U.S. FDA Grants Priority Review to Astellas’ New Drug Application for Gilteritinib for the Treatment of Adult Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

On May 29, 2018 Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Kenji Yasukawa, Ph.D. "Astellas") reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted, with Priority Review, the company’s New Drug Application (NDA) for gilteritinib for the treatment of adult patients who have relapsed or refractory (resistant to treatment) Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) with a FLT3 mutation as detected by an FDA-approved test (Press release, Astellas Pharma US, MAY 29, 2018, View Source [SID1234526914]). Currently, there are no FLT3-targeting agents approved for the treatment of relapsed or refractory FLT3 mutation-positive (FLT3mut+) AML.

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"FLT3 mutations impact approximately 30 percent of AML patients and are often associated with poor survival outcomes. Many with this condition relapse after treatment or don’t respond to currently available treatments. Simply put, they need more options," said Steven Benner, M.D., senior vice president and global therapeutic area head, Oncology Development, Astellas. "The FDA’s acceptance of this NDA, with Priority Review, represents a significant milestone for gilteritinib and Astellas in our mission to help AML patients and the physicians who treat them."

The NDA is based on the ongoing Phase 3 ADMIRAL trial investigating gilteritinib for the treatment of adult patients with FLT3mut+ relapsed or refractory AML. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date for a decision by the FDA is November 29, 2018.

The FDA grants Priority Review designation to applications for drugs that, if approved, may offer significant improvements in the safety and effectiveness of the treatment of serious conditions when compared to standard applications. Under Priority Review, the FDA aims to take action on an application within six months of NDA filing, as compared to ten months under standard review.

Previously, gilteritinib was granted both Orphan Drug designation and Fast Track designation by the U.S. FDA. Gilteritinib also received Orphan Designation from the European Commission (EC) and Orphan Drug Designation from the Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW). The MHLW also granted SAKIGAKE designation to gilteritinib for relapsed/refractory AML.

About Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a cancer that impacts the blood and bone marrow, and its incidence increases with age. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2018, approximately 19,000 new patients will be diagnosed with AML in the U.S.1 In Western Europe, there are around 13,000 new cases of AML every year.2 In Japan, approximately 5,500 patients are diagnosed with AML each year.3

About Gilteritinib
Gilteritinib is an investigational compound that has demonstrated inhibitory activity against FLT3 internal tandem duplication (ITD) as well as FLT3 tyrosine kinase domain (TKD), two common types of FLT3 mutations that are seen in approximately one-third of patients with AML. Further, gilteritinib has also demonstrated inhibition of the AXL receptor in AML cell lines. Astellas is currently investigating gilteritinib in various AML patient populations through several additional Phase 3 trials. Visit AstellasAMLTrials.com to learn more about ongoing gilteritinib clinical trials.
Gilteritinib was discovered through a research collaboration with Kotobuki Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Astellas has exclusive global rights to develop, manufacture and potentially commercialize gilteritinib.
The safety and efficacy of the agent discussed herein are under investigation and have not been established. There is no guarantee that the agent will receive regulatory approval and become commercially available for the uses being investigated. Information about pharmaceutical products (including products currently in development), which is included in this press release are not intended to constitute an advertisement or medical advice.

About the ADMIRAL Trial4
The Phase 3 ADMIRAL trial (NCT02421939) is an open-label, multicenter, randomized study of gilteritinib versus salvage chemotherapy in adult patients with FLT3 mutations who are refractory to or have relapsed after first-line AML therapy. The primary endpoints of the trial are Overall Survival (OS) and complete remission/complete remission with partial hematologic recovery (CR/CRh) rates. The study was designed to enroll 369 patients with FLT3 mutations present in bone marrow or whole blood, as determined by central lab. Subjects were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive gilteritinib (120 mg5) or salvage chemotherapy.

A Novel Human anti-HER2 Triparatopic Tribody shows superior efficacy in addressing monotherapy drug resistance and tumour heterogeneity in resistant breast cancer tumours

On May 28, 2018 Biotecnol and University of Naples reported that published a study on Journal of Immunology, Volume 40 – Issue 4 – p 117, showing the flexibility and versatility of its Tribody and Trisoma platforms (Press release, Biotecnol, MAY 28, 2018, View Source [SID1234570280]). The team assembled a multiparatope Tribody Tb-TPE which was able to bind to a wider population of tumor cells as it also recognized epitopes present in trastuzumab-resistant tumour cells expressing a receptor that either lacks some extracellular regions, such as the oncogenic D16HER2 variant, or masks some domains in the interaction with other receptors, such as MUC4 in JIMT-1 cells, CD44 or other membrane surface proteins in other cell lines, thus providing a useful tool to overcome resistance.

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The new construct combines in 1 single molecule 3 different targeting approaches and antitumor actions of 3 different antibodies, such as trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and a proprietary anti-HER2 binder which recognises a different epitope, and it allows to reduce the costs of antibody production as only 1 construct provides the effects of 3 different antibodies.

The study concluded that a triparatope Tribody to ErbB2/ HER2 had the potential to become a best-in-class therapeutic to address monotherapy drug resistance and tumour heterogeneity and therefore bring clinical benefits for longer periods of time and to a larger patient population. Furthermore such an approach could be used in immune-modulation with key immune-checkpoints.

Phase III IMpower130 Study Showed Genentech’s TECENTRIQ (Atezolizumab) Plus Chemotherapy (Carboplatin and ABRAXANE) Helped People With Metastatic Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Live Significantly Longer Compared to Chemotherapy Alone

On May 28, 2018 Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY), reported that the Phase III IMpower130 study met its co-primary endpoints of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) (Press release, Genentech, MAY 28, 2018, View Source [SID1234526922]). The combination of TECENTRIQ (atezolizumab) plus chemotherapy (carboplatin and ABRAXANE [albumin-bound paclitaxel; nab-paclitaxel]) helped people live significantly longer compared to chemotherapy alone in the initial (first-line) treatment of advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In addition, the TECENTRIQ combination reduced the risk of disease worsening or death (progression-free survival; PFS) compared with chemotherapy alone. Safety for the TECENTRIQ and chemotherapy combination appeared consistent with the known safety profile of the individual medicines, and no new safety signals were identified with the combination. These data will be presented at an upcoming oncology congress.

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"The results of the IMpower130 study add to the growing evidence showing the clinical benefit of TECENTRIQ-based combinations in the treatment of advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer," said Sandra Horning, M.D., chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. "We will share these results with global health authorities with the goal of bringing this potential treatment option to people with this disease."
Currently, Genentech has eight Phase III lung cancer studies underway evaluating TECENTRIQ alone or in combination with other medicines. This is the third positive Phase III study evaluating TECENTRIQ alone or in combination to demonstrate an OS benefit for people with NSCLC.

About the IMpower130 study
IMpower130 is a Phase III, multicenter, open-label, randomized study evaluating the efficacy and safety of TECENTRIQ in combination with carboplatin and nab-paclitaxel versus chemotherapy (carboplatin and nab-paclitaxel) alone for chemotherapy-naïve patients with stage IV non-squamous NSCLC. The study enrolled 724 people who were randomized equally (1:1) to receive:
TECENTRIQ plus carboplatin and nab-paclitaxel (Arm A), or
Carboplatin and nab-paclitaxel (Arm B, control arm)
During the treatment-induction phase, people in Arm A received TECENTRIQ and carboplatin on day 1 of each 21-day cycle, and nab-paclitaxel on days 1, 8 and 15 of each 21-day cycle for 4 or 6 cycles or until loss of clinical benefit, whichever occurs first. People received TECENTRIQ during the maintenance treatment phase until loss of clinical benefit was observed.
During the treatment-induction phase, people in Arm B received carboplatin on day 1 and nab-paclitaxel on days 1, 8 and 15 of each 21-day cycle for 4 or 6 cycles or until disease progression, whichever occurs first. People received best supportive care during the maintenance treatment phase. Switch maintenance to pemetrexed was also permitted. People who were consented prior to a protocol revision were given the option to crossover to receive TECENTRIQ as monotherapy until disease progression.
The co-primary endpoints were:
PFS as determined by the investigator using RECIST v1.1 in all randomized people without an EGFR or ALK mutation (intention-to-treat wild-type; ITT-WT)
OS in the ITT-WT population
IMpower130 met its OS and PFS co-primary endpoints.
About lung cancer
According to the American Cancer Society, it is estimated that more than 234,000 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2018, and NSCLC accounts for 85 percent of all lung cancers. It is estimated that approximately 60 percent of lung cancer diagnoses in the United States are made when the disease is in the advanced stages.
About TECENTRIQ (atezolizumab)

TECENTRIQ is a monoclonal antibody designed to bind with a protein called PD-L1. TECENTRIQ is designed to bind to PD-L1 expressed on tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells, blocking its interactions with both PD-1 and B7.1 receptors. By inhibiting PD-L1, TECENTRIQ may enable the re-activation of T cells. TECENTRIQ may also affect normal cells.

Abraxane is a registered trademark of Abraxis Bioscience, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Celgene Corporation.
TECENTRIQ U.S. Indication (pronounced ‘tē-SEN-trik’)
TECENTRIQ is a prescription medicine used to treat:
a type of bladder and urinary tract cancer called urothelial carcinoma.
TECENTRIQ may be used when your bladder cancer:
has spread or cannot be removed by surgery (advanced urothelial carcinoma), and
you are not able to take chemotherapy that contains a medicine called cisplatin, or
you have tried chemotherapy that contains platinum, and it did not work or is no longer working
The approval of TECENTRIQ in these patients is based on a study that measured response rate and duration of response. There is an ongoing study to confirm clinical benefit.
A type of lung cancer called non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

TECENTRIQ may be used when your lung cancer:
has spread or grown, and
you have tried chemotherapy that contains platinum, and it did not work or is no longer working
If your tumor has an abnormal EGFR or ALK gene, you should have also tried an FDA-approved therapy for tumors with these abnormal genes, and it did not work or is no longer working.
It is not known if TECENTRIQ is safe and effective in children.
Important Safety Information
What is the most important information about TECENTRIQ?
TECENTRIQ can cause the immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in many areas of the body and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become serious or life threatening and can lead to death.
Patients should call or see their healthcare provider right away if they get any symptoms of the following problems or these symptoms get worse.

TECENTRIQ can cause serious side effects, including:
Lung problems (pneumonitis )–signs and symptoms may include new or worsening cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain
Liver problems (hepatitis) –signs and symptoms of hepatitis may include yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes, severe nausea or vomiting, pain on the right side of the stomach area (abdomen), drowsiness, dark urine (tea colored), bleeding or bruising more easily than normal, and feeling less hungry than usual
Intestinal problems (colitis) –signs and symptoms of colitis may include diarrhea (loose stools) or more bowel movements than usual, blood or mucous in the stools or dark, tarry, sticky stools, and severe stomach area (abdomen) pain or tenderness

Hormone gland problems (especially the thyroid, adrenal glands, pancreas, and pituitary) –signs and symptoms that the hormone glands are not working properly may include headaches that will not go away or unusual headaches, extreme tiredness, weight gain or weight loss, dizziness or fainting, feeling more hungry or thirsty than usual, hair loss, changes in mood or behavior (such as decreased sex drive, irritability, or forgetfulness), feeling cold, constipation, the voice gets deeper, urinating more often than usual, nausea or vomiting, and stomach area (abdomen) pain

Problems in other organs –signs and symptoms may include severe muscle weakness, numbness or tingling in hands or feet, confusion, blurry vision, double vision, or other vision problems, changes in mood or behavior, extreme sensitivity to light, neck stiffness, eye pain or redness, skin blisters or peeling, chest pain, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, or swelling of the ankles
Severe infections –signs and symptoms of infection may include fever, cough, flu-like symptoms, pain when urinating, and frequent urination or back pain
Severe infusion reactions –signs and symptoms of infusion reactions may include chills or shaking, itching or rash, flushing, shortness of breath or wheezing, swelling of the face or lips, dizziness, fever, feeling like passing out, and back or neck pain
Getting medical treatment right away may help keep these problems from becoming more serious. A healthcare provider may treat patients with corticosteroid or hormone replacement medicines. A healthcare provider may delay or completely stop treatment with TECENTRIQ if patients have severe side effects.

Before receiving TECENTRIQ, patients should tell their healthcare provider about all of their medical conditions, including if they:
have immune system problems (such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or lupus); have had an organ transplant; have lung or breathing problems; have liver problems; have a condition that affects the nervous system (such as myasthenia gravis or Guillain-Barre syndrome); or are being treated for an infection
are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. TECENTRIQ can harm an unborn baby. Patients should tell their healthcare provider right away if they become pregnant or think they may be pregnant during treatment with TECENTRIQ. If patients are able to become pregnant:

A healthcare provider should do a pregnancy test before they start treatment with TECENTRIQ.
They should use an effective method of birth control during their treatment and for at least 5 months after the last dose of TECENTRIQ.

are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if TECENTRIQ passes into the breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment and for at least 5 months after the last dose of TECENTRIQ
Patients should tell their healthcare provider about all the medicines they take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

The most common side effects of TECENTRIQ in people with urothelial carcinoma include:
feeling tired
decreased appetite
nausea
constipation
urinary tract infection
diarrhea
fever
The most common side effects of TECENTRIQ in people with non-small cell lung cancer include:
feeling tired
decreased appetite
muscle pain
cough
shortness of breath
TECENTRIQ may cause fertility problems in females, which may affect the ability to have children. Patients should talk to their healthcare provider if they have concerns about fertility.
These are not all the possible side effects of TECENTRIQ. Patients should ask their healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information. Patients should call their doctor for medical advice about side effects.
Report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or View Source Report side effects to Genentech at 1-888-835-2555.
Please visit View Source for the TECENTRIQ full Prescribing Information for additional Important Safety Information.

About Genentech in Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy
For more than 30 years, Genentech has been developing medicines with the goal to redefine treatment in oncology. Today, we’re investing more than ever to bring personalized cancer immunotherapy (PCI) to people with cancer. The goal of PCI is to provide each person with a treatment tailored to harness his or her own immune system to fight cancer. Genentech is studying more than 20 investigational medicines, 10 of which are in clinical trials. In every study we are evaluating biomarkers to identify which people may be appropriate candidates for our medicines. For more information visit View Source

About Genentech in Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is a major area of focus and investment for Genentech, and we are committed to developing new approaches, medicines and tests that can help people with this deadly disease. Our goal is to provide an effective treatment option for every person diagnosed with lung cancer. We currently have four approved medicines to treat certain kinds of lung cancer and more than 10 medicines being developed to target the most common genetic drivers of lung cancer or to boost the immune system to combat the disease.

Shuwen Biotech and Bliss Biopharmaceutical Partner on Companion Diagnostics for Cancer Drugs

On May 28, 2018 Shuwen Biotech Co. Ltd., an emerging leader in innovative diagnostic products and services reported it has signed a partnership agreement with Bliss Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of biotherapeutics for unmet medical needs (Press release, Shuwen Biotech, MAY 28, 2018, View Source [SID1234526911]).

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Under the agreement, Shuwen will develop companion diagnostics for Bliss’ oncology drug candidates. Shuwen also commits to provide testing services in its CAP-certified central labs for BlissBio’ clinical trials. The terms of the collaboration are undisclosed.

"Companion diagnostics and precision medicine are Shuwen’s major focus. We have partnered with a number of pharmaceutical companies. This collaboration will fuel continued innovation by BlissBio and further demonstrate how Shuwen can deliver value through its strong companion diagnostics development team and its CAP-accredited lab facilities," said Jay Z. Zhang, Shuwen’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

"We have some of the best-in-class biologics in development. Shuwen provides versatile technologies that may enable the precise selection of the most suitable patients for our drug candidates, thus increasing the competitiveness of our products. We are very happy to work with Shuwen," commented Dr. Ziping Wei, BlissBio’ Chief Executive Officer.

Lion TCR receives US$ 20 million to fund its personalized T cell therapy clinical trials against Liver cancer

On May 27, 2018 Lion TCR Pte Ltd, a clinical stage biotech pioneering T cell therapy against viral- related cancer, reported they have raised US$ 20 million in its Series A financing round (Press release, Lion TCR, MAY 27, 2018, View Source [SID1234527356]). The money raised is led primarily by undisclosed existing investors and other new investors such as ABC Capital and Westlake Ventures Capital.

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The proceeds from this fundraising will be primarily used to advance its on-going clinical trials of its lead candidate LioCyx (personalized HBV specific TCR T cell therapy against HCC) in major hospitals in China and Singapore, as well as for broadening its products pipeline to fight viral-related solid tumours and clearance of chronic hepatitis B.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has over 700,000 new cases every year, the world’s second deadliest cancer, of which 80% in Asia Pacific and 50% in China. Initial clinical trials of LioCyx for late stage HCC have produced encouraging results of good efficacy and very good safety profile. LioCyxis developed by Lion TCR’s scientific founder, Prof. Antonio Bertoletti. The team and its collaborators in Singapore General Hospital have recently won the 2018 SingHealth Duke-NUS Research Award 1st Prize and the Best Abstract in EASL International Liver Congress 2018.

Dr. Victor Li, founder and CEO of Lion TCR, said "This finance is also a recognition of the potential, versatility, and uniqueness of Lion TCR’s novel viral specific TCR T cell technology platform and its products pipeline. It will allow us to accelerate the completion of Phase 1/2a clinical trial of LioCyx to treat relapsed HCC case post-liver transplantation and expand the therapy clinical trials for other indications of HCC. With a strong internal scientific team as well as collaborators from world renowned cancer research and medical centres in China, Singapore and Europe, Lion TCR continues to advance its pioneer position on engineered T cell therapy against viral related cancer and clearance of chronic hepatitis infection".