On May 10, 2021 FibroGen, Inc. (NASDAQ: FGEN) reported financial results for the first quarter 2021 and provided an update on the Company’s recent developments (Press release, FibroGen, MAY 10, 2021, View Source [SID1234579554]).

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"We are pleased at the continued adoption and growth of roxadustat in China," said Enrique Conterno, Chief Executive Officer, FibroGen. "We are looking forward to the roxadustat FDA advisory committee meeting and the approval decision in Europe over the next few months, as well as advancing our late-stage pamrevlumab and roxadustat clinical programs, focused on areas of high unmet need."

Recent Key Events and Other Developments

Regulatory:
The Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee (CRDAC) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will hold an advisory committee (AdCom) meeting to review the new drug application (NDA) for roxadustat in the U.S. The tentative date for the meeting is July 15, 2021.
The Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for roxadustat for the treatment of anemia in adult patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is under regulatory review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) with an expected decision by mid-2021.
Pamrevlumab was granted Fast Track and Rare Pediatric Disease designations from the FDA for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
Clinical:
Completed enrollment in the ASPEN and DENALI Phase 3b roxadustat clinical trials with dialysis organizations in dialysis patients with anemia of CKD.
Initiated the LELANTOS-2 Phase 3 clinical trial of pamrevlumab in ambulatory patients with DMD.
China:

Reported roxadustat net product revenue in China of $15.4 million, on a US GAAP basis, including revenue generated from our sales to the distribution entity and FibroGen China’s direct sales.
Total roxadustat net sales in China of $43.5 million by FibroGen and the distribution entity jointly owned by FibroGen and AstraZeneca, compared to $29.2 million last quarter.
Hospital listings at the end of the first quarter represented approximately 74% of the CKD anemia market opportunity in China.
Presentations / Publications:
Roxadustat data was presented at the following scientific meetings in 2021:
FibroGen and its partners presented four posters at the recent National Kidney Foundation Virtual Spring Clinical Meetings.
FibroGen and its partners presented eight posters at International Society of Nephrology (ISN) World Congress of Nephrology 2021.
Roxadustat Phase 3 manuscripts on the treatment of anemia of CKD were published in peer-reviewed medical journals:
Pooled Analysis of Roxadustat for Anemia in Patients with Kidney Failure Incident to Dialysis (clarifying and updating Pooled ROCKIES/ SIERRAS/HIMALAYAS with journal) – Kidney International Reports
Roxadustat for the Treatment of Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Patients Not on Dialysis: A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study (ALPS) – Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation
Roxadustat for Chronic Kidney Disease-related Anemia in Non-dialysis Patients (ANDES) – Kidney International Reports
Roxadustat for Treating Anemia in Patients with CKD Not on Dialysis: Results from a Randomized Phase 3 Study (OLYMPUS) – Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
Roxadustat for anemia in patients with end-stage renal disease incident to dialysis (HIMALAYAS) – Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation
A Randomized Trial of Roxadustat in Anemia of Kidney Failure: SIERRAS Study – Kidney International Reports
Upcoming Data Catalysts

Data from the Phase 2 WHITNEY study of roxadustat in chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA) expected 2H 2021.
Data from the Phase 3 MATTERHORN study of roxadustat in anemia of MDS expected 1H 2022.
Resection data from the Phase 3 LAPIS study of pamrevlumab in locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) expected 2H 2022.
Data from the Phase 3 LELANTOS study of pamrevlumab in DMD expected 2H 2022.
Corporate

Appointed Tricia Stewart as Chief People Officer.
Financial

Total revenue for the first quarter of 2021 was $38.4 million, as compared to $24.4 million for the first quarter of 2020. The current quarter revenue consists of $15.4 million net product revenue for roxadustat sales in China, $14.6 million in development revenue, and $8.5 million drug product revenue for roxadustat bulk drug or active pharmaceutical ingredient.
Net loss for the first quarter of 2021 was $71.8 million, or $0.78 net loss per basic and diluted share, compared to a net loss of $78.3 million, or $0.89 net loss per basic and diluted share one year ago.
As of March 31, 2021, FibroGen had $682.6 million in cash, restricted time deposits, cash equivalents, investments, and receivables.
Based on our latest forecast, we estimate our 2021 ending cash to be in the range of $660 to $670 million.
Conference Call and Webcast Details
FibroGen will host a conference call and webcast today, Monday, May 10, 2021, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (2:00 p.m. Pacific Time) to discuss financial results and provide a business update. A live audio webcast of the call may be accessed in the investor section of the Company’s website, www.fibrogen.com. To participate in the conference call by telephone, please dial 1 (877) 658-9081 (U.S. and Canada) or 1 (602) 563-8732 (international), reference the FibroGen first quarter 2021 financial results conference call, and use confirmation number 2036817. A replay of the webcast will be available shortly after the call for a period of four weeks. To access the replay, please dial 1 (855) 859-2056 (domestic) or 1 (404) 537-3406 (international), and use passcode 2036817.

About Roxadustat
Roxadustat, an oral medicine, is the first in a new class of medicines, HIF-PH inhibitors, that promote erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production, through increased endogenous production of erythropoietin; improved iron absorption and mobilization; and downregulation of hepcidin. Roxadustat is also in clinical development for anemia associated with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and for chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA).

Roxadustat is approved in China, Japan, and Chile for the treatment of anemia of CKD in adult patients on dialysis (DD) and not on dialysis (NDD). In the U.S., the New Drug Application is under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In Europe, the Marketing Authorization Application for roxadustat for the treatment of anemia of CKD in patients both on dialysis and not on dialysis was filed by our partner Astellas and accepted by the European Medicines Agency for review on May 2020. Several other licensing applications for roxadustat have been submitted by Astellas and AstraZeneca to regulatory authorities across the globe, and are currently in review.

Astellas and FibroGen are collaborating on the development and commercialization of roxadustat for the potential treatment of anemia in territories including Japan, Europe, Turkey, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Middle East, and South Africa. FibroGen and AstraZeneca are collaborating on the development and commercialization of roxadustat for the potential treatment of anemia in the U.S., China, other markets in the Americas, in Australia/New Zealand, and Southeast Asia.

About Pamrevlumab
Pamrevlumab is a first-in-class antibody developed by FibroGen that inhibits the activity of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), an important biological mediator in fibrotic and proliferative disorders. Pamrevlumab is in Phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer (LAPC), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). For information about pamrevlumab studies currently recruiting patients, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.

On May 10, 2021 Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: EGRX) ("Eagle" or the "Company") reported financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2021 (Press release, Eagle Pharmaceuticals, MAY 10, 2021, View Source [SID1234579553]).

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Business and Recent Highlights:

Completed the last study required by FDA for the Company’s vasopressin product and expect to have the results shortly. Eagle plans to respond to the CRL issued for its first-to-file Abbreviated New Drug Applicable ("ANDA") for vasopressin in full by mid-year. The Company’s patent trial against Endo Par Innovation Company, LLC was postponed and is now scheduled to begin on July 7, 2021. The Company believes it will have first-to-file 180 day exclusivity for vasopressin;
Approval of TREAKISYM (bendamustine) RTD formulation, in combination with rituximab for treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma ("r/r DLBCL") received from the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency ("PMDA") in Japan. This represents a meaningful extension of Eagle’s bendamustine franchise and is expected to significantly increase the market opportunity;
Filing of TREAKISYM RI (50ml) liquid formulation with the PMDA in Japan. Eagle expects approximately $20-$25 million from combined royalty and milestone revenue in 2022 for TREAKISYM (bendamustine) RTD and RI formulations;
Appointed former FDA Official and Public Health Expert Dr. Luciana Borio to its Board of Directors; and
In active discussions for several promising in-licensing and acquisition candidates that the Company believes will strengthen its portfolio and pipeline going forward.
Financial Highlights

First Quarter 2021

Total revenue for Q1 2021 was $41.2 million, compared to $46.0 million in Q1 2020, primarily reflecting decreased product sales of RYANODEX and royalty revenue of BENDEKA.

Q1 2021 net loss was $0.4 million, or $0.03 per basic and diluted share, compared to net loss of $2.9 million, or $0.21 per basic and diluted share in Q1 2020.
Q1 2021 adjusted non-GAAP net income was $3.2 million, or $0.24 per basic and diluted share, compared to adjusted non-GAAP net income of $11.7 million, or $0.86 per basic and $0.84 per diluted share, in Q1 2020.
Cash and cash equivalents were $105.2 million, net accounts receivable was $44.9 million, and debt was $32.0 million as of March 31, 2021.
"Vasopressin is tracking as expected. The trial is now less than two months away and we have now completed the last study required to submit our response to the CRL to the FDA. Our expectation remains that we will receive final approval in time to bring the product to market this year. We believe we also have an outstanding and large opportunity with TREAKISYM in Japan representing another extension of our bendamustine franchise. Equally important and exciting is the PEMFEXY launch early next year, which gives us four months of initial exclusivity," stated Scott Tarriff, Chief Executive Officer of Eagle Pharmaceuticals.

"We are now in late-stage diligence for several in-licensing opportunities that would leverage our capabilities, meet our criteria and broaden our portfolio and pipeline. We will aim to finalize a few such transactions that have the potential to bolster our earnings both in the short and longer term," concluded Tarriff.

First Quarter 2021 Financial Results

Total revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2021 was $41.2 million, as compared to $46.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

Q1 2021 BELRAPZO product sales were $5.7 million, compared to $4.6 million in Q1 2020.

Q1 2021 RYANODEX product sales were $6.8 million, compared to $11.4 million in Q1 2020.

Royalty revenue was $24.1 million in the first quarter of 2021, compared to $28.3 million in the first quarter of 2020. BENDEKA royalties were $23.8 million in the first quarter of 2021, compared to $28.0 million in the first quarter of 2020. A summary of total revenue is outlined below:

Three Months Ended March 31,

2021

2020

(unaudited)

(unaudited)

Revenue (in thousands):

Product sales, net

$17,120

$17,694

Royalty revenue

24,129

28,326

Total revenue

$41,249

$46,020

Gross Margin was 74% during the first quarter of 2021, as compared to 83% in the first quarter of 2020. The compression in gross margin for the first quarter of 2021 was driven by revenue mix including the launch of TREAKISYM product sales to our partner in the first quarter of 2021, on which we earn no profit.

R&D expense was $14.3 million for the first quarter of 2021, compared to $9.4 million in the first quarter of 2020. The increase is largely attributable to $2.6 million in development costs for vasopressin, a $0.9 million increase in the cost for fulvestrant, and a $0.9 million increase in development costs for RYANODEX related projects. Excluding stock-based compensation and other non-cash and non-recurring items, R&D expense during the first quarter of 2021 was $13.1 million.

SG&A expenses in the first quarter of 2021 totaled $19.9 million compared to $24.8 million in the first quarter of 2020. The decrease is primarily related to the non-recurrence of a $2.5 million charge for the Tyme transaction, and lower marketing, travel, entertainment, and trade show expenses as a result of reduced travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Excluding stock-based compensation and other non-cash and non-recurring items, first quarter 2021 SG&A expense was $13.4 million.

Net loss for the first quarter of 2021 was $0.4 million, or $0.03 per basic and diluted share, compared to net loss of $2.9 million, or $0.21 per basic and diluted share, in the first quarter of 2020, due to the factors discussed above.

Adjusted non-GAAP net income for the first quarter of 2021 was $3.2 million, or $0.24 per basic and diluted share, compared to adjusted non-GAAP net income of $11.7 million or $0.86 per basic and $0.84 per diluted share in the first quarter of 2020. For a full reconciliation of adjusted non-GAAP net income to the most comparable GAAP financial measures, please see the tables at the end of this press release.

2021 Expense Guidance

R&D spend in 2021, on a non-GAAP basis, is expected to be $26-$30 million, as compared to $27.8 million in 2020.
SG&A spend in 2021, on a non-GAAP basis, is expected to be $52-$56 million, as compared to $50.9 million in 2020. This represents a reduction from earlier guidance for 2021 SG&A spend of $56-60 million.
The guidance provided in this section represents forward-looking information, and actual results may vary. Please see the risks and assumptions referred to in the Forward-Looking Statements section of this press release.

Liquidity

As of March 31, 2021, the Company had $105.2 million in cash and cash equivalents plus $44.9 million in net accounts receivable. The Company had $32.0 million in outstanding debt. Therefore, as of March 31, 2021, the Company had net cash plus receivables of $118.1 million.

In the first quarter of 2021, the Company purchased $1.4 million of its common stock as part of its $160.0 million Share Repurchase Program. From August 2016 through March 31, 2021, the Company has repurchased $208.3 million of its common stock.

www.eagleus.com, under the "Investor + News" section

A replay of the conference call will be available for one week after the call’s completion by dialing 800-839-6980 (US) or 402-220-6062 (International) and entering conference call ID EGRXQ121. The webcast will be archived for 30 days at the aforementioned URL.

On May 10, 2021 Dynavax Technologies Corporation ("Dynavax") (Nasdaq: DVAX) reported that it intends to offer, subject to market conditions and other factors, $200 million aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes due 2026 (the "notes") in a private placement to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") (Press release, Dynavax Technologies, MAY 10, 2021, View Source [SID1234579552]). Dynavax also intends to grant the initial purchasers of the notes an option to purchase up to an additional $30 million aggregate principal amount of notes.

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The notes will be general unsecured obligations of Dynavax and will accrue interest payable semiannually in arrears. The notes will be convertible by the holders thereof into cash, shares of Dynavax’s common stock or a combination of cash and shares of Dynavax’s common stock, at Dynavax’s election. The interest rate, initial conversion rate and other terms of the notes will be determined at the time of pricing of the offering.

Dynavax expects to use the net proceeds from the offering of the notes, together with cash on hand, to repay in full the outstanding debt and other obligations under Dynavax’s term loan agreement and to pay the costs of the capped call transactions described below.

If the initial purchasers exercise their option to purchase additional notes, Dynavax expects to use a portion of the net proceeds from the sale of such additional notes to enter into additional capped call transactions. Dynavax expects to use any remaining net proceeds from the sale of such additional notes for general corporate purposes. Dynavax’s management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering and investors will be relying on the judgment of Dynavax’s management regarding the application of the proceeds.

In connection with the pricing of the notes, Dynavax expects to enter into capped call transactions with one or more of the initial purchasers and/or their respective affiliates or other financial institutions (the "option counterparties"). The capped call transactions will cover, subject to customary adjustments, the number of shares of Dynavax’s common stock that initially underlie the notes. The capped call transactions are expected to offset the potential dilution to Dynavax’s common stock as a result of any conversion of notes, with such offset subject to a cap.

In connection with establishing their initial hedges of the capped call transactions, Dynavax has been advised that the option counterparties and/or their respective affiliates expect to enter into various derivative transactions with respect to Dynavax’s common stock concurrently with or shortly after the pricing of the notes and/or purchase shares of Dynavax’s common stock concurrently with or shortly after the pricing of the notes. This activity could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) the market price of Dynavax’s common stock or the trading price of the notes at that time.

In addition, the option counterparties and/or their respective affiliates may modify their hedge positions by entering into or unwinding various derivatives with respect to Dynavax’s common stock and/or purchasing or selling Dynavax’s common stock or other securities of Dynavax in secondary market transactions following the pricing of the notes and prior to the maturity of the notes (and are likely to do so on each exercise date of the capped call transactions, which are expected to occur during the 30 trading day period beginning on the 31st scheduled trading day prior to the maturity date of the notes, or following any termination of any portion of the capped call transactions in connection with any repurchase, redemption or early conversion of the notes). This activity could also cause or avoid an increase or a decrease in the market price of Dynavax’s common stock or the notes, which could affect a noteholder’s ability to convert its notes and, to the extent the activity occurs during any observation period related to a conversion of notes, it could affect the amount and value of the consideration that a noteholder will receive upon conversion of such notes.

Neither the notes, nor any shares of Dynavax’s common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes, have been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws, and unless so registered, may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and other applicable securities laws.

This press release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall it constitute an offer, solicitation or sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

On May 10, 2021 Constellation Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company using its expertise in epigenetics to discover and develop novel therapeutics, reported its first-quarter 2021 financial results (Press release, Constellation Pharmaceuticals, MAY 10, 2021, View Source [SID1234579551]). The Company also provided updates on its product candidates pelabresib and CPI-0209.

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"Over the last year, we have advanced the development of pelabresib as a novel therapy for myelofibrosis, and we are pleased to be dosing patients in the Phase 3 MANIFEST-2 trial. Today we are also excited to announce progress on the Phase 2 development plan for our second generation EZH2 inhibitor, CPI-0209. We have determined the recommended Phase 2 dose and the expansion cohorts are open for enrollment, with the first patient dosed. We believe that CPI-0209 provides potential opportunities to treat a wide range of oncology patients," said Jigar Raythatha, president and chief executive officer of Constellation Pharmaceuticals. "These are important achievements in moving forward with our goal of becoming a fully integrated hematology / oncology company with a sustainable product pipeline."

Program Updates
pelabresib

Dosing underway in the Phase 3 MANIFEST-2 clinical trial
On May 12, the Company expects the following three abstracts to be published in association with the European Hematology Association (EHA) (Free EHA Whitepaper) annual meeting, related to MANIFEST, the ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial of pelabresib:
TITLE: Pelabresib (CPI-0610) improved anemia associated with myelofibrosis: interim results from MANIFEST Phase 2 study (Abstract Code: EP1077)
TITLE: Clinical benefit of pelabresib (CPI-0610) in combination with ruxolitinib in JAK inhibitor treatment naïve myelofibrosis patients: Interim efficacy subgroup analysis from Arm 3 of MANIFEST Phase 2 study (Abstract Code: EP1085)
TITLE: BET inhibitor pelabresib decreases inflammatory cytokines, improves bone marrow fibrosis and function, and demonstrates clinical response irrespective of mutation status in myelofibrosis patients (Abstract Code: EP1080)
CPI-0209

The Company established the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) of CPI-0209 monotherapy as 350 mg once daily. In the Phase 2 expansion cohorts, the Company plans to study CPI-0209 as a monotherapy in patients with cancers such as urothelial, ovarian clear cell and endometrial, where ARID1A mutations are prevalent, and lymphomas, where EZH2 mutations are prevalent. The first patient has been dosed in the expansion cohorts.
On April 10, a poster published in association with the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) provided preclinical data suggesting that CPI-0209 has therapeutic potential in androgen receptor-positive prostate cancer.
On May 19, the Company expects the following abstract for a poster to be published in association with the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) annual meeting related to the Phase 1 portion of the Phase 1/2, clinical trial of CPI-0209:
TITLE: Phase 1/2 first-in-human (FIH) study of CPI-0209, a novel small molecule inhibitor of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) in patients with advanced tumors (Abstract Code: 3104)
Milestones

The Company anticipates achieving the following milestones during 2021:

Pelabresib – Provide MANIFEST translational data update mid-year
Pelabresib – Provide MANIFEST clinical data update and update on new indications by end of year
CPI-0209 – Provide Phase 1 data update by mid-year
CPI-0209 – Provide update on monotherapy cohorts from Phase 2 by end of year
First Quarter 2021 Financial Results

Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities as of March 31, 2021, were $382.1 million, a decrease of 9.3% compared to December 31, 2020, primarily due to operating expenses.
Research and development (R&D) expenses increased 53.3% year over year to $30.8 million in the first quarter of 2021, mainly due to increased clinical trial expenses.
General and administrative (G&A) expenses grew 59.8% year over year to $9.4 million in the first quarter of 2021, primarily due to building out the organization of the company.
The net loss attributed to common shareholders increased 57.5% year over year to $40.1 million for the first quarter of 2021, mainly due to increased R&D and G&A expenses. The net loss per share attributable to common shareholders increased 37.7% to $0.84 per share due to an increased net loss, partially offset by an increase in weighted average shares outstanding.
Financial Guidance

Constellation expects that its current cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities will fund operations into mid-2023.

For further information, please refer to the financial statements filed with the SEC on Form 10-Q, including notes to the financials.

Conference Call

Constellation will host a conference call at 8:00 AM EDT on May 10, 2021, to discuss its clinical programs and financial results. The event will be webcast live and can be accessed on the Investor Relations section of Constellation’s website at View Source To participate in the live question-and-answer session, please dial (877) 473-2077 (domestic) or (661) 378-9662 (international) and refer to conference ID 8798968.

About MANIFEST-2

MANIFEST-2 is a global, blinded, randomized Phase 3 clinical trial with pelabresib in combination with ruxolitinib versus placebo plus ruxolitinib in JAK-inhibitor-naïve patients with primary myelofibrosis or post-ET or post-PV myelofibrosis who have splenomegaly and symptoms requiring therapy. It is designed to enroll approximately 310 patients, randomized 1:1 to the pelabresib + ruxolitinib arm or the placebo + ruxolitinib arm. The primary endpoint of the study is a ≥35% reduction in spleen volume (SVR35) from baseline at 24 weeks. A key secondary endpoint of the study is 50% or greater improvement in Total Symptom Score (TSS50) from baseline at 24 weeks. Other endpoints include bone marrow fibrosis grade improvements, duration of transfusion independence, rate of red-blood-cell transfusion for the first 24 weeks, and hemoglobin response.

About MANIFEST

MANIFEST is an open-label Phase 2 clinical trial of pelabresib in patients with myelofibrosis (MF), a rare cancer of the bone marrow that disrupts the body’s normal production of blood cells. Constellation is evaluating CPI-0610 in combination with ruxolitinib in JAK-inhibitor-naïve MF patients (Arm 3), with a primary endpoint of the proportion of patients with a ≥35% spleen volume reduction from baseline (SVR35) after 24 weeks of treatment. Constellation is also evaluating CPI-0610, either as a monotherapy in patients who are resistant to, intolerant of, or ineligible for ruxolitinib and no longer on the drug (Arm 1), or as add-on therapy in combination with ruxolitinib in patients with a sub-optimal response to ruxolitinib or MF progression (Arm 2). Patients in Arms 1 and 2 are being stratified based on TD status. The primary endpoint for the patients in cohorts 1A and 2A, who were TD at baseline, is conversion to TI for 12 consecutive weeks. The primary endpoint for the patients in cohorts 1B and 2B, who were not TD at baseline, is the proportion of patients with a ≥35% spleen volume reduction from baseline after 24 weeks of treatment.

About CPI-0209 clinical trial

The Phase 2 portion of the Phase1/2 clinical trial of CPI- 0209 is an open label, single arm study, enrolling up to 29 patients per cohort in the following tumor types: relapsed urothelial carcinoma with known ARID1A mutation; relapsed ovarian clear cell carcinoma with known ARID1A mutation; relapsed endometrial carcinoma with known ARID1A mutation; relapsed or refractory lymphomas of either B-cell or T-cell histology. The goal of these cohorts is to establish the safety and establish the antitumor activity of CPI-0209 as a monotherapy for patients with these tumor types.

On May 10, 2021 Codiak BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDAK), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on pioneering the development of exosome-based therapeutics as a new class of medicines, reported the appointment of Jennifer Wheler, M.D., an industry leader in targeted oncology and immunotherapy drug development, as Chief Medical Officer (Press release, Codiak Biosciences, MAY 10, 2021, View Source [SID1234579550]). Dr. Wheler, who joins the company’s Executive Leadership Team and reports to president and CEO Douglas Williams, Ph.D., will provide leadership and direction for Codiak’s pipeline of clinical development programs through early-stage trials to global regulatory submissions.

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Benny Sorensen, M.D., Ph.D., who has led the preclinical to clinical translational work and clinical strategy for Codiak for the past five years, advancing exoSTINGTM and exoIL-12TM through IND/CTA and into the current Phase 1 trials will become Senior Vice President, Strategic Projects. Dr. Sorensen will report to president and CEO Douglas Williams and continue as a member of Codiak’s Executive Leadership Team. He will help direct business development and other strategic external partnering projects and continue to provide support for the ongoing clinical trials.

"In the past year, our clinical team, led by Benny, has initiated two clinical programs and we expect to file an IND for a third program later this year, all of which are evaluating the potential for engineered exosomes to engage the immune system in novel ways to attack intractable cancers. With the anticipated advancement and intensified focus in oncology, we believe it is an ideal time for us to expand our team for the next phase of growth," said Dr. Williams. "As a clinical oncologist with many years of patient treatment and drug development experience, Jennifer knows this space incredibly well and will bring valuable leadership and deep domain expertise to the outstanding team that we already have in place."

Dr. Wheler brings more than 20 years of experience in industry and academic clinical research to Codiak, including a strong track record of successful early-stage oncology drug development. A board-certified oncologist, she served most recently as chief medical officer of Bicara Therapeutics, where she designed and led the first-in-human Phase I/II trial for the company’s bi-functional antibody candidate, including building the clinical trial infrastructure, clinical operations team and KOL network. Previously, Dr. Wheler led first-in-human studies for novel immuno-oncology assets at Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research. From 2006 to 2015, she worked in the Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center where she served as Principal Investigator on more than 30 Phase 1 trials, including one of the first published trials of randomized data demonstrating benefit for treating patients with therapy matched to their tumor’s molecular profile. She is co-author on more than 145 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Wheler completed fellowships in breast cancer medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and in oncology at Yale Cancer Center and her internal medicine residency at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian Hospital. She received her A.B. from Princeton University and her M.D. from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. With a background in the arts, Dr. Wheler also founded Collage, a nonprofit organization that brings personalized and innovative art programs to patients living with cancer.

"Codiak has a rich pipeline of first-in-class molecules that leverages a deep understanding of exosome biology and engineering. These exquisitely constructed molecules combine targeted and immunomodulatory approaches that have previously been elusive—the potential to impact the lives of patients with cancer and other diseases is immense," said Dr. Wheler. "As an oncologist who has spent much of my career investigating new drugs designed to improve outcomes for patients, I see this as an tremendous opportunity: the science is compelling, the early clinical data support the desired product profile and the team is superb. I am excited to lend my experience to help lead the current clinical programs and work to guide the next programs into the clinic."

"I’m excited to welcome Jennifer to Codiak," said Dr. Sorensen. "With two oncology-focused programs now in the clinic and a third on track for IND this year, her background and experience will be incredibly valuable as we continue to advance these candidates. I look forward to collaborating with her as Codiak remains focused on moving the exoSTING and exoIL-12 clinical trials toward expected data read-outs later this year and prepares for the planned exoASO-STAT6 IND submission."