On October 3, 2018 Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRVS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of precisely targeted oncology therapies, reported the publication of results of preclinical studies of CPI-444 demonstrating that it induces dose dependent anti-tumor responses as a monotherapy and in combination with anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1 and anti-CTLA-4 therapies (Press release, Corvus Pharmaceuticals, OCT 3, 2018, View Source [SID1234529768]). The article, which is titled "A2AR Antagonism with CPI-444 Induces Antitumor Responses and Augments Efficacy to Anti–PD-(L)1 and Anti–CTLA-4 in Preclinical Models," is featured on the cover of and in the October issue of the journal Cancer Immunology Research, which is an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper). The article can be accessed here.

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CPI-444, Corvus’ lead product candidate, is a selective and potent inhibitor of the adenosine A2A receptor. It is currently being evaluated in clinical trials in patients with various solid tumors as a single agent and in combination with Genentech’s atezolizumab, an anti-PD-L1 antibody.

"Our carefully conducted pre-clinical studies of CPI-444 demonstrated robust, dose-dependent inhibition of cancer growth as monotherapy, and synergistic efficacy with checkpoint inhibitors, in multiple tumor models," said Stephen Willingham Ph.D., a senior scientist at Corvus and lead author of the article. "These studies indicate that CPI-444 is associated with T-cell activation, which is believed to be its main mechanism of increased cancer killing activity."

Dr. Willingham added, "In these studies we used two different models to characterize the intratumor levels of adenosine, confirming they should be easily blocked by CPI-444. We believe this is the first publication to accurately measure intratumor levels of extracellular adenosine, which is important for evaluating the potential efficacy of therapeutics aimed at this pathway."

Key takeaways from the pre-clinical studies covered in the article include:

CPI-444 is a selective and potent inhibitor of the adenosine A2A receptor and provides dose dependent inhibition of tumor growth as a monotherapy in multiple tumor models
CPI-444 is synergistic with checkpoint inhibitors (anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1 and anti-CTLA-4), demonstrating the elimination of tumors in up to 90% of treated mice and the restoration of immune responses in mice with tumors that are resistant to anti-PD-L1 or anti-CTLA-4 monotherapy
In monotherapy and combination-therapy, CPI-444 inhibited tumor growth and enabled long-term anti-tumor immune memory
CD8+ T-cells were shown to be required for a response with CPI-444 , demonstrating a role for CD8+ T-cells in mediating primary and secondary immune responses
Intratumor adenosine levels as measured in two models were shown to be approximately 100-150 nanomolar, which is a level that is completely blocked by CPI-444
"These extensive pre-clinical studies formed the basis for our ongoing Phase 1/1b trial in renal cell cancer and Phase 1b/2 trial in non-small cell lung cancer, in each case, with CPI-444, which has now been investigated in over 250 cancer patients," said Richard A, Miller M.D., an oncologist; co-founder, president and chief executive officer of Corvus; and a senior author of the article. "We are delighted that the quality of this research led to this article being featured on the cover of the journal. We will provide an update on our ongoing human clinical studies at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in November."

ABOUT CPI-444
CPI-444 is a small molecule, oral, checkpoint inhibitor designed to disable a tumor’s ability to subvert attack by the immune system by blocking the binding of adenosine in the tumor microenvironment to the A2A receptor. Adenosine, a metabolite of ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate), is produced within the tumor microenvironment where it may bind to the adenosine A2A receptor present on immune cells and block their activity. CD39 and CD73 are enzymes on the surface of tumor cells and immune cells. These enzymes work in concert to convert ATP to adenosine. In vitro and preclinical studies have shown that dual blockade of CD73 and the A2A receptor may be synergistic.

On October 3, 2018 ArcherDX, a molecular technology company dedicated to developing breakthrough solutions that advance the application of personalized genomic medicine and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, the vibrant science and technology company which operates its biopharmaceuticals business in the U.S. and Canada as EMD Serono, reported that they have entered into an agreement to develop and commercialize a next generation sequencing (NGS)-based companion diagnostic (CDx) assay (Press release, ArcherDX, OCT 3, 2018, View Source,-darmstadt,-germany-selects-archerdx-for-strategic-global-companion-diagnostic-assay-development-collaboration [SID1234529767]).

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Under the terms of the agreement, ArcherDX will develop and seek regulatory approval for a CDx assay that will help physicians identify patients who may benefit from treatment with a Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany drug candidate, by focusing on the detection of specific genomic alterations in plasma or formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples. ArcherDX will develop the CDx using the Archer diagnostic platform, which combines the patented Anchored Multiplex PCR (AMP) technology with the Illumina MiSeqDx sequencing system and Archer Analysis bioinformatics software. The CDx assay will be designed to detect multiple classes of genomic alterations across a range of genes implicated in solid malignant neoplasms and is compatible with both FFPE tissue and plasma specimen types.

"We are pleased to launch this strategic companion diagnostic initiative," stated Jason Myers, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer for ArcherDX. "The work we’ve engaged in with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany highlights the importance and potential of utilizing our proprietary profiling approach to make available to physicians an FDA-approved companion diagnostic solution for use with targeted therapies."

On October 3, 2018 Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) reported that it will announce its financial results for the third quarter of 2018 on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 (Press release, Eli Lilly, OCT 3, 2018, View Source [SID1234529747]). Lilly will also conduct a conference call on that day with the investment community and media to further detail the company’s financial performance.

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The conference call will begin at 9 a.m. Eastern time. Investors, media and the general public can access a live webcast of the conference call through a link that will be posted on Lilly’s website at View Source A replay will also be available on the website following the conference call.

On October 3, 2018 Nymox Pharmaceutical Corporation (NASDAQ:NYMX) reported that after long-term safety assessments of repeated Fexapotide Triflutate (FT) intraprostatic injections, there have been no identifiable risks or serious side effects or adverse events identified associated or linked with the drug (Press release, Nymox, OCT 3, 2018, View Source [SID1234529730]).

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FT is Nymox’s lead drug for which the Company is in the process of seeking U.S. and European marketing approvals for BPH (prostate enlargement), and FT is also in late stage development for prostate cancer. Pivotal trial results for FT BPH studies involving 977 treated patients were published in 2018 in the prestigious World Journal of Urology (May 2018, Volume 36, pages 801–809), and the safety and efficacy results have been presented to the American Urology Association and previously to the European Association of Urology.

Dr. Paul Averback, CEO of Nymox said, "For prostate cancer in particular, repeated injection treatments will be needed and a focal molecular treatment will have negligible value if there cannot be reliable safety expected from repeated injection. Prostate cancer is a multi-focal disease and it is to be expected that multiple focal molecular treatments will be utilized for optimal outcomes. Follow-up and re-treatment will be needed. Nymox undertook 2 large FT re-injection safety studies in 2010-2014 involving 351 subjects with BPH, who were subsequently followed for up to 7 years. These mandatory and adequately sized safety studies are absolutely required in order to demonstrate safety of re-injection, and this is a standard requirement."

Dr Averback added, "In addition, Nymox undertook extensive immunological testing involving over 1000 subject samples, demonstrating that FT does not lead to detectable antibody formation, which underlines FT safety and supports the lack of risk for allergic reactions. All laboratory testing and sexual function tests including semen analyses showed no changes in FT treated men compared to controls."

Nymox’s lead drug Fexapotide (FT) has been in development for over 10 years and has been tested by expert clinical trial investigative teams in over 70 distinguished clinical trial centers throughout the US, and has been found after 7 years of prospective placebo controlled double blind studies of treatment of 977 U.S. men with prostate enlargement to not only show clinically meaningful and durable relief of BPH symptoms, but also to show a major reduction in the incidence of prostate cancer, compared to placebo and compared to the known and expected normal incidence of the disease. The same clinical program has also shown in a long-term blinded placebo group study an 82-95% reduction in the number of these patients who required surgery after they received FT in the trial, as compared to patients who did not receive FT but instead later received conventional approved BPH treatments (p<.0001).

FT has been shown to produce long-term improvements in lower urinary tract symptoms associated with prostate enlargement (BPH), a problem that afflicts an estimated 100 million or more men in the world. FT does not cause the annoying side effects and risks found with available treatments for BPH. FT is also in development for low grade prostate cancer.

The clinical trial results for Fexapotide treatment of BPH are published in the World Journal of Urology May 2018, Volume 36, pages 801–809 (View Source) in a peer review report entitled "Fexapotide Triflutate: Results of Long- Term Safety and Efficacy Trials of a Novel Injectable Therapy for Symptomatic Prostate Enlargement" authored by Neal Shore, MD, FACS (Carolina Urologic Research Center, Myrtle Beach, SC); Ronald Tutrone, MD, FACS (Chesapeake Urology Research Associates, Baltimore, MD); Mitchell Efros, MD, FACS (Accumed Research, Garden City, NY); Mohamed Bidair, MD (San Diego Clinical Trials, San Diego, CA); Barton Wachs, MD (Atlantic Urology Medical Group, Long Beach, CA); Susan Kalota, MD (Urological Associates of Southern Arizona, Tucson, AZ); Sheldon Freedman, MD, FACS (Freedman Urology, Las Vegas, NV); James Bailen, MD, FACS (First Urology, Louisville, KY); Richard Levin, MD, FACS (Chesapeake Urology Research Associates, Towson, MD); Stephen Richardson, MD (Jean Brown Research, Salt Lake City, UT); Jed Kaminetsky, MD, FACS (University Urology, New York, NY); Jeffrey Snyder, MD, FACS (Genitourinary Surgical Consultants, Denver, CO); Barry Shepard, MD, FACS (Urological Surgeons of Long Island, Garden City, NY); Kenneth Goldberg, MD, FACS (U T Southwestern Dept of Urology, Lewisville, TX); Alan Hay, MD, FACS (Willamette Urology, Salem, OR); Steven Gange, MD, FACS (Summit Urology Group, Salt Lake City, UT); Ivan Grunberger, MD, FACS (Brooklyn Urology, Brooklyn, NY).

On October 3, 2018 RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (NASDAQ: RXII), a biotechnology company developing the next generation of immuno-oncology therapeutics based on its proprietary self-delivering RNAi (sd-rxRNA) therapeutic platform, reported the closing of its previously announced underwritten public offering of 3,725,714 units at a public offering price of $0.70 per unit and 17,702,858 pre-funded units at a public offering price of $0.69 per pre-funded unit, raising gross proceeds of approximately $15 million (Press release, RXi Pharmaceuticals, OCT 3, 2018, View Source [SID1234529729]). The Company intends to use the net proceeds of this offering towards the development of RXi’s immuno-oncology program, for other research and development activities and for general working capital.

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Each unit sold in this offering contained one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase one share of common stock. Each pre-funded unit sold in this offering included one pre-funded warrant to purchase one share of common stock, at an exercise of $0.01 per share, and one warrant to purchase one share of common stock. Each warrant has an exercise price of $0.70 per share, is exercisable immediately and will expire seven years from the date of issuance. The shares of common stock (or the pre-funded warrants, as the case may be) and the accompanying warrants included in the units or pre-funded units were purchased together in this offering but were issued separately.

A registration statement on Form S-1 relating to the public offering of the securities described above was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and was declared effective on September 28, 2018, and an additional registration statement on Form S-1 filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) became automatically effective on October 1, 2018. The offering was made only by means of a prospectus forming part of the effective registration statements. Copies of the final prospectus relating to the offering is available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and may also be obtained from H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, 430 Park Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10022, by calling (646) 975-6996 or by emailing [email protected].

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.