On May 26, 2022 Zymeworks Inc. (NYSE: ZYME), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation multifunctional biotherapeutics, reported new clinical data for the HER2‑targeted bispecific antibody zanidatamab in both HER2-positive breast cancer and gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (Press release, Zymeworks, MAY 26, 2022, View Source [SID1234615127]). The data are being presented in two separate poster sessions at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting June 3-7, 2022 in Chicago, IL.

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"These encouraging new data sets presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) provide further validation of zanidatamab’s potential in the treatment of advanced HER2-positive cancers and follow the release of other promising data in gastroesophageal and breast cancer in 2021," said Neil Josephson, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Zymeworks. "These new data continue to demonstrate the potential for zanidatamab to be an important advancement in the treatment of a wide range of HER2-expressing cancers, including in first-line treatment regimens."

The presentations detailed below are available to conference registrants on the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) conference website as well as to the general public at www.zymeworks.com/publications.

Poster Session: Zanidatamab in Combination with Chemotherapy and Tislelizumab in HER2-Positive Gastric/Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer – Clinical Results – Saturday, June 4, 08:00-11:00 am CDT

Zanidatamab, a HER2-targeted bispecific antibody, in combination with chemotherapy and tislelizumab as first-line therapy for patients with advanced HER2-positive gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (G/GJEC): Preliminary results from a Phase 1b/2 study

Presenter: Keun Wook Lee, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea

Over one million patients are diagnosed with gastric cancer every year worldwide, and it is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related deaths1. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive disease accounts for 15–25% of gastric cancers2. For these patients, trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy is the global standard of care treatment but with an expected overall survival of less than 18 months, there remains a significant unmet need.

In 33 response-evaluable patients with advanced HER2-positive gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma treated with zanidatamab and tislelizumab in combination with the CAPOX chemotherapy regimen the cORR was 75.8% (25/33). The DCR was 100% (33/33) and duration of response (DOR) ranged from 2.1+ to 18.2+ months. Twenty patients (61%) remain on study at the time of data cut-off.

In addition, the data demonstrate that zanidatamab and tislelizumab in combination with the CAPOX chemotherapy is generally well tolerated, with the majority of treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) considered mild to moderate in severity (Grade 1 or 2). The most common grade ≥ 3 TRAE was diarrhea, which was manageable in the outpatient setting; introduction of prophylactic loperamide reduced the incidence from 33% to 21%. Immune mediated adverse events occurred in 27% of patients, including ≥ Grade 3 events in 21% of patients and resulted in discontinuation of tislelizumab in 3 patients (9%). This manageable safety profile compares favorably to the current standard of care as well as to emerging treatments and is consistent with previous reports.3

This new data set further supports the launch of Zymeworks’ global Phase 3 study (HERIZON-GEA-01; NCT05152147), which is investigating zanidatamab in combination with chemotherapy with or without tislelizumab for first-line treatment of locally advanced, unresectable, or metastatic HER2-positive gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma. Zymeworks, along with its Asia-Pacific partner BeiGene, plan to enroll 714 patients at approximately 300 sites across 38 countries. Enrollment is expected to be completed by the end of 2023. The study design will be presented in a Trials in Progress poster (Poster ID: P-26) at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer taking place in Barcelona, Spain from June 29-July 2, 2022. The presentation will be available to conference registrants on the conference website as well as to the general public at www.zymeworks.com/publications at the time of presentation at the conference.

Poster Session: Zanidatamab in Combination with Docetaxel in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer – Clinical Results – Monday, June 6, 08:00-11:00 am CDT

Zanidatamab, a HER2-targeted bispecific antibody, in combination with docetaxel as first-line therapy for patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer: Preliminary results from a Phase 1b/2 study

Presenter: Keun Seok Lee, National Cancer Center, Center for Breast Cancer, Goyang, Republic of Korea

Worldwide, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths in women, with over 650,000 deaths in 20201,4. HER2-positive breast cancer accounts for approximately 20% of all breast cancers5,6,7. Though HER2-targeted agents have improved outcomes in HER2-positive breast cancer, most patients treated for advanced disease eventually relapse and develop resistant disease8,9.

In 21 response-evaluable patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer treated with zanidatamab and docetaxel the cORR was 90.5%, with 15 patients (78.9%) having an ongoing response at the time of the data cut. The median follow-up was 7.0 months (range 1.1-17.4 months) and the six-month progression-free survival rate was 95.2%.

The combination of zanidatamab and docetaxel had a manageable safety profile with the incidence of TRAEs consistent with standard of care therapy. The most common TRAEs were neutrophil count decreased (13 patients; 54.2%), diarrhea (13 patients; 54.2%), and anemia (nine patients; 37.5%), and the most common ≥ Grade 3 TRAEs were neutrophil count decreased (12 patients; 50.0%), diarrhea (3 patients; 12.5%), and white blood cell count decreased (2 patients; 8.3%).

"We will continue to support ongoing R&D efforts to generate and report robust data highlighting and reinforcing the potential applications of our therapeutics and technology platforms in the treatment of a wide range of diseases," said Kenneth Galbraith, Chair and CEO of Zymeworks. "We remain focused on exploring potential research and collaboration opportunities that can lead to a broader portfolio of innovative therapies for patients in need around the world with difficult-to-treat cancers."

Conference Call and Webcast

Zymeworks will host a conference call and webcast on Monday, June 6th at 4:30 pm ET to discuss the clinical data presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) and provide an overview on the clinical development strategy for zanidatamab. The event will be led by Kenneth Galbraith, Zymeworks’ Chair and CEO, and Neil Josephson, M.D., Zymeworks’ Chief Medical Officer. Members of Zymeworks’ executive team will be available to answer questions at the conclusion of the call.

Interested parties can access the live webcast via the Zymeworks’ website at View Source A recorded replay will be accessible after the event through the Zymeworks website.

About Zanidatamab

Zanidatamab is a bispecific antibody, based on Zymeworks’ Azymetric platform, that can simultaneously bind two non-overlapping epitopes of HER2, known as biparatopic binding. This unique design results in multiple mechanisms of action including dual HER2 signal blockade, increased binding, and removal of HER2 protein from the cell surface, and potent effector function leading to encouraging antitumor activity in patients. Zymeworks is developing zanidatamab in multiple Phase 1, Phase 2, and pivotal clinical trials globally as a targeted treatment option for patients with solid tumors that express HER2. The FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for zanidatamab in patients with previously treated HER2 gene-amplified biliary tract cancer (BTC), and two Fast Track designations to zanidatamab, one as a single agent for refractory BTC and one in combination with standard of care chemotherapy, for first-line gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEA). These designations mean zanidatamab is eligible for Accelerated Approval, Priority Review and Rolling Review, as well as intensive FDA guidance on an efficient drug development program. Zanidatamab has also received Orphan Drug designations for the treatment of biliary tract, gastric and ovarian cancers, as well as Orphan Drug designation for the treatment of gastric cancer from the European Medicines Agency.

On May 26, 2022 Adicet Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACET), a clinical stage biotechnology company discovering and developing first-in-class allogeneic gamma delta chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies for cancer, reported that an abstract detailing updated safety and efficacy data from the Company’s Phase 1 study of ADI-001 for the potential treatment of relapsed or refractory B-cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) was made available as part of the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, to be held June 3-7, 2022 (Press release, Adicet Bio, MAY 26, 2022, View Source [SID1234615126]). The abstract provides a summary of clinical data as of a February 14, 2022, data-cut date.

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"We are very pleased to see the continued positive data resulting from our ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating ADI-001 in relapsed/refractory NHL. We believe that our allogeneic gamma delta CAR T cell therapy approach may improve complete response rate and durability by the complementary innate, adaptive and CAR-mediated anti-tumor response," said Chen Schor, President and Chief Executive Officer of Adicet. "We look forward to presenting updated data on safety, efficacy, pharmacokinetics and longer follow up, including available data from patients enrolled in dose level 3, at the upcoming 2022 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting with a coinciding press release as well as a company webcast later that afternoon."

Data highlights as of the February 14, 2022 data-cut date included in the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) abstract were as follows:

Six evaluable patients were enrolled in dose level 1 (DL1; 30 million CAR+ cells) and dose level 2 (DL2; 100 million CAR+ cells), 33% (2/6) were female and the median age was 62 years (range 45-75). There were five patients with large B-cell lymphoma and one with mantle cell lymphoma. Indolent lymphomas, such as follicular lymphoma, are currently not enrolled in the study.
Overall, the patients were heavily pretreated with a median number of prior therapies of 3.5 (range 2-5) and had a poor prognostic outlook as indicated by the median International Prognostic Index (IPI) score of 3.5 (range 2-4). One patient previously progressed following two prior treatments with autologous anti-CD19 CAR T cell therapy (lisocabtagene maraleucel) prior to receiving ADI-001.
At Day 28, the overall response rate (ORR) and the complete response (CR) rate based upon independent central reading by PET/CT were 67% (4/6 patients).
As of the February 14, 2022 data-cut date, of the four patients who achieved CR after treatment with ADI-001:
Two patients remained in CR with ≥ three months post-treatment follow-up, including a triple-hit large B-cell lymphoma patient who had previously progressed following two administrations of autologous anti-CD19 CAR-T and a total of five lines of prior therapy.
As previously disclosed, one patient, a 66-year-old female who had responded to ADI-001, developed COVID-19 related pneumonia approximately two and a half months after ADI-001 administration and later died of complications from it, unrelated to ADI-001. This patient was previously reported as a partial response (PR) by local radiological assessment and has been assessed as a CR by independent central reading.
One patient with a CR had not reached the three-month assessment date as of the data-cut date for the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) abstract submission.
Safety data from the trial at the February 14, 2022 data-cut date were consistent with the previously reported well tolerated profile, with no occurrence of Grade ≥ 3 Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), Immune Effector Cell-Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome (ICANS) or Graft vs Host Disease. No dose-limiting toxicities were documented.
All response data have been determined per protocol by independent central reading of PET/CT per Lugano (2014) criteria.
The full abstract is available online on the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) website.

Updated data from a May 31, 2022 data-cut date will be presented during an oral presentation by Sattva Neelapu, M.D. Professor in the Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, at the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting on June 6, 2022. Adicet will summarize the data from the May 31, 2022 data-cut date in a press release and provide additional information in a company webcast on June 6, 2022.

Details of the oral presentation are as follows:

Abstract Number: 7509
Abstract Title: A Phase 1 Study of ADI-001: Anti-CD20 CAR-engineered Allogeneic Gamma Delta (γδ) T cells in Adults with B-cell malignancies
Presenting Author: Sattva Neelapu, M.D., The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Session Type/Title: Clinical Science Symposium/ Beating Bad Blood: The Power of Immunotherapy in Hematologic Malignancies
Date: Monday, June 6, 2022
Time: 8:00 AM-9:30 AM CDT

Adicet Investor Webcast/ Conference Call Information

The Company will host a conference call and webcast on June 6, 2022, at 4:30 p.m. ET to discuss the results. The live webcast of the presentation can be accessed under "Presentations & Events" in the investors section of the Company’s website at www.adicetbio.com or by dialing (877) 800-3802 (domestic) or +1 (615) 622-8057 (international) and reference the conference ID 5466375. The archived webcast will be available on the Company’s website beginning approximately two hours after the event.

About ADI-001

ADI-001 is an investigational allogeneic gamma delta CAR T cell therapy being developed as a potential treatment for relapsed or refractory B-cell NHL. ADI-001 targets malignant B-cells via an anti-CD20 CAR and via the gamma delta innate and T cell endogenous cytotoxicity receptors. Gamma delta T cells engineered with an anti-CD20 CAR have demonstrated potent antitumor activity in preclinical models, leading to long-term control of tumor growth. In April 2022, ADI-001 was granted Fast Track Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the potential treatment of relapsed or refractory B-cell NHL.

About the GLEAN Study

This Phase 1 study is an open-label, multi-center study of ADI-001 enrolling adults diagnosed with B-cell malignancies who have either relapsed, or are refractory to at least two prior regimens. The primary objectives of the study are to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ADI-001, and to determine optimal dosing as a monotherapy. The study is expected to enroll approximately 75 patients. For more information about the clinical study design, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04735471).

On May 26, 2022 BeiGene (NASDAQ: BGNE; HKEX: 06160; SSE: 688235), a global, science-driven biotechnology company focused on developing innovative and affordable medicines to improve treatment outcomes and access for patients worldwide, reported that it will present data from its broad solid tumor and hematology portfolios in eight presentations at the upcoming American Society of Cancer Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting being held in Chicago from June 3-7, 2022 (Press release, BeiGene, MAY 26, 2022, View Source [SID1234615125]). Highlights include new clinical data for its BTK-inhibitor zanubrutinib (BRUKINSA):

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Long-term safety and efficacy results from the Phase 3 ASPEN trial of BRUKINSA versus ibrutinib in patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia, with median follow up of 43 months
Primary analysis from the Phase 2 ROSEWOOD trial of zanubrutinib plus obinutuzumab versus obinutuzumab monotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma
"Waldenström macroglobulinemia is a chronic, indolent condition with median survival of 14 to 16 years, so it is important to understand the long-term profile for treatments. The durable response and continued safety advantage seen in the long-term follow up period of the ASPEN trial supports our confidence in the compelling safety and efficacy profile for BRUKINSA," said Lai Wang, Ph.D., Global Head of R&D at BeiGene. "We continue to explore zanubrutinib in additional indications that may lack tolerable and effective treatment options and we are encouraged by the results from our Phase 2 ROSEWOOD study in a high-risk, relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma population."

In addition to results from BRUKINSA trials, the company will also present posters from its early development pipeline and results from the Phase 3 RATIONALE-309 trial of tislelizumab in the Rapid Abstract Update session on June 5th. RATIONALE 309 is a Phase 3 trial of tislelizumab, a humanized anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, in combination with chemotherapy versus chemotherapy plus placebo as a first-line treatment for patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer. These results were initially presented at the virtual ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Plenary Series on April 19, 2022: BeiGene Presents Updated Results from Phase 3 RATIONALE-309

For more information on BeiGene’s clinical program and company updates, please visit BeiGene’s virtual ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) booth: www.BeiGenevirtualexperience.com

——————-ASPEN and ROSEWOOD details——————-

ASPEN: Long-term follow-up results of a Phase 3 randomized trial of zanubrutinib versus ibrutinib in patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM)
Abstract Number: 7521

With a median follow-up of 43 months, BRUKINSA continued to demonstrate clinically meaningful efficacy and a tolerable safety profile in patients with WM.

Exploratory analyses showed a consistent trend of deeper, earlier, and more durable responses (CR+VGPR) compared with ibrutinib over time
Median time to CR+VGPR was shorter for zanubrutinib: 6.7 months (range, 1.9-42.0) vs ibrutinib: 16.6 months (range, 2.0-49.9)
Over the follow-up period, patients receiving with zanubrutinib had fewer adverse events leading to death, treatment discontinuation, and dose reduction as compared with ibrutinib
The prevalence of atrial fibrillation, hypertension, and bleeding were lower in the zanubrutinib arm at all time intervals; Neutropenia occurred early, and prevalence decreased over time for patients receiving zanubrutinib
Zanubrutinib plus obinutuzumab (ZO) versus obinutuzumab (O) monotherapy in patients (pts) with relapsed or refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma (FL): primary analysis of the Phase 2 randomized ROSEWOOD trial
Abstract Number: 7510

The ROSEWOOD trial met its primary endpoint with a 68.3% overall response rate (ORR) in the zanubrutinib plus obinutuzumab arm versus 45.8% in the obinutuzumab arm (p = 0.0017) and median follow-up of 12.5 months. Zanubrutinib plus obinutuzumab was generally well-tolerated, with safety results consistent with previous studies of both medicines.

Zanubrutinib plus obinutuzumab was associated with a deep and durable response, with a complete response (CR) rate of 37.2% compared to 19.4% for obinutuzumab alone; 18-month duration of response rate was 70.9% in the zanubrutinib plus obinutuzumab arm versus 54.6% in the obinutuzumab arm
Time to next anti-lymphoma treatment was significantly prolonged in the zanubrutinib plus obinutuzumab arm (HR 0.37; p ,0.0001)
Median progression-free survival was 27.4 months in the zanubrutinib plus obinutuzumab arm compared to 11.2 months in the obinutuzumab arm (HR: 0.51 [95% CI, 0.32, -0.81],)
The most common any-grade and grade ≥ 3 toxicities in the zanubrutinib plus obinutuzumab arm were hematologic toxicities, and other toxicities were similar between the two arms
Infusion-related reactions were more frequent in the obinutuzumab monotherapy arm
About ASPEN

ASPEN is a randomized, global, open-label, multi-center Phase 3 study comparing BRUKINSA to ibrutinib in patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) or treatment-naive Waldenström macroglobulinemia. The primary endpoint was proportion of patients achieving complete response or very good partial response (CR+VGPR). Patients with MYD88 mutations were assigned to cohort 1 and randomized 1:1 to receive BRUKINSA 160 mg twice daily or ibrutinib 420 mg once daily. Patients without MYD88 mutations were assigned to cohort 2 and received BRUKINSA160 mg twice daily. A total of 229 patients were enrolled in the trial, with 130 patients receiving BRUKINSA and 99 patients receiving ibrutinib.

As assessed by an independent review committee based on the modified Sixth International Workshop on Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia (IWWM-6) response criteria (Treon 2015), the combined rate of CR and VGPR in the overall intent-to-treat population was 28% with BRUKINSA (95% CI: 20, 38), compared to 19% with ibrutinib (95% CI: 12, 28). While this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.09), BRUKINSA did achieve numerically higher VGPR rates and trends towards increased depth of response.

In the ASPEN trial, BRUKINSA demonstrated a more favorable safety profile compared to ibrutinib with lower frequency of certain adverse events, including atrial fibrillation or flutter (2% vs. 15%) and major hemorrhage (6% vs. 9%). Of the 101 patients with WM treated with BRUKINSA, 4% of patients discontinued due to adverse events, and adverse events leading to dose reduction occurred in 14% of patients.

About ROSEWOOD

ROSEWOOD is a randomized, open-label, Phase 2 study comparing BRUKINSA plus obinutuzumab to obinutuzumab alone in patients with R/R FL who have received two or more lines of therapy. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR) assessed by independent central review (ICR) according to the Lugano classification. Select secondary endpoints include: investigator-assessed ORR, ICR-reviewed and investigator-assed duration of response and progression-free survival, overall survival, ICR- and investigator-assessed CR and complete metabolic response rate. A total of 217 patients were enrolled in the trial, with 145 patients receiving BRUKINSA plus obinutuzumab and 72 patients receiving obinutuzumab.

About BRUKINSA

BRUKINSA is a small molecule inhibitor of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) discovered by BeiGene scientists that is currently being evaluated globally in a broad clinical program as a monotherapy and in combination with other therapies to treat various B-cell malignancies. Because new BTK is continuously synthesized, BRUKINSA was specifically designed to deliver complete and sustained inhibition of the BTK protein by optimizing bioavailability, half-life, and selectivity. With differentiated pharmacokinetics compared to other approved BTK inhibitors, BRUKINSA has been demonstrated to inhibit the proliferation of malignant B cells within a number of disease relevant tissues.

BRUKINSA is supported by a broad clinical program which includes more than 3,900 subjects in 35 trials across 28 markets. To date, BRUKINSA has received more than 20 approvals covering more than 40 countries and regions, including the United States, China, the EU and Great Britain, Canada, Australia and additional international markets. Currently, more than 40 additional regulatory submissions are in review around the world.

About Tislelizumab

Tislelizumab is an anti-programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) inhibitor designed to help aid the body’s immune cells to detect and fight tumors. Tislelizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody, is specifically designed to minimize binding to FcγR on macrophages. In pre-clinical studies, binding to FcγR on macrophages has been shown to compromise the anti-tumor activity of PD-1 antibodies through activation of antibody-dependent macrophage-mediated killing of T effector cells.

Tislelizumab is the first drug from BeiGene’s immuno-oncology biologics program and is being developed internationally as a monotherapy and in combination with other therapies for the treatment of a broad array of both solid tumor and hematologic cancers. BeiGene has initiated or completed more than 20 potentially registration-enabling clinical trials in 35 countries and regions, including 17 Phase 3 trials and four pivotal Phase 2 trials. More information on the clinical trial program for tislelizumab can be found at: View Source

Tislelizumab is approved by the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) as a treatment for eight indications, including multiple approvals in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Tislelizumab is currently in regulatory review in one additional indication in first line recurrent/metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer in China; as a potential treatment for unresectable recurrent locally advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after prior systemic therapy in the U.S.; and in NSCLC and ESCC in Europe. In January 2021, BeiGene partnered with Novartis to accelerate the clinical development and marketing of tislelizumab in North America, Europe and Japan.

BeiGene Oncology

BeiGene is committed to advancing best- and first-in-class clinical candidates internally or with like-minded partners to develop impactful and affordable medicines for patients across the globe. We have a growing R&D and medical affairs team of approximately 2,900 colleagues dedicated to advancing more than 100 clinical trials that have involved more than 16,000 subjects. Our expansive portfolio is directed predominantly by our internal colleagues supporting clinical trials in more than 45 geographies. Hematology-oncology and solid tumor targeted therapies and immuno-oncology are key focus areas for the Company, with both mono- and combination therapies prioritized in our research and development. BeiGene currently has three approved medicines discovered and developed in our own labs: BTK inhibitor BRUKINSA in the U.S., China, the European Union, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and additional international markets; and the non-FC-gamma receptor binding anti-PD-1 antibody tislelizumab as well as the PARP inhibitor pamiparib in China.

BeiGene also partners with innovative companies who share our goal of developing therapies to address global health needs. We commercialize a range of oncology medicines in China licensed from Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, EUSA Pharma, and Bio-Thera. We also plan to address greater areas of unmet need globally through our other collaborations including with Mirati Therapeutics, Seagen, and Zymeworks.

In January 2021, BeiGene and Novartis announced a collaboration granting Novartis rights to co-develop, manufacture, and commercialize BeiGene’s anti-PD1 antibody tislelizumab in North America, Europe, and Japan. Building upon this productive collaboration, including a biologics license application (BLA) under U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review, BeiGene and Novartis announced an option, collaboration, and license agreement in December 2021 for BeiGene’s TIGIT inhibitor ociperlimab that is in Phase 3 development. Novartis and BeiGene also entered into a strategic commercial agreement through which BeiGene is promoting five approved Novartis Oncology products across designated regions of China.

On May 26, 2022 Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY), reported that new pivotal data on its investigational CD20xCD3 T-cell engaging bispecific antibody, glofitamab, will be presented for the first time at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting from June 3-7 and the European Hematology Association (EHA) (Free EHA Whitepaper) 2022 Congress from June 9-12 (Press release, Genentech, MAY 26, 2022, View Source [SID1234615124]). Data from the Phase II NP30179 expansion study demonstrated that, after a median follow-up of more than 12 months, fixed-duration glofitamab (given for a fixed amount of time, and not taken until disease progression) induces durable complete responses (CRs) in patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who had received a median of three prior therapies.

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"These data bring us one step closer towards our goal of finding solutions for people with heavily pre-treated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, which often relapses and becomes more aggressive each time it returns," said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. "The potential of glofitamab as a new fixed-duration, readily available treatment could be instrumental to improving outcomes for people with this difficult-to-treat cancer who otherwise have limited options."

The pivotal Phase II NP30179 expansion study included patients with heavily pre-treated and highly refractory DLBCL, with 58.3% of patients refractory to their initial therapy and about one-third (33.1%) having received prior CAR T-cell therapy. After a median follow-up of 12.6 months, 39.4% of patients (n=61/155) achieved a CR (primary efficacy endpoint) and half of them (51.6%; n=80/155) achieved an overall response (the percentage of patients with a partial or complete response; secondary efficacy endpoint), as assessed by an independent review committee. The majority (77.6%) of complete responses were durable and ongoing at 12 months and the median duration of complete response had not yet been reached (not evaluable [16.8 months, not evaluable]). Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) was the most common adverse event occurring in 63.0% of patients. CRS events were predictable, generally low grade (mainly Grade 1 [47.4%] or 2 [11.7%]), occurred at initial doses, and only one patient discontinued glofitamab due to CRS. Incidence of Grade 3+ CRS was low (3.9%), with no Grade 5 events.

"I’m encouraged by these data as they signify new hope for these patients who otherwise have limited effective treatment options and have faced disappointment from not responding to multiple rounds of treatments," said Associate Professor Michael Dickinson, Hematologist and Lead of the Aggressive Lymphoma Disease Group within Clinical Haematology at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia. "These glofitamab data suggest that patients may be able to achieve durable responses with a set course of treatment that they don’t have to take continuously until disease progression."

Data from the NP30179 study have been submitted for approval to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and submissions to additional health authorities worldwide, including to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are planned this year. Glofitamab is being investigated in several clinical trials and explored in earlier lines of lymphoma treatment.

Genentech is committed to improving standards of care to enhance the treatment experience and outcomes for people with blood cancers and the scientific data we are sharing at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) and EHA (Free EHA Whitepaper) from our portfolio propels us further towards this goal. Genentech is investigating its CD20xCD3 T-cell engaging bispecific antibodies glofitamab and mosunetuzumab further as subcutaneous formulations and in additional Phase III studies that will expand the understanding of their impact in earlier lines of treatment, with the aim of providing people with different types of lymphomas with robust and durable treatment outcomes. Additionally, the European Commission (EC) recently granted approval of Polivy (polatuzumab vedotin) in combination with Rituxan (rituximab) plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone (R-CHP) for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and the EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recommended mosunetuzumab for approval for patients with R/R follicular lymphoma, who have received at least two prior systemic therapies.

About Glofitamab

Glofitamab is an investigational CD20xCD3 T-cell engaging bispecific antibody designed to target CD20 on the surface of B cells and CD3 on the surface of T cells. Glofitamab is based on a novel structural format called ‘2:1’. It is engineered to have two ‘Fab’ regions which bind to CD20, and one ‘Fab’ region which binds to CD3. This dual targeting activates and redirects a patient’s existing T cells to engage and eliminate target B cells by releasing cytotoxic proteins into the B cells. A robust clinical development program for glofitamab is ongoing, investigating the molecule as a monotherapy and in combination with other medicines, for the treatment of people with B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma, and other blood cancers.

About the NP30179 Study

The NP30179 study [NCT03075696] is a Phase I/II, multicenter, open-label, dose-escalation and expansion study evaluating the safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetics of glofitamab in people with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Outcome measures include complete response rate by independent review committee (primary endpoint), overall response rate, duration of response, progression-free survival, safety and tolerability (secondary endpoints).

About Polivy (polatuzumab vedotin-piiq)

Polivy is a first-in-class anti-CD79b antibody-drug conjugate (ADC). The CD79b protein is expressed specifically in the majority of B cells, an immune cell impacted in some types of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), making it a promising target for the development of new therapies. Polivy binds to CD79b and destroys these B cells through the delivery of an anti-cancer agent, which is thought to minimize the effects on normal cells. Polivy is being developed by Genentech using Seagen ADC technology and is currently being investigated for the treatment of several types of NHL.

Polivy U.S. Indication

Polivy is a prescription medicine used with other medicines, bendamustine and a rituximab product, to treat diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in adults who have progressed after at least two prior therapies.

The accelerated approval of Polivy is based on a type of response rate. There are ongoing studies to confirm the clinical benefit of Polivy.

Important Safety Information

Possible serious side effects

Everyone reacts differently to Polivy therapy, so it’s important to know what the side effects are. Some people who have been treated with Polivy have experienced serious to fatal side effects. A patient’s doctor may stop or adjust a patient’s treatment if any serious side effects occur. Patients must contact their healthcare team if there are any signs of these side effects.

Nerve problems in arms and legs: This may happen as early as after the first dose and may worsen with every dose. If a patient already has nerve pain, Polivy may make it worse. The patient’s doctor will monitor for signs and symptoms, such as changes in sense of touch, numbness or tingling in hands or feet, nerve pain, burning sensation, any muscle weakness, or changes to walking patterns
Infusion-related reactions: A patient may experience fever, chills, rash, breathing problems, low blood pressure, or hives within 24 hours of the infusion
Infections: Patients should contact their healthcare team if they experience a fever of 100.4°F or higher, chills, cough, or pain during urination. Also, a patient’s doctor may give medication before giving Polivy, which may prevent some infections, and monitor blood counts throughout treatment with Polivy. Treatment with Polivy can cause severe low blood cell counts
Rare and serious brain infections: A patient’s doctor will monitor the patient closely for signs and symptoms of these types of infections. Patients should contact their doctor if they experience confusion, dizziness or loss of balance, trouble talking or walking, or vision changes
Tumor lysis syndrome: Caused by the fast breakdown of cancer cells. Signs include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and lack of energy
Potential harm to liver: Some signs include tiredness, weight loss, pain in the abdomen, dark urine, and yellowing of the skin or the white part of the eyes. Patients may be at higher risk if they already have liver problems or are taking other medication
Side effects seen most often

The most common side effects during treatment were:

Low blood cell counts (platelets, red blood cells, white blood cells)
Nerve problems in arms and legs
Tiredness or lack of energy
Diarrhea
Nausea
Fever
Decreased appetite
Infections
Polivy may not be for everyone. A patient should talk to their doctor if they are:

Pregnant or may be pregnant: Data have shown that Polivy may harm an unborn baby
Planning to become pregnant: Women should avoid getting pregnant while taking Polivy. Women should use effective contraception during treatment and for at least 3 months after their last Polivy treatment. Men taking Polivy should use effective contraception during treatment and for at least 5 months after their last Polivy treatment
Breastfeeding: Women should not breastfeed while taking Polivy and for at least 2 months after the last dose
These may not be all the side effects. Patients should talk to their healthcare provider for more information about the benefits and risks of Polivy treatment.

Report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or View Source Report side effects to Genentech at (888) 835-2555.

Please visit View Source for the full Prescribing Information for additional Important Safety Information.

About Genentech in Hematology

For more than 20 years, Genentech has been developing medicines with the goal to redefine treatment in hematology. Today, we’re investing more than ever in our effort to bring innovative treatment options to people with diseases of the blood. For more information visit View Source

On May 26, 2022 Oncoinvent AS, a clinical stage company advancing a pipeline of radiopharmaceutical products across a variety of solid cancers, reported that interim safety data from its ongoing Phase 1 RAD-18-002 clinical trial assessing the dose, safety, and tolerability of Radspherin, in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal carcinoma will be presented at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, which will take place in Chicago, IL (both in-person and virtually) from June 3 to 7, 2022 (Press release, Oncoinvent, MAY 26, 2022, View Source [SID1234615123]). The poster, titled "First experience with 224Radium-labelled microparticles (Radspherin) after CRS-HIPEC for peritoneal metastasis in colorectal cancer (a phase 1 study)" will be presented by Principle Investigator Stein Gunnar Larsen, MD during the "Gastrointestinal Cancer – Colorectal and Anal" session at 9:00 a.m. EDT on June 4, 2022.

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"We are excited to share these compelling and important interim safety data at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper), which continues to demonstrate that all dose levels of Radspherin are well tolerated with no dose limiting toxicities due to the Radspherin treatment observed to date," said Jan A. Alfheim, Chief Executive Officer of Oncoinvent. "The data to be presented provides strong support as we progress Radspherin through clinical development. In particular, the observed biodistribution of Radspherin in this study is highly encouraging. We look forward to reporting longer-term safety, dosimetry, and first efficacy results of Radspherin later this year."

Details of the poster presentation are as follows:

Poster Presentation Title: First experience with 224Radium-labelled microparticles (radspherin) after CRS-HIPEC for peritoneal metastasis in colorectal cancer (a phase 1 study).
Session Title: Gastrointestinal Cancer – Colorectal and Anal
Date/Time: June 4, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. EDT
Presenting Author: Stein G Larsen
Abstract Number: 3599

This first-in-human Phase 1 study is designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of Radspherin after dose escalation at increasing levels of 1-2-4-7 MBq and explore the highest tolerated dose and biodistribution. In this planned safety interim analysis, conducted 21 days following administration at two specialized cytoreductive surgery-hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) centers (Norwegian Radium Hospital and Uppsala University Hospital), a total of 23 patients were enrolled; 14 in the dose escalation cohort, 3 in the repeated cohort, and 6 in an expansion cohort. Radspherin was injected in the abdominal cavity through an in-dwelling catheter 2 days after completion of CRS-HIPEC. The maximal tolerated dose and biodistribution were evaluated by single photo-emission computed tomography and computed tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging.

Key results:

The biodistribution of Radspherin showed a relatively even peritoneal distribution, and no patients had compartments of the abdominal cavity without radioactivity, and the number of hot spots were low.
No serious adverse events were observed related to treatment with Radspherin.
The 7Mbq dose was selected as recommended dose as no dose limiting toxicity (DLT) was observed at this level.
Radspherin is also being evaluated at the 7Mbq dose in a Phase 1 open-label, dose-escalation clinical trial in subjects with peritoneal carcinomatosis from ovarian cancer following complete cytoreductive surgery.

About the RAD-18-002 Study

The phase 1 open-label, dose-escalation clinical trial is designed to assess the dose, safety, and tolerability of Radspherin, an α-emitting radionuclide therapy, administered into the intraperitoneal cavity in subjects with peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal carcinoma following complete cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC. Key objectives in the study include determining maximum tolerated dose, abdominal biodistribution, and preliminary anti-tumor activity. Please refer to www.clinicaltrials.gov for additional clinical trial details.