On January 17, 2019 Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ-GS: SPPI) reported that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its portfolio of seven FDA-approved hematology/oncology products to Acrotech Biopharma L.L.C. Acrotech Biopharma is a New Jersey-based wholly-owned subsidiary of Aurobindo Pharma USA Inc (Press release, Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, JAN 17, 2019, View Source [SID1234554010]).

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"This divestiture marks a major strategic shift for Spectrum to ensure laser-focus on novel, oncology drug development and commercialization," said Joe Turgeon, President and CEO of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals. "The proceeds generated by the sale will significantly strengthen the financial position of the company, providing the capital to develop and commercialize our two late-stage pipeline assets, and placing us in a solid position to evaluate additional growth opportunities."

The seven products included in the sale are: FUSILEV (levoleucovorin), FOLOTYN (pralatrexate injection), ZEVALIN (ibritumomab tiuxetan), MARQIBO (vinCRIStine sulfate LIPOSOME injection), BELEODAQ (belinostat) for injection, EVOMELA (melphalan) for injection, and KHAPZORY (levoleucovorin). The products generated combined sales of $76.4 million during the first nine months of 2018.

"Along with this divestiture, the majority of impacted staff will transition to Acrotech thereby right sizing Spectrum for our development efforts. Additionally, we are retaining a core group of commercial talent to lead the launch of ROLONTIS and poziotinib," added Joe Turgeon.

The Boards of Directors of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals and Aurobindo have both approved the transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals and expected to close within 90 days. Jefferies LLC is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Spectrum. Paul Hastings LLP is acting as exclusive legal counsel to Spectrum.

Conference call details:

Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern/5:30 a.m. Pacific

Domestic: (877) 837-3910, Conference ID# 2890988
International: (973) 796-5077, Conference ID# 2890988

The conference call will also be webcast live. To access the webcast, please visit the Investor Relations page of the Spectrum Pharmaceuticals website at View Source

For interested individuals unable to join the call, a replay will be available from January 17, 2019 @ 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT through January 24, 2019, until 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT.

Domestic Replay Dial-In: (855) 859-2056, Conference ID# 2890988
International Replay Dial-In: (404) 537-3406, Conference ID# 2890988

Terms of Purchase and Sale Agreement

Under the terms of the deal, Acrotech will make a $160 million up-front cash payment and up to $140 million in milestones listed below:

Marqibo Milestones

$30 million for FDA Product Approval for MARQIBO with label indicated for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
$10 million for FDA Product Approval for MARQIBO for any indication other than the B-Cell Lymphoma Indication, single vial or pediatric ALL
$30 million for Net Sales of MARQIBO during any trailing twelve (12) month period during the Milestone Period are equal to or greater than $300,000,000
$10 million for Net Sales of MARQIBO during any trailing twelve (12) month period during the Milestone Period are equal to or greater than $400,000,000
Khapzory Milestones

$5 million for Net Sales of KHAPZORY during any trailing twelve (12) month period during the Milestone Period are equal to or greater than $50,000,000
$5 million for Cumulative Net Sales of KHAPZORY are equal to or greater than $150,000,000 at any time during the Milestone Period
$10 million for Cumulative Net Sales of KHAPZORY are equal to or greater than $200,000,000 at any time during the Milestone Period
$15 million for Cumulative Net Sales of KHAPZORY are equal to or greater than $300,000,000 at any time during the Milestone Period
$25 million for Cumulative Net Sales of KHAPZORY are equal to or greater than $400,000,000 at any time during the Milestone Period
The milestone period lasts for five years post the closing of the transaction. KHAPZORY milestones only payable in the event KHAPZORY is assigned a unique J-code.

On January 17, 2019 IMV Inc. (Nasdaq: IMV; TSX: IMV), a clinical stage immuno-oncology corporation, reported that the first patient has been treated in the Phase 1 trial evaluating neoepitopes formulated in the Company’s proprietary DPX delivery platform in patients with ovarian cancer (Press release, IMV, JAN 17, 2019, View Source [SID1234534099]). The study is part of the Company’s DPX-NEO program, which is an ongoing collaboration between UConn Health and IMV to develop neoepitope-based anti-cancer therapies.

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"Expanding our DPX-based clinical immunotherapy program beyond DPX-Survivac is an important milestone for IMV, and we are pleased to be able to do so with this type of cutting-edge program in which the novel mechanism of action underscoring all DPX-based candidates plays a critical role," said Frederic Ors, Chief Executive Officer at IMV. "We believe that the potential of neoepitope-based therapies could be a significant advance in the way physicians treat patients with ovarian cancer who today face a high unmet medical need. We look forward to working with UConn Health to advance this program as IMV is committed to developing an immunotherapy option for women affected by this disease."

Investigators will assess the safety and efficacy of using patient-specific neoepitopes discovered at UConn Health and formulated in IMV’s proprietary DPX-based delivery technology in women with ovarian cancer. Investigators plan to enroll up to 15 patients in the Phase 1 study. UConn Health is funding the trial with IMV providing materials and counsel.

Epitopes are the part of the biological molecule that is the target of an immune response. Neoepitopes are the mutated proteins produced by a patient’s own tumors. Neoepitope immunotherapies target these patient-specific proteins and have been referred to as ‘the next immunotherapy frontier.’ (1)

"The first immunization of the first ovarian cancer patient with our personalized, patient-specific neoepitopes developed at the University of Connecticut using our proprietary technology, formulated in IMV’s excellent immunomodulatory DPX delivery platform, is a major milestone for us," said Study Investigator Pramod K Srivastava, PhD, MD, Director of the Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

About the DPX-NEO Program

The DPX-NEO program is an ongoing collaboration evaluating the anti-cancer activity of proprietary patient-specific epitopes developed at UConn Health and formulated in IMV’s DPX-based novel immunotherapeutic delivery technology. IMV had previously announced the results from preclinical research in which researchers at UConn found that neoepitopes formulated in DPX-based

formulations demonstrated superior immunogenic activity over comparators in mouse tumor models. In addition, IMV also previously announced a breakthrough in formulating multiple peptides in DPX formulations. The Company has patented the technology, which allows for both a larger number and a broader potential range of peptides into a single formulation as compared to standard formulation technologies.

On January 17, 2019 RhoVac AB ("RhoVac") reported today, 17th January 2019, positive interim immune-results on 3- and 6-month’s follow-up testing in their phase I/II clinical study RhoVac-001 in prostate cancer patients (Press release, RhoVac, JAN 17, 2019, View Source [SID1234532778]).

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In the clinical study RhoVac-001 all patients treated are monitored for duration of immune response over a 12-month period following completion of treatment. At this time RhoVac can present interim results after 3- and 6-month’s follow-up analysis. The result show that 18 of 21 of the patients (86%) still have a robust immune response to RV001. In other words, all 18 patients measured as Confirmed Immune Responders following completion of treatment, still show comparable response after 3- and 6-month’s follow-up.

The clinical study RhoVac-001
The study RhoVac-001 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03199872) is a first-in-man trial studying the cancer vaccine RV001. Twenty-two prostatectomised patients were enrolled in the study. The primary endpoint of the study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of the RV001 cancer vaccine. The primary end-point was met and the results reported in August 2018 confirmed that treatment with RV001 is safe and well tolerated by the prostate cancer patients.

The secondary endpoint was to investigate the RV001-specific immunological response to treatment. The immune response was analysed before -, two time during – and once, one month after completion of treatment. The result reported in August 2018 was that 86% (18 of 21 of the eligible patients) showed a significant immune response to RV001 in the three samples taken during or after treatment. All 18 responding patients also qualified as Confirmed Immune Responders as they showed a significant response in two of the three samples taken during or after treatment. The conclusion on the immune monitoring during treatment was that a vaccine mediated immune response was established following treatment with RV001 and the dose administered in the study was biologically active.

Final results, including 9- and 12 month’s follow-up immunological analysis, is expected to be reported mid-2019.

Comments from RhoVac´s CEO, Anders Ljungqvist
-The interim results at 3- and 6 month’s follow-ups are exciting data and the results confirm that the RV001 mediated immune response is maintained in the patients. Again, the data shows that the response is very consistent over time as already indicated at completion of treatment. The T-cell monitoring group, Department of Immunology at the University of Tübingen, has again performed a timely and dedicated work enabling us to report the interim results as planned. We are now looking forward to completing the follow-up phase and after this, focus on the phase IIb clinical study.

For more information, please contact:
Anders Ljungqvist – CEO, RhoVac AB
Phone: +45 4083 2365
E-mail: [email protected]

This information is such that RhoVac AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, on 17th January 2019.

On January 17, 2019 Servier and Taiho Oncology, Inc. (U.S.), a subsidiary of Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Japan), jointly reported that the safety and efficacy data in the gastrectomy patient subgroup of the global Phase III trial TAGS evaluating LONSURF (trifluridine/tipiracil, TAS-102) in patients with metastatic gastric cancer (mGC) are consistent with the overall study results published in The Lancet Oncology (Press release, Servier, JAN 17, 2019, View Source [SID1234532712]). These data were highlighted in an oral presentation at the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2019 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (ASCO-GI) on Thursday 17 January.

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In TAGS, 221 (44%) of the 507 randomized mGC patients had undergone prior gastrectomy (147 LONSURF, 74 placebo), which is reflective of the real-world patient population diagnosed with mGC. The results confirmed that trifluridine/tipiracil prolonged survival versus placebo regardless of prior gastrectomy. The overall results of TAGS demonstrated that patients treated with oral trifluridine/tipiracil showed a clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement in overall survival (OS) compared with placebo and a 31 percent risk reduction of death (HR 0.69 one sided p=0.00029), which translated into a prolonged median survival of 2.1 months (5.7 months for trifluridine/tipiracil versus 3.6 months for placebo).

Additional data investigating trifluridine/tipiracil in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients will be presented during a poster session on Saturday 19 January:

Health-related quality of life in the early-access phase IIIb study of trifluridine/tipiracil in pretreated metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC): Results from PRECONNECT study (abstract 638)
Validation of cost-effectiveness of trifluridine/tipiracil versus best supportive care and regorafenib for previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer in the UK using phase IIIb PRECONNECT early access clinical trial data in the real world setting (abstract 639)
QoL from TASCO1: Health related quality of life of trifluridine/tipiracil-bevacizumab and capecitabine-bevacizumab as first-line treatments in metastatic colorectal cancer patients not eligible for intensive chemotherapy: results from the TASCO1 phase II study (abstract 676)
Trifluridine/tipiracil and regorafenib in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC): A single institution retrospective study (abstract 592)
Exploratory analysis of the effect of trifluridine/tipiracil in patients treated in RECOURSE by prognostic factors (abstract 677)
Trifluridine/tipiracil is indicated in European Union for the treatment of adult patients with mCRC who have been previously treated with, or are not considered candidates for, available therapies including fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin- and irinotecan- based chemotherapies, anti-VEGF agents, and anti-EGFR agents.1 Applications for an additional indication in mGC for LONSURF are currently under review by health authorities in Japan, the United States and the European Union.

About TAGS

TAGS (TAS-102 Gastric Study) is a Taiho-sponsored pivotal Phase III, multinational, randomized, double-blind study evaluating trifluridine/tipiracil, also known as TAS-102, plus best supportive care (BSC) versus placebo plus BSC in patients with metastatic gastric cancer, including gastroesophageal junction cancer, refractory to standard treatments. The primary endpoint in the TAGS trial is OS, and the main secondary endpoint measures include progression-free survival (PFS), and safety and tolerability, as well as quality of life.

TAGS enrolled 507 adult patients with metastatic gastric cancer who had previously received at least two prior regimens for advanced disease. The study was conducted in Belarus, the European Union, Israel, Japan, Russia, Turkey and the United States.

For more information on TAGS, please visit www.ClinicalTrials.gov (View Source). The ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier is NCT02500043.

About Metastatic Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer, also known as stomach cancer, is a disease in which malignant cells form in the lining of the stomach. It is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the third most common cause of cancer-related death (after lung and liver cancer), with an estimated 723,000 deaths annually.2　

When cancer spreads it is called advanced cancer. Locally advanced cancer is when the cancer has grown outside the organ it started in but hasn’t spread to other parts of the body. When the cancer spreads to other parts of the body, this is called metastatic cancer. In the last two decades, the proportion of patients with gastric cancer who present with metastases has risen to over 40%.3

Standard chemotherapy regimens for advanced gastric cancer include fluoropyrimidines, platinum derivatives, and taxanes (with ramucirumab), or irinotecan. The addition of trastuzumab to chemotherapy is standard of care for patients with HER2-neu-positive advanced gastric cancer. However, after failure of first- and second-line therapies, standard third-line treatments are limited.

About Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide with approximately 1.4 million new diagnoses in 2012.4 Each year there are over 690,000 deaths making it the fourth biggest cancer killer worldwide (after lung, liver and gastric cancer).5 Those with metastatic disease (where the cancer has spread from the primary site) the average five-year survival is approximately 11%.6 Standard chemotherapy regimens for advanced metastatic colorectal cancer include fluoropyrimidines, oxaliplatin, irinotecan or targeted treatments, such as those that target vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) or endothelial growth factor receptors (EGFR).

Over the last decade, clinical outcomes for patients with mCRC have improved considerably due to the advent of novel treatment agents, predictive biomarkers, and a more strategic approach to the delivery of systemic therapies. Currently, the median overall survival for patients with mCRC being treated both in phase III trials and in large observational series or registries is 30 months – more than double that of 20 years ago.7,8,9

About LONSURF

LONSURF (trifluridine/tipiracil) is an oral anticancer drug, which utilizes the combination of trifluridine (FTD) and tipiracil (TPI), whose dual mechanism of action is designed to maintain clinical activity and differs from conventional fluoropyrimidines. Trifluridine is an antineoplastic nucleoside analogue, which is incorporated directly into the DNA, thereby interfering with the function of DNA. The blood concentration of trifluridine is maintained via tipiracil, which is an inhibitor of the trifluridine-degrading enzyme, thymidine phosphorylase.

In Japan, Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. has been marketing LONSURF for the treatment of unresectable advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer since 2014. In the United States, beginning in 2015, Taiho Oncology, Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Taiho Pharmaceutical, began marketing the drug for the treatment of patients with mCRC who have been previously treated with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin- and irinotecan-based chemotherapy, an anti-VEGF biological therapy, and if RAS wild-type, an anti-EGFR therapy. In June 2015, Taiho Pharmaceutical and Servier entered into an exclusive license agreement for the co-development and commercialization of LONSURF in Europe and other countries outside of the United States, Canada, Mexico and Asia. In parts of Asia outside of Japan, Taiho Pharmaceutical’s business partner TTY Biopharm launched LONSURF in Taiwan in July 2018, and Jeil Pharmaceutical is preparing to bring the drug to market in South Korea.

As of December 2018, LONSURF has been approved as a treatment for advanced mCRC in 62 countries and regions worldwide.

On January 17, 2019 Adaptive Biotechnologies, an immune driven-medicine company, reported that Palmetto GBA, a Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) and leader in assessing diagnostic technologies through its MolDX program, has established coverage of the clonoSEQ Assay for Medicare patients with multiple myeloma and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (Press release, Adaptive Biotechnologies, JAN 17, 2019, View Source [SID1234532711]). clonoSEQ is the first and only test authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to detect and monitor minimal residual disease (MRD) in myeloma and ALL using DNA from a patient’s bone marrow sample. The Medicare coverage for clonoSEQ is aligned with the assay’s FDA label and with clinical practice guidelines in myeloma and ALL and includes assessing MRD at multiple time points throughout therapy to monitor treatment response and help predict patient outcomes. The article, also posted by the MAC Noridian, is effective immediately and enables national coverage of Medicare patients undergoing clonoSEQ testing.

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"Availability of sensitive, specific and standardized MRD testing is increasingly crucial to the delivery of optimal patient care in both multiple myeloma and ALL," said Nikhil Munshi, M.D., Director of Basic and Correlative Science at the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "Medicare coverage for the clonoSEQ Assay will help ensure that eligible patients across the U.S. have access to a highly advanced option for MRD assessment to support more personalized treatment decisions across their course of care."

MRD refers to the remaining number of cancer cells that are present in a patient’s body during and after treatment and may eventually lead to recurrence of the disease. Cancer treatment guidelines for myeloma and ALL call for MRD testing to assess disease burden throughout the course of care to help monitor for remission, detect relapse, determine response to treatment and predict patient outcomes. Controlled trials have shown that even the smallest amounts of residual disease significantly predict a patient’s long-term clinical outcomes.

"This is great news for patients. The establishment of favorable Medicare coverage for clonoSEQ soon after FDA authorization further demonstrates the clinical relevance of MRD assessment and underscores the benefit that this test delivers in the management of myeloma and ALL patients," said Charles Sang, senior vice president, Adaptive Diagnostics. "clonoSEQ is a highly sensitive and standardized MRD test that enables more cost-effective care by assessing the effectiveness of therapy, monitoring remission and identifying relapse in lymphoid blood cancers, serving as a critical tool to help clinicians decide if a patient should initiate, pause or discontinue a potentially costly treatment regimen."

clonoSEQ testing has been used in 25 of the 28 of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) centers in the U.S., and Adaptive is working diligently with community practice leaders to increase use in the community setting. As MRD assessment becomes standard practice for patient management across a range of blood cancers, it is essential that clinicians and patients have access to a highly accurate, sensitive and standardized MRD assessment tool. Having satisfied the analytical and clinical validation requirements of the FDA and met the bar for clinical utility required by Medicare, the clonoSEQ Assay addresses this need.

Adaptive continues to work closely with third-party payers to obtain coverage of clonoSEQ for eligible patients in need. With Medicare coverage in place, Adaptive is strongly positioned to expand commercialization of clonoSEQ in 2019. The company is committed to pursuing regulatory approval for additional potential indications for clonoSEQ in other blood cancers and sample types, including blood-based MRD assessment.

The clonoSEQ coverage decision can be found here.

About the clonoSEQ Assay

The Adaptive Biotechnologies clonoSEQ Assay has been granted De Novo designation by the FDA as an in vitro diagnostic (IVD) to detect and monitor minimal residual disease (MRD) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) using DNA from bone marrow samples. It identifies and quantifies specific DNA sequences found in malignant cells, allowing clinicians to monitor patients for changes in disease burden during and after treatment. This robust assay provides sensitive and accurate measurement of residual disease that allows physicians to predict patient outcomes, assess response to therapy over time, monitor patients during remission and detect potential relapse. The clonoSEQ Assay is a single-site assay performed at Adaptive Biotechnologies. It is also available as a CLIA-regulated laboratory developed test (LDT) service for use in other lymphoid cancers.

clonoSEQ was reviewed under the FDA’s De Novo premarket review pathway, a regulatory pathway for some low- to moderate-risk novel devices for which there is no legally marketed predicate device.

For important information about the FDA-cleared uses of clonoSEQ, including the full intended use, limitations, and detailed performance characteristics, please visit www.clonoSEQ.com/technical-summary