHARM continues to refine its Sleeping Beauty system to further reduce time to manufacture genetically modified T cells. Preclinical studies of third-generation Sleeping Beauty-modified CAR+ T cells co-expressing mbIL15 demonstrated reduced time to administration (less than two days) through elimination of the need for in vitro T-cell activation and propagation. Plans to progress this point-of-care approach with infusion of CAR+ T cells in less than two days are underway. The combination of Sleeping Beauty and RTS-mbIL15, has the potential to solve the dual problems of cost and toxicities as genetically modified T cells can be rapidly produced for preclinical testing, and the RTS is a clinically validated switch, which may be used with veledimex to control T-cell persistence via conditional expression of mbIL15. The Company expects to advance towards a Phase 1 study evaluating the point-of-care in 2017.

Announced Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) With the National Cancer Institute Utilizing Sleeping Beauty System to Generate T Cells Targeting Neoantigens. In January 2017, ZIOPHARM and its partner, Intrexon, announced the signing of a CRADA with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for the development of adoptive cell transfer-based immunotherapies genetically modified using the Sleeping Beauty system to express TCRs targeting neoantigens for the treatment of solid tumors. Research conducted under the CRADA will be at the direction of Steven A. Rosenberg, M.D., Ph.D., Chief of the Surgery Branch at the NCI’s Center for Cancer Research. The Company anticipates that this program will advance to Phase 1 during the second half of 2017.
Anticipated and Achieved 2017 Milestones

• Intra-tumoral IL-12 RheoSwitch programs:

• Updated clinical data from Phase 1 of Ad-RTS-hIL-12 + veledimex for recurrent GBM to be presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper)

• Initiate pivotal clinical trial for recurrent GBM

• Initiate combination study of Ad-RTS-hIL-12 + veledimex with iCPI (anti-PD-1) for recurrent GBM during the first half

• Initiate Phase 1 study in the treatment of brain tumors in children during the first half

• CAR+ T programs:

• Continue CD19-specific CAR+ T second-generation clinical study, enrolling patients under shortened manufacturing

• Advance CD19 third-generation mbIL15 towards a Phase 1 clinical study evaluating point-of-care

• Initiate a CD33-specific CAR+ T clinical study in adults and children for relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia

• Advance CAR+ T-cell preclinical studies for at least one hematological malignancy under a shortened manufacturing process towards point-of-care

• TCR programs

• Execute CRADA with NCI utilizing Sleeping Beauty to generate T cells targeting neoantigens for treatment of patients with solid tumor malignancies

• Advance development of process for delivering personalized gene-modified T-cell products against neoantigens

• NK cell programs

• Initiate a Phase 1 study of off-the-shelf (OTS) NK cells for elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia not eligible for standard intensive chemotherapy

• GvHD (graft-versus-host disease) programs

• Advance preclinical studies

First-Quarter 2017 Financial Results

• Net loss applicable to the common shareholders for the first quarter of 2017 was $19.7 million, or $(0.15) per share, compared to a net loss of $12.0 million, or $(0.09) per share, for the first quarter of 2016. The increase in net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2017 is primarily due to decreased collaboration revenue of $0.4 million, an increase in operating expenses of $1.5 million, an increase in the charge for the change in derivative liabilities of $1.6 million and income attributable to preferred shareholders of $4.2 million.

• Research and development expenses were $12.0 million for the first quarter of 2017, compared to $10.2 million for the first quarter of 2016. The increase in research and development expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2017 is primarily due to our gene therapy and cell therapy programs, along with increased headcount.

• General and administrative expenses were $3.6 million for the first quarter of 2017, compared to $3.8 million for the first quarter of 2016. The decrease in general and administrative expenses is primarily due to decreased employee-related expenses.

• The Company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of approximately $66.4 million, which the Company believes will be sufficient to fund its currently planned activities through the fourth quarter of 2017, including initiating a pivotal trial for Ad-RTS-hIL-12 + veledimex.

On May 1, 2017 Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:SNSS) reported that the Company will withdraw its European Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for vosaroxin as a treatment for relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in patients aged 60 years and older (Press release, Sunesis, MAY 1, 2017, View Source [SID1234518766]). The decision follows recent interactions with the European Medicine Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), during which the Company learned that the committee was likely to formally adopt a negative opinion in its evaluation of the application.

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"We are disappointed to not achieve approval for vosaroxin’s MAA given its reported efficacy in a patient population with such poor outcomes. Although we did not receive a definitive CHMP opinion, we believed that a positive opinion was unlikely," said Daniel Swisher, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sunesis. "Following our appearances before the committee’s Scientific Advisory Group Oncology Division and CHMP, we carefully considered feedback from our rapporteurs and input from retained regulatory experts to make our decision to notify EMA to withdraw vosaroxin’s MAA as our assessment concluded it was unlikely we could achieve a majority vote of CHMP members at this time or upon an immediate re-examination for our proposed indication based on VALOR data from a sub-group of a single pivotal trial that had missed reaching full statistical significance in its primary analysis."

Mr. Swisher added: "In light of this, we are significantly reducing our investment in the AML program and shifting an increasing portion of resources to our kinase inhibitor pipeline, including lead asset SNS-062, our non-covalent reversible BTK-inhibitor, which will begin dosing this quarter in a Phase 1b/2 trial in cancer patients with B-cell malignancies. We expect to continue to advance the development of vosaroxin through a modest investment in investigator-sponsored group trials, and will carefully assess business development alternatives to support the conduct of another pivotal trial to achieve future regulatory approval of vosaroxin. We expect that our current cash resources are sufficient to fund the company beyond Q1 2018."

About SNS-062
SNS-062 is a novel, second-generation BTK inhibitor, a class of kinase inhibitors that selectively inhibits the enzyme Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK). This target mediates signaling through the B-cell receptor, which is critical for adhesion, migration, proliferation and survival of normal and malignant B-lineage lymphoid cells. Unlike other drugs in its class, SNS-062 has a distinct kinase selectivity profile and binds non-covalently to the BTK enzyme. This alternate binding site potentially provides an opportunity to address the leading resistance mechanism, a mutation in the enzyme’s binding site required for covalent binding. In preclinical studies, SNS-062 demonstrated potent activity against Cys-481S mutated B-cell malignancies, and has been studied in healthy subjects in a Phase 1A, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled dose-ranging study to investigate the drug’s safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. With the reported successful study outcome, SNS-062 is proceeding to a Phase 1B/2 study in patients with B-cell malignancies.

About QINPREZO (vosaroxin)
QINPREZO (vosaroxin) is an anti-cancer quinolone derivative (AQD), a class of compounds that has not been used previously for the treatment of cancer. Preclinical data demonstrate that vosaroxin both intercalates DNA and inhibits topoisomerase II, resulting in replication-dependent, site-selective DNA damage, G2 arrest and apoptosis. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Commission have granted orphan drug designation to vosaroxin for the treatment of AML. Additionally, vosaroxin has been granted fast track designation by the FDA for the potential treatment of relapsed/refractory AML in combination with cytarabine. Vosaroxin is an investigational drug that has not been approved for use in any jurisdiction.
The trademark name QINPREZO is conditionally accepted by the FDA and the EMA as the proprietary name for the vosaroxin drug product candidate.

On May 1, 2017 Onconova Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ONTX), a Phase 3 stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel products to treat cancer, with a primary focus on myelodysplastic syndromes, reported one oral and one poster presentation at the 14th International Symposium on Myelodysplastic Syndromes taking place May 3-6, 2017 at the Palacios de Congresos de Valencia in Valencia, Spain (Press release, Onconova, MAY 1, 2017, View Source [SID1234518754]). These presentations will be made by the Company’s collaborators from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic.

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Abstract Details:

Poster Presentation:
Date: May 4th through May 6th
Time: 8:00 am
Location: Poster Presentation Section
Presenter: Dr. Aziz Nazha – Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio

A Validation of a Post-Hypomethylating Agent Failure (HMAF) Prognostic Model in Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) Patients Treated with Rigosertib versus Best Supportive Care (BSC) in a Randomized Controlled Phase III trial

Oral Presentation:
Date: Saturday May 6th
Time: 8:30 am-10 am
Location: Auditorium 1
Presenter: Dr. Shyamala Navada – Mount Sinai School of Medicine, NYC

Combination of Oral Rigosertib and Injectable Azacitidine In Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)

Additional details and content from these presentations will be available on the Company’s website on the day of the presentations.

On May 1, 2017 TESARO, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSRO), an oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company, reported the submission of an Investigational New Drug (IND) Application for TSR-033 to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. TSR-033 is a monoclonal antibody targeting LAG-3 (Press release, TESARO, MAY 1, 2017, View Source [SID1234518748]).

“The IND for TSR-033 is the third application from our immuno-oncology franchise to be submitted to the FDA within the past 17 months,” said Mary Lynne Hedley, Ph.D., President and COO of TESARO. “Our vision is that immuno-oncology candidates such as TSR-033, TSR-042, our anti-PD-1 antibody, and TSR-022, our anti-TIM-3 antibody, could become a foundation of cancer therapy regimens across a variety of tumor types. A Phase 1 clinical study of TSR-033 is planned to begin in mid-2017.”

About TSR-033
TSR-033 is a monoclonal antibody candidate targeting LAG-3 developed as part of collaboration between TESARO and AnaptysBio, Inc. This collaboration was initiated in March of 2014, and is focused on the development of monospecific antibody drugs targeting PD-1, TIM-3 (TSR-022), and LAG-3 (TSR-033), in addition to a bi-specific antibody drug candidate targeting PD-1/LAG-3.

On May 1, 2017 ImmunoGen, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMGN), a leader in the expanding field of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for the treatment of cancer, reported that the results from a Phase 1 dose-escalation study evaluating mirvetuximab soravtansine (IMGN853) in patients with folate receptor alpha (FRα)-positive solid tumors were published in the journal Cancer (Press release, ImmunoGen, MAY 1, 2017, View Source [SID1234518747]). The previously disclosed data demonstrated encouraging clinical activity and a manageable safety profile for mirvetuximab soravtansine (IMGN853), and informed the dose that was used in Phase 1 expansion cohorts and the ongoing Phase 3 FORWARD I trial of patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.

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"These Phase 1 results have played an important role in determining the appropriate dose for mirvetuximab soravtansine in the recently initiated Phase 3 FORWARD I trial of patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer," said Kathleen Moore, M.D., Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma. "The combination of these data and the recent data published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology further support the dose that has been chosen and patients who have been selected for FORWARD I."

The open-label, Phase 1 dose-escalation study treated a total of 44 patients with recurrent ovarian (52%) or endometrial cancer (25%), along with renal cell carcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer (11% and 9%, respectively). Patients received mirvetuximab soravtansine on day 1 of a 21-day cycle (Q3W dosing) with cycles repeated until dose-limited toxicity or progression, concluding the recommended dose for future trials is 6.0 mg/kg of mirvetuximab (based on adjusted ideal body weight) dosed once every three weeks. On the basis of the study findings, and additional data that demonstrated the importance of FRα expression levels for optimal mirvetuximab sorvatansine activity, the Company designed the Phase 3 FORWARD I trial utilizing this dose in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, along with a Phase 1b trial evaluating mirvetuximab in combination with standard-of-care chemotherapy and targeted agents.1

Mirvetuximab soravtansine exhibited a manageable safety profile and encouraging preliminary clinical activity. Adverse events (AEs) were generally mild with the majority being grade 1 or grade 2 (least severe grades). The most commonly observed AEs were fatigue, blurred vision and diarrhea.1

The publication, "Phase I dose-escalation study of mirvetuximab soravtansine (IMGN853), a folate receptor alpha-targeting antibody-drug conjugate, in patients with solid tumors," is available on the Cancer website.

About Mirvetuximab Soravtansine

Mirvetuximab soravtansine (IMGN853) is the first FRα-targeting ADC. It uses a FRα-binding antibody to target the ADC specifically to FRα-expressing cancer cells and a potent anti-tumor agent, DM4, to kill the targeted cancer cells.

Mirvetuximab soravtansine is ImmunoGen’s lead program and is in Phase 3 testing as a single agent for the treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The candidate is also being assessed in combination regimens for both platinum-resistant and platinum-sensitive disease in Phase 1b/2 FORWARD II trial.

About Ovarian Cancer and FRα

In 2016, approximately 22,300 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. and more than 14,200 women will die from the disease.2 ImmunoGen estimates that 60% of ovarian cancer cases have medium or high FRα expression.

Standard first-line therapy for ovarian cancer is a platinum-based regimen. Once the cancer becomes platinum-resistant, treatment options include single-agent cytotoxic therapies such as pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, paclitaxel, or topotecan.