On May 19, 2021 Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK), a globally focused, clinical-stage biotechnology company engaged in developing novel therapies for cancers, chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and age-related diseases, reported that an abstract reporting on the first-in-human study of the Bcl-2 inhibitor, lisaftoclax (APG-2575), in patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic lymphoma/small lymphocytic lymphoma (R/R CLL/SLL) and other hematologic malignancies has been published in the 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting’s official website (Press release, Ascentage Pharma, MAY 19, 2021, View Source;ascentage-pharma-to-announce-updated-data-of-lisaftoclax-apg-2575-demonstrating-an-orr-of-around-80-and-therapeutic-potential-in-patients-with-rr-cllsll-in-oral-presentation-301295527.html [SID1234580321]). Results from this global Phase I study demonstrated an ORR of 85.7%, and favorable tolerability and safety profiles in patients with R/R CLL /SLL.

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The updated results from this study will be released in an oral presentation at the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting convening on June 4 to 8, 2021. This year, abstracts reporting on four clinical studies of the Ascentage Pharma’s three apoptosis-target drug candidates have been selected for presentations at the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, and two have been selected for oral presentations.

Drug Candidate

Abstract Title

Abstract #

Format

Lisaftoclax

(APG-2575)

First-in-human study of lisaftoclax (APG-2575), a novel Bcl-2 inhibitor (Bcl-2i), in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory (R/R) CLL and other hematologic malignancies (HMs)

7502

Oral

Presentation

Alrizomadlin

(APG-115)

Preliminary results of a phase II study of alrizomadlin (APG-115), a novel, small-molecule MDM2 inhibitor, in combination with pembrolizumab in patients (pts) with unresectable or metastatic melanoma or advanced solid tumors that have failed immuno-oncologic (I-O) drugs

2506

Oral

Presentation

Trial in progress: A phase I/II trial of novel MDM2 inhibitor alrizomadlin (APG-115), with or without platinum chemotherapy, in patients with p53 wild-type salivary gland carcinoma

TPS6094

Poster

Presentation

Pelcitoclax

(APG-1252)

Trial in progress: A multicenter phase Ib/II study of pelcitoclax (APG-1252) in combination with paclitaxel in patients with relapsed/refractory small-cell lung cancer (R/R SCLC)

TPS8589

Poster

Presentation

"As a Bcl-2 inhibitor that has demonstrated efficacy, lisaftoclax is the second in the world and the first in China. These data of lisaftoclax suggest the potential for a safe, efficacious, and ‘patient-friendly’ treatment alternative for patients with R/R CLL and other hematologic malignancies," said Dr. Yifan Zhai, Chief Medical Officer of Ascentage Pharma. "Moreover, these results which will be presented at the 2021 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting are a testament to our progress in advancing the research and development of apoptosis-targeted therapeutics. We will strive to further accelerate global clinical development programs of these novel therapeutics to benefit patients in China and around the world as early as possible."

Those abstracts to be presented at this year’s ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting are as follows (two abstracts on APG-115 are simultaneously published in a separate press release):

First-in-human study of lisaftoclax (APG-2575), a novel Bcl-2 inhibitor (Bcl-2i), in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory (R/R) CLL and other hematologic malignancies (HMs)

Format: Oral Presentation
Abstract: #7502
Time: 11:30 – 14:30 EDT, June 7, 2021
Session Track: Hematologic Malignancies—Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Highlights:
This first-in-human global Phase I study assessed the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), efficacy, and maximum tolerated dose (MTD)/recommended Phase II dose (RP2D) of lisaftoclax in patients with R/R CLL and other HMs. Lisaftoclax was orally administered once daily in a 28-day cycle. Patients with CLL or intermediate-high tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) risk were initiated on a daily ramp-up schedule until the dose assigned before the study cycles.
As of January 7, 2021, 35 patients had been enrolled and treated with lisaftoclax at doses ranging from 20 to 1,200 mg, with a median of 2 (range: 1-13) prior lines of treatment. These patients had been diagnosed with R/R CLL/SLL (n=15), multiple myeloma (MM, n=6), follicular lymphoma (FL, n=5), Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM, n=4); and either acute myeloid leukemia (AML), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), or hairy cell leukemia (HCL) (n=1 each).
Lisaftoclax was well tolerated, with manageable adverse events (AEs). No dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was observed even at the maximum dose of 1,200 mg. The MTD has not been reached, and no laboratory or clinical TLS has been reported. Hematologic treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) of any grade in over 10% patients included neutropenia and anemia, while nonhematologic TRAEs included fatigue, diarrhea, and nausea.
12 of 14 evaluable patients with R/R CLL/SLL achieved partial response (PR), for an ORR of 85.7% and a median time to response of 3 treatment cycles (range: 2-7). Absolute lymphocyte counts (ALCs) were reduced at lisaftoclax doses as low as 20 mg/day.
The preliminary PK profile showed that exposures increased with lisaftoclax doses from 20 to 1,200 mg (average half-life: 4-5 hours). On BH3 profiling, lisaftoclax rapidly triggered changes in Bcl-2 complex in CLL/SLL patient samples, which were consistent with rapid clinical reductions in ALCs.
In conclusion, efficacy and safety data showed that the Bcl-2 inhibitor lisaftoclax offers a potential alternative treatment for patients with R/R CLL/SLL and other HMs, with a daily ramp-up schedule that may be more patient-friendly and a favorable preliminary safety profile.
Trial in progress: A multicenter phase Ib/II study of pelcitoclax (APG-1252) in combination with paclitaxel in patients with relapsed/refractory small-cell lung cancer (R/R SCLC)

Format: Poster Presentation
Abstract: #TPS8589
Time: 09:00 EDT, June 4, 2021
Session Track: Lung Cancer—Non-Small Cell Local-Regional/Small Cell/Other Thoracic Cancers
Highlights:
This open-label, multicenter Phase Ib/II study is assessing the safety of preliminary efficacy of pelcitoclax in combination with paclitaxel in patients with R/R SCLC.
Pelcitoclax is being administered by intravenous (IV) infusion on Days 1, 8, and 15, with paclitaxel at the fixed-dose of 80 mg/m2 on Days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle.
The primary endpoints of the Phase Ib part of this study include MTD and RP2D. The efficacy of pelcitoclax combined with paclitaxel will be determined in the Phase II part of the study using a Simon two-stage design, with ORR as the primary endpoint. Other endpoints of the Phase II study include PK, progression-free survival, and overall survival.
This study was designed to enroll 58 patients. As of February 8, 2021, 15 patients have been enrolled.
About Lisaftoclax (APG-2575)

Lisaftoclax is a novel, orally administered small-molecule Bcl-2‒selective inhibitor being developed by Ascentage Pharma. Lisaftoclax is designed to treat hematologic malignancies and solid tumors by selectively blocking antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 to restore the normal apoptosis process in cancer cells. Lisaftoclax is the first China-developed Bcl-2 inhibitor entering clinical development in China. At present, lisaftoclax has been cleared and approved to enter multiple Phase Ib/II studies in the US, China, and Australia, and is being developed globally for the treatment of multiple hematologic malignancies.

About Pelcitoclax (APG-1252)

Pelcitoclax is a novel, highly potent, small-molecule drug designed to restore apoptosis through selective inhibition of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL proteins. Multiple Phase Ib/II studies of pelcitoclax as a single agent or in combinations for the treatment of a range of advanced tumors, including small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), are being conducted in China, Australia, and the US.

On May 19, 2021 ADC Therapeutics SA (NYSE:ADCT), a commercial-stage biotechnology company leading the development of novel antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) to treat hematological malignancies and solid tumors, announced today three abstracts have been selected for poster presentations at the 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, which is being held virtually June 4-8, 2021 (Press release, ADC Therapeutics, MAY 19, 2021, View Source [SID1234580320]).

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"We are pleased that research from our lead programs will be shared with the oncology community at the 2021 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting," said Jay Feingold, MD, PhD, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of ADC Therapeutics. "On the heels of the accelerated FDA approval of ZYNLONTA (loncastuximab tesirine-lpyl), we continue to advance our deep pipeline to deliver next-generation ADC therapies to patients with hematologic and solid tumor cancers."

Poster Presentation Details

Title: Duration of response to loncastuximab tesirine in relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma by demographic and clinical characteristics: Subgroup analyses from LOTIS 2
Track: Hematologic Malignancies – Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Date/Time: On demand beginning June 4 at 9 a.m. EDT
Presenter: Paolo F. Caimi, MD, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University
Abstract Number: 7546

Title: Phase 3 randomized study of loncastuximab tesirine plus rituximab versus immunochemotherapy in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL): LOTIS-5
Track: Hematologic Malignancies – Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Date/Time: On demand beginning June 4 at 9 a.m. EDT
Presenter: Mehdi Hamadani, MD, Professor of Internal Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Division of Hematology & Oncology
Abstract Number: TPS7574

Title: A Phase 1b, open-label, dose-escalation study to evaluate camidanlumab tesirine (Cami) as monotherapy in patients (pts) with advanced solid tumors
Track: Developmental Therapeutics—Immunotherapy
Date/Time: On demand beginning June 4 at 9 a.m. EDT
Presenter: Igor Puzanov, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo
Abstract Number: 2556

About ZYNLONTA (loncastuximab tesirine-lpyl)

ZYNLONTA is a CD19-directed antibody drug conjugate (ADC). Once bound to a CD19-expressing cell, ZYNLONTA is internalized by the cell, where enzymes release a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) payload. The potent payload binds to DNA minor groove with little distortion, remaining less visible to DNA repair mechanisms. This ultimately results in cell cycle arrest and tumor cell death. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ZYNLONTA (loncastuximab tesirine-lpyl) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory (r/r) large B-cell lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified (NOS), DLBCL arising from low-grade lymphoma and also high-grade B-cell lymphoma. This indication is approved by the FDA under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.

The FDA approval was based on data from LOTIS-2, a large (n=145) Phase 2 multinational, single-arm clinical trial of ZYNLONTA for the treatment of adult patients with r/r DLBCL following two or more prior lines of systemic therapy. The trial included a broad spectrum of heavily pre-treated patients (median three prior lines of therapy) with very difficult to treat disease, including patients with high-grade B-cell lymphoma. The trial also enrolled patients who did not respond to first-line therapy, patients refractory to all prior lines of therapy, and patients who had stem cell transplants and CAR-T therapy prior to their treatment with ZYNLONTA. Results from the trial demonstrated an overall response rate (ORR) of 48.3% (70/145 patients), which included a complete response (CR) rate of 24.1% (35/145 patients) and a partial response (PR) rate of 24.1% (35/145 patients). Patients had a median time to response of 1.3 months. At the most recent data cut-off for patients enrolled in the trial, the median duration of response (mDoR) was 12.58 months. In a pooled safety population the most common adverse reactions (≥20%) were thrombocytopenia, gamma-glutamyltransferase increased, neutropenia, anemia, hyperglycemia, transaminase elevation, fatigue, hypoalbuminemia, rash, edema, nausea and musculoskeletal pain. In LOTIS-2, the most common (≥10%) grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events were neutropenia (26.2%), thrombocytopenia (17.9%), gamma-glutamyltransferase increased (17.2%) and anemia (10.3%).

ZYNLONTA is being evaluated in combination for earlier lines of therapy and as a monotherapy in other B-cell malignancies.

About Camidanlumab Tesirine (Cami)

Camidanlumab tesirine (Cami, formerly ADCT-301) is an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) comprised of a monoclonal antibody that binds to CD25 (HuMax-TAC, licensed from Genmab A/S), conjugated to the pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer payload, tesirine. Once bound to a CD25-expressing cell, Cami is internalized into the cell where enzymes release the PBD-based payload killing the cell. This applies to CD25-expressing tumor cells, and also to CD25-expressing Tregs. The intra-tumoral release of its PBD payload may also cause bystander killing of neighboring tumor cells and PBDs have also been shown to induce immunogenic cell death. All of these properties of Cami may enhance immune-mediated anti-tumor activity.

Cami is being evaluated in a pivotal Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), as well as in a Phase 1a/1b clinical trial in patients with relapsed or refractory HL and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and a Phase 1b clinical trial as monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab in solid tumors.

On May 19, 2021 Guardant Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GH), reported to present data demonstrating the use of the company’s proprietary blood tests to advance precision oncology, including cancer screening, detecting residual or recurrent disease in early-stage cancer, and treatment selection and treatment response monitoring in advanced cancer (Press release, Guardant Health, MAY 19, 2021, View Source;and-Late-Stage-Cancers [SID1234580319]). Data, from 20 abstracts, will be presented along with other leading medical institutions and pharmaceutical companies, during the 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting being held from June 4-8, 2021.

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"The data at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) not only demonstrate the advantages of blood-based comprehensive genomic profiling in advanced cancer, but also the growing body of evidence showing the power of our blood tests across the continuum of care. We are pleased to share data that not only informs treatment decisions, but that also shows value in assessing treatment response, screening for early-stage colorectal cancer in asymptomatic patients, and detecting residual or recurrent disease in early-stage cancers, including colorectal, non-small cell lung, and bladder," said Helmy Eltoukhy, Guardant Health CEO. "The data also illustrates the value of our liquid biopsy tests and our real-world clinical-genomic platform to gain new insights which help accelerate research and development of the next generation of cancer therapeutics."

LUNAR-2 Blood Test Detects Early-Stage Colorectal Cancer (CRC) with High Accuracy in Largest Cohort to Date

The data (N=705) show that the LUNAR-2 assay achieved overall sensitivity of 91% in early-stage CRC (stage I, II, and III), and specificity of 94%. The performance in this new large cohort of CRC cases, and cancer-free controls, is consistent with previously reported data.1-2 Notably no differences in sensitivity for CRC detection were observed in patients presenting with asymptomatic disease, compared to those patients who were symptomatic, despite the lower cell-free DNA (cfDNA) tumor fractions observed in asymptomatic patients, suggesting the test will have clinically meaningful performance in an average-risk screening population (Abstract 3536).

Guardant Reveal Blood Test Detects ctDNA in Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung and Bladder Cancers, and Predicts Recurrence in Oligometastatic CRC in Post-Surgical Setting

The data show that Guardant Reveal, a first of its kind, blood-only minimal residual disease (MRD) test for solid tumors, detects circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in pre-treatment, early-stage non-small cell lung cancer and bladder cancer, without the need for tumor tissue, and with comparable sensitivity to tissue-dependent approaches (Abstract 3045).

Additionally, in a study (Abstract 3565) with the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and Massachusetts General Hospital, the Guardant Reveal test detected MRD in patients with oligometastatic colorectal cancer undergoing curative intent surgery or radiotherapy. Detection of ctDNA post-procedure had a high positive predictive value (PPV) for cancer recurrence, with a median lead time of six months compared to surveillance imaging.

Guardant Health will also provide an update on the COBRA interventional trial (NRG-G1005: Circulating Tumor DNA as a Predictive Biomarker in Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Stage II Colon Cancer) (Abstracts TPS3622, TPS148).

The Guardant Reveal test is commercially available for the detection of residual and recurrent disease in early-stage colorectal cancer. The test identifies patients with residual disease who may benefit most from adjuvant therapy, and has been shown to detect recurrence months earlier than current standard-of-care methods like carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) tests or imaging.3-8 The Guardant Reveal test achieves industry-leading sensitivity (91%)9 for detecting ctDNA by simultaneously interrogating both genomic alterations and methylation. Test results are obtained from a simple blood draw and returned in as little as seven days without the need for a tissue biopsy.

Guardant360 Blood Tests Demonstrate Clinical Utility in the Treatment and Management of Locally Advanced and Metastatic Cancers

Fifteen abstracts, now online, highlight the use of the Guardant360 test to detect clinically actionable mutations and to inform treatment options for patients. Key findings include data showing the ability of Guardant360 liquid biopsy to robustly detect tumor mutational burden across a wide range of solid tumors (Abstract 3040) and to predict clinical outcomes in a prospectively collected cohort of non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with targeted therapy (Abstract 9027). In addition, several abstracts highlight the ability of the Guardant360 test to predict molecular response in patients across a variety of cancer types and therapy classes (Abstract 4130, Abstract 9011).

GuardantINFORM Real-World Evidence Platform Used to Identify Unmet Need for Patients with Lung Adenocarcinomas Harboring STK11 and KRAS G12C Mutations Treated with Checkpoint Inhibitors

A study in collaboration with faculty from Massachusetts General Hospital and Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRTX) using clinical-genomic information from the GuardantINFORM platform demonstrated that patients with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma and co-occurring STK11 and KRAS G12C mutations had significantly worse outcomes to treatment with first-line checkpoint inhibitor-based treatment regimens (including combination with platinum-based chemotherapy), highlighting the need for effective targeted and/or combination therapies to address this patient population (Abstract 9106).

The GuardantINFORM clinical-genomic platform is intended to help accelerate research and development of the next generation of cancer therapeutics by offering biopharma partners an in-silico platform that combines de-identified longitudinal clinical information and genomic data collected from the Guardant360 liquid biopsy test. With data from more than 160,000 patients diagnosed with locally advanced and metastatic cancers, this robust dataset offers real-world insights into anti-cancer therapy use in the clinic, tumor evolution, and treatment resistance throughout each patient’s treatment journey for many advanced solid tumor cancers, including non-small cell lung, breast, colon, and prostate.

Data at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper)

Abstract#

Title

LUNAR-2

Abstract No. 3536

Multimodal circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) colorectal neoplasia detection assay for asymptomatic and early-stage colorectal cancer (CRC)

Guardant Reveal

Abstract No. 3045

Multiomic, plasma-only ctDNA NGS assay for minimal residual disease (MRD) detection in solid tumors.

Abstract No. 3565

Circulating tumor derived cell-free DNA (ctDNA) to predict recurrence of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) following curative intent surgery or radiation.

Abstract No. TPS3622, TPS148

Phase II/III study of circulating tumor DNA as a predictive biomarker in adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with stage II colon cancer: NRG-G1005 (COBRA).

Guardant 360

Abstract No. 3040

Blood-based tumor mutational burden from circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) across advanced solid malignancies using a commercially available liquid biopsy assay.

Abstract No. 9027

Clinical outcomes for plasma-based comprehensive genomic profiling versus tissue testing in advanced lung adenocarcinoma.

Abstract No. 4130

Circulating cell free tumor DNA detection as a prognostic tool in advanced pancreatic cancer.

Abstract No. 9011

Early circulating tumor DNA dynamics and efficacy of lorlatinib: Analysis from the CROWN study.

Abstract No. 1028

Identification of pathogenic CDK12 alterations in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from patients with breast cancer.

Abstract No. 8577

Cell-free circulating tumor DNA (cfDNA) analysis of advanced thymic epithelial tumors (TETs).

Abstract No. 4585

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patients with advanced adrenocortical carcinoma.

Abstract No. 9108

Genomic landscape differences in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer by sex and age.

Abstract No. 3523

Circulating tumor DNA-based genomic profiling of small bowel

adenocarcinoma.

Abstract No. e17018

Serial ctDNA profiling in patients with metastatic prostate cancer undergoing treatment with Radium-223.

Abstract No.

3572

Serial circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) monitoring in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) reveals dynamic profile of actionable alterations.

Abstract No. 5038

Complementary detection of genomic alterations in metastatic castration‑resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) from CheckMate 9KD through analyses of tumor tissue and plasma DNA.

Abstract No. 3589

Assessment of HER2 (ERBB2) amplification (HER2amp) using blood-based circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) next generation sequencing (NGS) and correlation with tissue-based testing in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC)

Abstract No. 4058

Early predictors of benefit to dual anti-PD1/HER2 inhibition: Biomarker analysis from phase 2 trial of pembrolizumab/trastuzumab in HER2-positive metastatic esophagogastric (mEG) cancer.

Abstract No. 3555

Pertuzumab plus trastuzumab and real-world standard of care (SOC) for patients (pts) with treatment refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with HER2 (ERBB2) amplification (amp) confirmed by tumor tissue or ctDNA analysis.

GuardantINFORM

Abstract No. 9106

Impact of STK11 mutation on first-line immune checkpoint inhibitor outcomes in a real-world KRAS G12C mutant lung adenocarcinoma cohort.

On May 19, 2021 Bicara Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing dual-action biologics designed to spur a potent and durable immune response in the tumor microenvironment, reported that a digital presentation with clinical data from its ongoing Phase 1/2 study of BCA101, a bifunctional antibody designed to target the TGFβ trap to EGFR+ tumors, will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2021 Annual Meeting, to be held virtually from June 4-8, 2021 (Press release, Bicara Therapeutics, MAY 19, 2021, View Source [SID1234580318]).

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"We’re excited to share clinical data on our lead therapeutic candidate BCA101, a first-in-class antibody with strong potential to achieve superior anti-tumor efficacy by promoting immune response directly at the tumor site," said Liviu Niculescu, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Bicara Therapeutics. "Data from the ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial of BCA101 support our biologic rationale and point to the potential to provide treatment options for patients who have not benefitted from other approaches within the standard of care."

Details of the digital presentation are as follows:

Abstract: 3074
Title: First-in-human phase I study of the bifunctional EGFR/TGFβ fusion protein BCA101 in patients with EGFR-driven advanced solid cancers
Session: Developmental Therapeutics – Molecularly Targeted Agents and Tumor Biology
Lead Authors: Filip Janku, M.D. and Philippe Bedard, M.D.

Key findings:

BCA101 demonstrates target engagement at the tumor site and decreases SMAD2 phosphorylation as a proximal PD endpoint.
A partial response has been observed in combination with pembrolizumab in a PD-(L)1 naïve subject.
BCA101 achieves dose-proportional PK and exhibits encouraging biomarkers in both plasma and tissue.
Dose escalation currently continues at the 1250mg dose level in single agent and 750mg dose level in combination with pembrolizumab.
The ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) e-poster website will be launched on Friday, June 4, 2021, and will remain available for viewing through Tuesday, July 6, 2021. Bicara’s presentation will also be available on the Bicara website.

About BCA101

BCA101 is a first-in-class EGFR / TGFβ-trap bifunctional antibody designed to enhance both innate and adaptive immune responses directly at the site of the tumor by binding to the well-validated EGFR antigen and disabling TGFβ, a signaling molecule that plays a key role in suppressing the immune response in the tumor microenvironment. Promising preclinical data suggest that BCA101 is superior to the anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab in preventing tumor recurrence, as well as in restoring immune activation. An ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial of BCA101, initiated in July 2020, has dosed the first four cohorts of patients in a dose-escalation study with BCA101 as a single agent. A second arm of the study began enrolling patients for combination treatment with BCA101 and pembrolizumab, a PD-1 inhibitor, in January 2021. For more information, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.

On May 19, 2021 Seres Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: MCRB), a leading microbiome therapeutics company, reported that it will present the latest research from its early stage clinical development programs in two presentations at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, taking place virtually from June 4-8, 2021 (Press release, Seres Therapeutics, MAY 19, 2021, View Source [SID1234580317]). In an oral presentation, Seres will share data from its collaboration with the University of Cologne (Köln, Germany) assessing the association of the microbiome on clinical outcomes in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients. A separate poster presentation will include data from its collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York, NY) evaluating the correlation of microbiome composition with response to immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment in patients who have metastatic lung, urothelial or renal cancer, or metastatic melanoma.

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"Research has shown that disruption in the gut microbiome can affect clinical outcomes in patients treated with certain cancer treatments, including allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cancer immunotherapy," said Matthew Henn, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Seres. "We are looking forward to presenting data that deepens this understanding and brings further attention to the opportunity of microbiome therapeutics to modulate patient immune responses to improve outcomes as well as to reduce subsequent antibiotic resistant bacterial infections that can lead to blood stream infections during the course of various cancer treatments."

Presentation details are as follows:

Oral Abstract Presentation: Prospective longitudinal evaluation of microbiome diversity in patients with hematological malignancy undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), June 4, 2021, 2:30 – 5:30 pm ET, lead co-authors: Emily Walsh, Anastasia Tsakmaklis (Abstract: 7005)
Poster Presentation: Assessment of cancer-specific microbiome signature of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors, June 4, 2021, 9:00 am ET, lead co-authors: Michal Sarfaty, Christopher A. Desjardins (Abstract: 2574)