On May 24, 2022 SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SWTX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing life-changing medicines for patients with severe rare diseases and cancer, reported positive topline results from the DeFi trial, a double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 trial evaluating the efficacy, safety and tolerability of nirogacestat, an investigational oral gamma secretase inhibitor, in adult patients with progressing desmoid tumors (Press release, SpringWorks Therapeutics, MAY 24, 2022, View Source [SID1234614978]).
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The DeFi trial met its primary endpoint of improving progression-free survival (PFS), demonstrating a statistically significant improvement for nirogacestat over placebo, with a 71% reduction in the risk of disease progression (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.29 (95% CI: 0.15, 0.55); p < 0.001). In addition, the trial met all key secondary endpoints, with nirogacestat demonstrating statistically significant improvements as compared to placebo in objective response rate (ORR) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Nirogacestat was generally well tolerated with a manageable safety profile. The majority of women of childbearing potential had adverse events consistent with ovarian dysfunction. Other adverse events were generally consistent with previously reported data.
Additional data are expected to be presented at an upcoming medical conference in the second half of 2022 and SpringWorks plans to submit a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the second half of 2022.
"Desmoid tumors are aggressive soft-tissue tumors that can lead to severe negative outcomes for patients, including long-lasting pain, disfigurement, and amputation. In rare cases, when vital organs are impacted, desmoid tumors can also be life-threatening," said Saqib Islam, Chief Executive Officer of SpringWorks. "Today’s announcement represents a significant milestone towards our goal of bringing the first approved therapy to the desmoid tumor community. We look forward to sharing the DeFi trial data with the FDA and to presenting detailed study results at a medical meeting later this year."
Nirogacestat has received Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA for the treatment of desmoid tumors and from the European Commission for the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma. The FDA also granted Fast Track and Breakthrough Therapy Designations for the treatment of adult patients with progressive, unresectable, recurrent or refractory desmoid tumors or deep fibromatosis.
About the DeFi Trial
DeFi (NCT03785964) is an ongoing, global, randomized (1:1), double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 trial evaluating the efficacy, safety and tolerability of nirogacestat in adult patients with progressing desmoid tumors. The study randomized 142 patients to receive 150 mg of nirogacestat or placebo twice daily. Key eligibility criteria included tumor progression by >20% as measured by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST 1.1) within 12 months prior to the first dose of study treatment. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival, as assessed by blinded independent central review. Secondary and exploratory endpoints include safety and tolerability measures, objective response rate (ORR), duration of response, changes in tumor volume assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and changes in patient-reported outcomes (PROs).
About Desmoid Tumors
Desmoid tumors are rare, aggressive, locally invasive, and potentially morbid tumors of the soft tissues.1,2 While they do not metastasize, desmoid tumors are associated with a high rate of recurrence.2,3,4 Sometimes referred to as aggressive fibromatosis, or desmoid fibromatosis, these soft tissue tumors can be serious, debilitating, and, in rare cases when vital organs are impacted, they can be life-threatening.2,5
Desmoid tumors are most commonly diagnosed in patients between the ages of 20 to 44 years, with a two-to-three times higher prevalence in females.4,6,7 It is estimated that there are 1,000-1,650 new cases diagnosed per year in the United States.7,8
Historically, desmoid tumors were treated with surgical resection, but this approach has become less favored due to a high recurrence rate after surgery.1,4,9 There are currently no FDA-approved therapies for the treatment of desmoid tumors.
About Nirogacestat
Nirogacestat is an investigational, oral, selective, small molecule gamma secretase inhibitor in Phase 3 clinical development for desmoid tumors, which are rare and often debilitating and disfiguring soft-tissue tumors. Gamma secretase cleaves multiple transmembrane protein complexes, including Notch, which is believed to play a role in activating pathways that contribute to desmoid tumor growth.
In addition, gamma secretase has been shown to directly cleave membrane-bound B cell maturation antigen (BCMA), resulting in the release of the BCMA extracellular domain, or ECD, from the cell surface. By inhibiting gamma secretase, membrane-bound BCMA can be preserved, increasing target density while reducing levels of soluble BCMA ECD, which may serve as decoy receptors for BCMA-directed therapies. Nirogacestat’s ability to enhance the activity of BCMA-directed therapies has been observed in preclinical models of multiple myeloma. SpringWorks is evaluating nirogacestat as a BCMA potentiator and has eight collaborations with industry-leading BCMA developers to evaluate nirogacestat in combinations across modalities, including with an antibody-drug conjugate, two CAR T cell therapies, three bispecific antibodies and a monoclonal antibody. SpringWorks has also formed research collaborations with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to further characterize the ability of nirogacestat to modulate BCMA and potentiate BCMA-directed therapies using a variety of preclinical multiple myeloma models.
Conference Call Details
SpringWorks will host a conference call and webcast today, Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the DeFi trial data. Participants can listen to the call by dialing +1 (844) 946-0285 (domestic) or +1 (602) 585-9676 (international) and providing the conference ID 2268304. A live webcast presentation can be accessed through the Investors & Media section of the Company’s website at View Source A replay of the webcast will be available on the SpringWorks website for a limited time following the event.