On April 10, 2021 Spectrum Pharmaceuticals (NasdaqGS: SPPI), a biopharmaceutical company focused on novel and targeted oncology therapies, reported a data update on the safety and tolerability of twice daily (BID) administered poziotinib in NSCLC patients with EGFR or HER2 exon 20 insertion mutations (Press release, Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, APR 10, 2021, View Source [SID1234577824]). These preliminary data, from Cohort 5 of the ZENITH20 clinical trial, continue to show improved tolerability with BID dosing, reduced dose interruption compared to once daily (QD) dosing, and a reduction in treatment emergent Grade 3 or higher adverse events. The preliminary data also demonstrate improved anti-tumor activity with 8mg BID dosing. The presentation is part of the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Virtual Meeting 2021 taking place April 10-15, 2021.
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"The 8mg BID dosing arm is showing the best performance we have seen across the various dosing arms for a mixed population of EGFR and HER2 exon 20 insertion mutations in NSCLC patients. There is clearly an improved therapeutic effect and a lower adverse event rate which is highly encouraging," said Francois Lebel, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals. "We are currently expanding the 8mg BID dataset and look forward to evaluating this dose in additional NSCLC patients and other solid tumors."
A copy of the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) presentation titled "Poziotinib administered twice daily improves safety and tolerability in patients with EGFR or HER2 exon 20 mutations" is available on Spectrum’s website at View Source
ZENITH20 Trial Design and Preliminary Safety and Efficacy Data for Cohort 5
Cohort 5 of the ZENITH20 trial includes previously treated NSCLC patients with EGFR or HER2 exon 20 insertion mutations. This cohort is investigating the efficacy of poziotinib with various dosing levels including BID administration. For the 38 patients randomized to poziotinib 16mg QD or 8mg BID in Cohort 5, improved responses were reported in the BID arm with 31.6% of patients (6/19) reaching a partial response. For the 38 patients randomized to poziotinib 12mg QD or 6mg BID, these dosing levels were not as active as 8mg BID but showed improved tolerance with BID dosing relative to QD dosing.
Improved tolerability was also observed for the typical TKI related adverse events, with a clinically meaningful reduction in Grade 3 or higher adverse events for the 8mg BID dose relative to 16mg QD. In addition, there were fewer dose interruptions and dose reductions for the BID arms relative to the same QD dose. Cohort 5 is now enrolling exclusively in the 8mg BID arm and data collection is ongoing.
About Poziotinib
Poziotinib is a novel, oral epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR TKI) that inhibits the tyrosine kinase activity of EGFR as well as HER2 and HER4. Importantly this, in turn, leads to the inhibition of the proliferation of tumor cells that overexpress these receptors. Mutations or overexpression/amplification of EGFR family receptors have been associated with a number of different cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), breast cancer, and gastric cancer. The company holds an exclusive license from Hanmi Pharmaceuticals to develop, manufacture, and commercialize poziotinib worldwide, excluding Korea and China. Poziotinib is currently being investigated by the company and Hanmi in several mid-stage trials in multiple solid tumor indications.