Everest Medicines Receives Orphan Drug Designation from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in South Korea for Sacituzumab Govitecan-Hziy in Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

On May 5, 2021 Everest Medicines (HKEX 1952.HK), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing transformative pharmaceutical products in Greater China and other parts of Asia, reported that the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) in South Korea has granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) for sacituzumab govitecan-hziy (SG), an investigational treatment for adult patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) who have received two or more prior systemic therapies, at least one of them for metastatic disease (Press release, Everest Medicines, MAY 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234579231]).

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"We are very pleased that the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in South Korea has granted Orphan Drug Designation for SG, which we believe has the potential to become a transformative treatment for patients around the world living with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer – a highly aggressive disease with limited treatment options," said Kerry Blanchard, MD, PhD, CEO of Everest Medicines. "Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women in South Korea, and the incidence for this disease continues to climb rapidly in the region. As we work closely with local regulatory bodies to bring this innovative treatment to patients in South Korea as quickly as possible, we look forward to continuing to expand our international footprint outside of China and adding to our recent New Drug Application submission for SG in Singapore earlier this year."

Orphan Drug Designation is granted by the MFDS to pharmaceuticals used to treat diseases with a prevalence of 20,000 patients or less in the Korean population, pharmaceuticals used to treat diseases for which appropriate therapy and pharmaceuticals have not been developed, or pharmaceuticals that have been significantly improved in terms of safety and/or efficacy, compared to existing alternative therapies.

About Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive disease and accounts for approximately 15% of all breast cancer types worldwide. The median age of breast cancer diagnoses tends to be younger in Asian than western countries, and the percentage of the TNBC molecular subtype has been increasing in the past 10 years. TNBC cells lack sufficient estrogen, progesterone or HER2 receptor expression to benefit from the use of hormonal or HER2-directed therapy. Overall survival among patients with this form of breast cancer has not changed in the past 20 years, which highlights the need for advances in therapeutic options for these patients.

In South Korea, the growth in breast cancer incidence in recent decades has been one of the fastest in the world.[1] It is the leading cause of cancer death in South Korean women. Statistics from the International Agency for Cancer Research indicate that breast cancer was the leading cause of cancer diagnoses in South Korea in 2020, accounting for 23.7% of total cases.[2]

About Sacituzumab Govitecan-Hziy

Sacituzumab govitecan-hziy (SG) is a first-in-class, antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) directed at TROP-2, a membrane antigen that is over-expressed in many common epithelial cancers. SG is approved in the United States under the trade name Trodelvy.

Under a licensing agreement with Gilead Sciences, Inc., Everest Medicines has exclusive rights to develop, register, and commercialize SG for all cancer indications in Greater China, South Korea, and certain Southeast Asian countries. In October 2020, SG was included in the updated 2020 China Guidelines for the Standardized Diagnosis and Treatment of Advanced Breast Cancer, compiled by the Breast Cancer Expert Committee of the National Cancer Control Center, the Breast Cancer Professional Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association, and the Cancer Drug Clinical Research Professional Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association.

Antengene Announces Selinexor Added to Multiple Treatment Regimens in 2021 CSCO Guidelines

On May 5, 2021 Antengene Corporation Limited ("Antengene", SEHK: 6996.HK), a leading innovative biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing and commercializing global first-in-class and/or best-in-class therapeutics in hematology and oncology, reported that the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO), the most prominent organization in oncology in China, added multiple selinexor regimens to its 2021 Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines (CSCO Guidelines) for treatment of multiple myeloma and lymphoma (Press release, Antengene, MAY 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234579230]). Three selinexor regimens recommended by the Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of myeloma include: (i) selinexor plus dexamethasone; and (ii) selinexor plus dexamethasone plus bortezomib; and (iii) selinexor plus dexamethasone plus pomalidomide for the treatment of relapsed myeloma. Meanwhile, the guideline has also recommended selinexor for the treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (rrDLBCL). As the gold standard guiding Chinese oncologists in their clinical practice, the CSCO Guidelines is the one of the most recognized guidelines in China.

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Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignancy caused by the dysregulated proliferation of plasma cells. It is the second most common hematologic malignancy in many countries. MM is hard to treat and prone to relapse. Despite availability of a number of treatments for relapsed patients, most still succumb to their disease and new treatment options are needed. As a growing number of novel therapies enter into clinical treatment, it has become a challenge to choose the most effective treatment option. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive hematologic malignancy that about half of patients with DLBCL will not reach complete remission after receiving first-line treatments, and approximately 60% of patients with rrDLBCL lack effective treatment options.

Selinexor is the world’s first approved oral selective inhibitor of nuclear export (SINE), representing a novel mechanism of action (MoA) in cancer therapy. Selinexor induces the apoptosis of cancer cells through the targeted inhibition of the nuclear export protein XPO1 that leads to the nuclear storage and activation of tumor-suppressor proteins and other growth-regulating (GR) proteins, and by down-regulating the levels of various oncogenic proteins.

Myeloma

For the treatment of relapsed myeloma

Level 1 recommendation for selinexor plus dexamethasone (based on Class 1 evidence)
Level 2 recommendation for selinexor plus dexamethasone plus bortezomib (based on Class 2 evidence)
Level 2 recommendation for selinexor plus dexamethasone plus pomalidomide (based on Class 2 evidence)

The STORM trial is a multicenter, single-arm, open-label trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of selinexor plus dexamethasone (Xd) in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (rrMM) that had previous exposure to multiple lines of therapy. Results from this trial showed an objective response rate (ORR) of 26% in rrMM with the Xd combination regimen in patients with rrMM who have received a median of seven previous regimens.

The STOMP trial is a multicenter, open-label, randomized Phase I/II trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of various Xd combination regimens in patients with rrMM. Results from this trial showed a median progression-free survival (mPFS) of 12.2 months in patients that received the combination of selinexor, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone, and an ORR of 60% in patients that received selinexor at recommended Phase II dose (RP2D). In proteasome inhibitor (PI) nonrefractory patients, the combination of selinexor, bortezomib, and dexamethasone has demonstrated an ORR of 84%.

Lymphoma

The guideline has also recommended selinexor for the treatment of lymphoma. In the comments on the treatment of patients with rrDLBCL, the guideline recommended second-line therapies or personalized treatments that have no cross-resistance with the combination of cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (CHOP). In addition, the guideline also noted that multiple novel therapies including chidamide, ibrutinib, zanubrutinib, orelabrutinib, brentuximab vedotin, anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies, XPO inhibitor (selinexor), BCL-2 inhibitors have all demonstrated preliminary efficacy either as monotherapy or in combinations.

The SADAL trial is a registrational trial of selinexor in patients with rrDLBCL. Results of this trial demonstrated an ORR of 28.3% and a complete response (CR) of 12% in all patients, and an ORR of 34% in patients with the germinal center B-cell (GCB) subtype.

Depei Wu, MD, chairman of the Chinese Society of Hematology of the Chinese Medical Association, and director of the hematology department at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, said: "DLBCL is a highly heterogeneous hematologic malignancy, and a type of heterogeneous and invasive lymphoma with a large transformed B-cell phenotype that leads to the diffuse damage to normal lymph nodes. Patients with DLBCL commonly have high XPO1 expression that indicates a poor prognosis. The world’s first approved oral XPO1 inhibitor, selinexor, has been recommend by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines for the treatment of patients with DLBCL that have received least two prior lines of therapy (including those with disease progression after transplant or CAR-T therapy). The recommendation of selinexor by the 2021 CSCO Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Lymphoma offers a new treatment option to patients. We are confident that selinexor will soon benefit more patients in need."

Wenming Chen, MD, Chairman of the Chinese Medical Education Association Committee on Hematology, and director of the hematology department at Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital of the Capital Medical University, commented: "MM is a common type of hematologic malignancy. The survival of patients with MM has been steadily prolonged, thanks to the development and introduction of some new therapies in the recent years. But these patients still lack curative treatment and would eventually relapse after developing acquired drug-resistance. Enabled by its unique mechanism of action, selinexor can effectively address drug-resistance in MM and deliver deep response in lymphoma patients in various states of the disease. This recommendation by the CSCO Guidelines brings a new treatment option into the clinical setting. We look forward to seeing more patients benefit from selinexor."

About Selinexor (XPOVIO)

Selinexor, a first-in-class and only-in-class oral selective inhibitor of nuclear export (SINE) compound discovered and developed by Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: KPTI), is currently being developed by Antengene, which has the exclusive development and commercial rights in certain Asia-Pacific markets, including Greater China, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the ASEAN countries.

In July 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved selinexor in combination with low-dose dexamethasone for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (rrMM) and in June 2020 approved selinexor as a single-agent for the treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (rrDLBCL). In December 2020, selinexor also received FDA approval as a combination treatment for multiple myeloma (MM) after at least one prior therapy. In February 2021, selinexor was approved by the Israeli Ministry of Health for the treatment of patients with rrMM or rrDLBCL and in March 2021, the European Commission (EC) has granted conditional marketing authorization for selinexor (NEXPOVIO) for the treatment of MM.

Selinexor is so far the first and only oral SINE compound approved by the FDA and is the first drug approved for the treatment of both MM and DLBCL. Selinexor is also being evaluated in several other mid-and later-phase clinical trials across multiple solid tumor indications, including liposarcoma and endometrial cancer. In November 2020, at the Connective Tissue Oncology Society 2020 Annual Meeting (CTOS 2020), Antengene’s partner, Karyopharm, presented positive results from the Phase III randomized, double blind, placebo controlled, cross-over SEAL trial evaluating single agent, oral selinexor versus matching placebo in patients with liposarcoma. Karyopharm also announced that the ongoing Phase III SIENDO trial of selinexor in patients with endometrial cancer passed the planned interim futility analysis and the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) recommended the trial should proceed as planned without any modifications. Top-line SIENDO trial results are expected in the second half of 2021.

Antengene is currently conducting five mid- or late-stage clinical trials of selinexor for the treatment of MM, DLBCL, non-small cell lung cancer, and peripheral T and NK/T-cell lymphoma. Furthermore, Antengene has submitted New Drug Applications (NDAs) for selinexor in five Asia Pacific markets including mainland China, Australia, South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong, and was granted the Priority Review status by China’s NMPA and an Orphan Drug Designation by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of South Korea (MFDS).

USMI Developing the First Surgical Robot for Cancer Surgery

On May 5, 2021 US Medical Innovations, LLC (USMI) reported that it is developing the first robotic delivery system used for cancer surgery (Press release, US Medical Innovations, MAY 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234579229]).

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The new Canady Surgical System (CSS) is a space-efficient, cost-effective, stand-alone solution for Robotic Assisted Surgery during open, laparoscopic/mini-invasive, endoscopic, thoracoscopic and trans-oral surgical procedures.

Features of the new Canady Surgical System include Voice Command technology which frees up the surgeon and assistant to focus on the surgical procedure and perform other tasks. The system includes both Canady Hybrid Plasma (CHP) and Canady Helios Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CHCAP) as well as a flexible disposable scope and camera system.

Preloaded in the CSS are treatment-dosage protocols for over 30 different cancer types and a robotic assisted image-guided navigational mapping system that delivers personalized and targeted CHCAP cancer treatments directly to the surgical site and ablating any remaining cancer cells after the tumor is removed with the CHP.

According to Jerome Canady, MD, and CEO of USMI, "Our CHCAP technology actually ablates cancer cells without damaging surrounding healthy tissue. We recently completed a Phase 1 FDA Clinical Trail using Canady Helios Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CHCAP) for the treatment of recurrent and stage 4 solid tumors. We see this novel technology, delivered with the precision of robotic assisted technology, as the most exciting new form of personalized and targeted medicine being explored today."

CHCAP has many advantages. It is performed during the surgical procedure. It is highly selective because it only targets cancer cells. And thirdly, the CHCAP treatment is personalized for specific cancer types (i.e., breast, ovarian, sarcoma, lung, colon, cervical, pancreas and other solid cancerous tumors).

The organization expects to have the new Canady Surgical System in clinical trials later this year. Protocols and site locations are being explored at this time.

New Data Demonstrate that 99% of Surveyed Patients Diagnosed With Uveal Melanoma Gain Value From DecisionDx-UM Test

On May 5, 2021 Castle Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSTL), a skin cancer diagnostics company providing personalized genomic information to improve cancer treatment decisions, reported data on its 15-gene expression profile (15-GEP) test, DecisionDx-UM, at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2021: Revolutionary Eye and Vision Research Meeting (Press release, Castle Biosciences, MAY 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234579228]).

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The virtual poster is entitled "Uveal Melanoma Patient Attitudes Towards Prognostic Testing Using Gene Expression Profiling."

DecisionDx-UM, the test highlighted in the poster, is Castle’s prognostic 15-GEP test for patients with uveal melanoma, a rare cancer of the eye that carries a high risk of spreading (metastasizing). The DecisionDx-UM test is designed to accurately identify patients who are at low risk (Class 1) or high risk (Class 2) of metastasis based on the unique biology of their primary tumor and is the current standard of care in the management of uveal melanoma at the majority of U.S. ocular oncology practices.

"Up to half of patients diagnosed with uveal melanoma will experience metastatic disease, and prior studies show that newly diagnosed patients have overwhelmingly been in favor of learning their prognoses," said first author Basil K. Williams, M.D., assistant professor and director of Ocular Oncology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. "This study demonstrated that uveal melanoma patients were satisfied with their decisions to pursue prognostic information through GEP testing, and they found particular value in DecisionDx-UM’s ability to help them understand their individual metastatic risk."

Study methods and findings:

The objective of the patient-based study was to understand uveal melanoma patients’ experiences following testing with DecisionDx-UM compared to patients with alternative or no prognostic testing.
An online questionnaire was distributed by the Melanoma Research Foundation’s CURE OM (Ocular Melanoma) initiative that captured de-identified information regarding patient-reported experiences. Patients were asked questions regarding the decision to undergo prognostic testing and the extent to which they felt regret about their decisions.
Of the 177 survey participants, 159 (90%) reported wanting prognostic information at diagnosis.
Of patients tested with DecisionDx-UM, the vast majority (80/81 respondents, 99%) reported gaining value from their test result, including:
Increased knowledge and understanding
More personalized treatment options
Information relevant to life planning
A sense of relief from uncertainty about the future
Of the patients who received prognostic testing with DecisionDx-UM, decision regret levels did not differ depending on whether they received a low or high-risk test result (Kruskal-Wallis; n=28, 23, 30 for 1A, 1B, 2; p=0.13).
Patients who received prognostic testing experienced lower levels of decision regret than those who opted out of testing, independent of which prognostic tests were used (Wilcoxon Rank-Sum tests: DecisionDx-UM vs. alternative tests: p=0.89, DecisionDx-UM vs. opt-out: p=0.0002, alternative tests vs. opt-out: p=0.003).

SQZ Biotech to Present at BofA Securities 2021 Virtual Health Care Conference

On May 5, 2021 SQZ Biotechnologies (NYSE:SQZ), a cell therapy company developing novel treatments for multiple therapeutic areas, reported that management will be participating in the BofA (Bank of America) Securities 2021 Virtual Health Care Conference taking place May 11-13, 2021 (Press release, SQZ Biotech, MAY 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234579227]). Armon Sharei, PhD, chief executive officer, will present a corporate overview on May 12 at 8:00am EDT with a virtual webcast and the company will be hosting one on one meetings.

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More information about and access to the webcast for the presentation are available on the Investors & Media section of the company website. The webcast will be available for 90 days following the presentation.