On August 1, 2024 Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC), a leading clinical-stage company specializing in immunotherapy for oncology, reported recent operational highlights and financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024 (Press release, Oncolytics Biotech, AUG 1, 2024, View Source [SID1234645282]). All dollar amounts are expressed in Canadian currency unless otherwise noted.

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"In the second quarter, we continued to build regulatory and clinical momentum for our differentiated and potentially leading immunotherapeutic agent, pelareorep, which is poised to advance to registration-enabling studies for the treatment of breast and pancreatic cancers," said Wayne Pisano, Chair of Oncolytics’ Board of Directors and Interim CEO. "Notably, we are pleased to have aligned with the FDA on key elements for the path forward in HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (mBC). Based on guidance from regulators and compelling data from two randomized breast cancer studies, we are confident in pelareorep’s potential to demonstrate a clinically meaningful benefit in a future registration-enabling study, and we remain on track to report overall survival results from the BRACELET-1 trial in the second half of 2024."

Mr. Pisano continued, "In parallel, we initiated dosing in the mFOLFIRINOX cohort of the GOBLET study, an exciting opportunity to evaluate the combination of pelareorep with another first-line pancreatic cancer chemotherapy regimen that could result in a second registration program in this indication. The study builds on positive data demonstrating that the combination of pelareorep, atezolizumab, gemcitabine, and nab-paclitaxel in pancreatic cancer patients more than doubled tumor response rates compared to earlier trials of chemotherapy treatment alone. That combination received Fast Track Designation from the FDA and, through our collaboration with the Global Coalition for Adaptive Research (GCAR), will be evaluated in an adaptive registration-enabling trial. Taken together, we are encouraged by the robust clinical and translational data supporting pelareorep’s unique mechanism of action, and we look forward to providing updates on our progress."

Second Quarter Highlights

Received productive feedback from the Type C meeting with the FDA, supportive of the planned potential registration-enabling study for pelareorep in HR+/HER2- mBC. The FDA supports progression-free survival as the primary endpoint of the study and overall survival as a secondary endpoint. The patient population is expected to include those who have failed hormonal therapy and have received no more than one line of antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapy (link to the PR). The control arm is expected to be paclitaxel monotherapy, and the test arm is expected to be pelareorep combined with paclitaxel. Notably, the combination of pelareorep and paclitaxel has already shown a meaningful patient benefit compared to paclitaxel in two previous randomized studies (BRACELET-1 and IND-213).

First patient dosed in the new GOBLET study pancreatic cancer cohort supported by PanCAN. The fifth cohort of the GOBLET study has been initiated and will evaluate pelareorep plus modified FOLFIRINOX (mFOLFIRINOX) with or without atezolizumab in newly diagnosed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients (link to the PR). The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) awarded Oncolytics the Therapeutic Accelerator Award and US$5 million to evaluate this treatment regimen, which includes mFOLFIRINOX, a commonly used chemotherapy for PDAC patients. Having already reported compelling data for pelareorep in combination with another chemotherapy regimen (gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel) and atezolizumab in pancreatic cancer in cohort 1 of the GOBLET study, similar data with this treatment regimen could result in another registrational opportunity for pelareorep in this challenging indication.

Announced preliminary collaboration with GCAR for adaptive registrational pancreatic cancer study. The preliminary collaboration has enabled planning activities to begin for the evaluation of pelareorep in the treatment of first-line metastatic PDAC as part of GCAR’s anticipated master protocol for metastatic pancreatic cancer (link to the PR). An anticipated outcome of the study is to produce registration-enabling data. The treatment regimen expected to be evaluated is pelareorep, gemcitabine, nab-paclitaxel, and atezolizumab, which has already more than doubled the objective response rate compared to historical trials (link to the PR, link to the poster) and received Fast Track Designation from the FDA. This innovative adaptive Phase 2/3 design allows for multiple investigational therapies to be evaluated and could accelerate the registrational study timeline and provide substantial cost savings compared to traditional trial designs. This collaboration and the new cohort of the GOBLET study are part of the Company’s strategy to improve treatment options and outcomes for patients with pancreatic cancer.

Two presentations at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper). A poster presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) included a trial-in-progress update for cohort 5 of the GOBLET study evaluating the combination of pelareorep and mFOLFIRINOX with and without atezolizumab in newly diagnosed PDAC patients. There will be a three-patient safety run-in for each treatment arm followed by enrollment of 15 total patients per arm if the safety criteria are met. One or both arms could expand enrollment by 17 patients per arm to stage 2 if certain efficacy criteria are met (link to the poster). The study cohort is being conducted in collaboration with AIO-Studien-gGmbH (AIO), a medical oncology working group within the German Cancer Society, as part of GOBLET, a Phase 1/2 multiple indication study evaluating pelareorep-based combinations in gastrointestinal cancers. An abstract presented at the meeting detailed pelareorep’s unique ability to induce the expansion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) via intravenous administration across multiple cancers, including breast, pancreatic, and colorectal (link to the abstract). The abstract also discussed the correlation between TIL expansion and tumor response while noting pelareorep’s ability to expand TILs, highlighting its immunotherapeutic mechanism of action and potential as a backbone immunotherapy for multiple indications (link to the PR).

Announced Wayne Pisano, Chair of Oncolytics’ Board of Directors, will serve as Interim CEO during Dr. Matt Coffey’s medical leave of absence. Chair of the Oncolytics Board since 2013, Mr. Pisano has more than 30 years of experience as a pharmaceutical industry executive, including as a CEO on multiple occasions. In 2010, he was recognized as Pharma Executive of the Year by the World Vaccine Congress.

Financial Highlights

As of June 30, 2024, the Company reported $24.9 million in cash and cash equivalents, with a projected cash runway through key milestones and into 2025.
The net loss for the second quarter of 2024 was $7.3 million, compared to a net loss of $7.4 million for the second quarter of 2023. The basic and diluted loss per share was $0.10 in the second quarter of 2024, compared to a basic and diluted loss per share of $0.12 in the second quarter of 2023.
Research and development expenses for the second quarter of 2024 were $4.6 million, compared to $3.7 million for the second quarter of 2023. The increase was primarily due to higher clinical trial expenses, including BRACELET-1 data analysis and the GCAR collaboration, and higher share-based compensation expense. The increase was partly offset by lower production run and process and analytical development activities.
General and administrative expenses for the second quarter of 2024 were $3.4 million, consistent with $3.5 million for the second quarter of 2023.
Net cash used in operating activities for the six months ended June 30, 2024 was $14.3 million, compared to $16.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023. The decrease reflects non-cash working capital changes, partly offset by higher net operating activities in 2024.
Recent and Anticipated Milestones

H2 2024: Overall survival results from the randomized BRACELET-1 trial in HR+/HER2- mBC
H2 2024: Guidance on the registration path for HR+/HER2- mBC
H2 2024: Finalize master protocol for the adaptive registration-enabling trial for pelareorep, gemcitabine, nab-paclitaxel, and atezolizumab in first-line PDAC with GCAR
H1 2025: GOBLET mFOLFIRINOX cohort safety run-in update
Webcast and Conference Call

Management will host a conference call for analysts and investors at 4:30 p.m. ET today, August 1, 2024. To access the call, please dial (800) 836-8184 (North America) or (646) 357-8785 (International), and if needed, provide Conference ID: 34386. To join the conference call without operator assistance, please click here. A live webcast of the call will also be available by clicking here or on the Investor Relations page of Oncolytics’ website, available by clicking here, and will be archived for three months. A dial-in replay will be available for one week and can be accessed by dialing (888) 660-6345 (North America) or (289) 819-1450 (International) and using replay code: 34386#.

On August 1, 2024 BridGene Biosciences, Inc., a leader in the discovery of small molecule drugs for traditionally "hard-to-drug" targets, reported an expansion to its strategic collaboration and licensing agreement with Galapagos NV (Euronext: GLPG) (NASDAQ: GLPG) (Press release, Bridgene Biosciences, AUG 1, 2024, View Source [SID1234645281]). This new collaboration builds upon the partnership initiated in January 2024, focusing on the discovery of a highly selective oral SMARCA2 small molecule proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC).

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Under the expanded agreement, BridGene will leverage its PROTAC discovery engine in combination with Galapagos’ expertise in selective ATPase small molecules. The collaboration aims to advance the molecule into a preclinical candidate, with Galapagos holding exclusive rights for further development and commercialization. Galapagos will provide BridGene with upfront and preclinical milestone payments, alongside additional payments based on clinical and commercial milestones, potentially bringing the total deal value to $159 million. BridGene is also eligible to receive tiered royalties on net sales of each product resulting from the collaboration.

"We are excited to deepen our collaboration with Galapagos to discover new drugs targeting critical and challenging oncology targets," stated Ping Cao, Ph.D., Co-Founder and CEO of BridGene Biosciences. "The depth of Galapagos’ scientific expertise in oncology aligns perfectly with our capabilities. This collaboration will further reinforce our strong track record in identifying drugs for difficult targets. We aim to create partnerships that significantly boost the likelihood of success by integrating our innovative discovery platform with the wide-ranging scientific and clinical expertise of partners like Galapagos."

"We are pleased to expand our partnership with BridGene Biosciences, a company which has a strong track record in small molecule drug discovery for hard-to-drug targets," said Pierre Raboisson, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Head of Small Molecules Discovery at Galapagos. "Our expanded collaboration leverages the unique strengths of both companies and allows us to combine our in-house expertise and technological platforms with BridGene’s cutting-edge PROTAC discovery engine to develop precision medicines for cancer patients with critical unmet needs."

This expanded collaboration highlights the validation of BridGene’s innovative approach through strategic partnerships, emphasizing the importance of these alliances to advance drug development efforts. Both BridGene and Galapagos are committed to improving patient outcomes by developing potential best-in-class precision medicines that tackle challenging targets in cancer, with a strong focus on addressing high unmet medical needs through targeted protein degradation technology.

On August 1, 2024 Immunovia (Nasdaq Stockholm: IMMNOV), the pancreatic cancer diagnostics company, reported enhanced performance for its next-generation test for detecting stage 1 and 2 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC) in high-risk individuals, which are potentially curable with surgery and modern treatments (Press release, Immunovia, AUG 1, 2024, View Source [SID1234645280]).

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On 22 April 2024, Immunovia announced positive results from the initial model-development study for its next-generation pancreatic cancer detection test. Subsequent efforts to increase test performance have now enhanced test accuracy, substantially improving the sensitivity of the next-generation test to 85% with a specificity of 98% in detecting stage 1 and 2 PDAC.

A sensitivity of 85% means the new test is capable of detecting pancreatic cancer in approximately 6 out of every 7 people with early-stage disease. Specificity of 98% means this new test should return a false positive result just once for every 50 people tested who do not have pancreatic cancer. Test performance was refined by leveraging additional samples with more complete and detailed clinical information and through more sophisticated statistical modeling. Test performance was independently confirmed by ACOMED, a statistical analysis firm with deep expertise in diagnostic studies.

In this study, Immunovia’s next-generation test outperformed the sensitivity of CA19-9, a commonly used pancreatic cancer biomarker, by 20 percentage points (85% vs 65%, respectively, p<0.001).

In 294 patients aged 65 years and older, the next-generation test achieved 91% sensitivity and 98% specificity. Results in this group are particularly important since the average age of PDAC diagnosis is near 70 years.

"Results from this study serve as a promising step that a simple blood test may detect pancreatic cancer early in at-risk patients who have limited early detection options," said Randall Brand, MD, gastroenterologist, professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and director of the UPMC GI Malignancy Early Detection, Diagnosis and Prevention Program. Dr. Brand was an advisor on the study.

"We have now completed research and development efforts for our next-generation test and are thrilled with the accuracy of the test," said Jeff Borcherding, CEO of Immunovia. "This is a critical milestone for the company. Our next-generation test shows tremendous promise for improving pancreatic cancer surveillance with a highly accurate, convenient and affordable test. We are very optimistic about the clinical impact of the test when we launch in the U.S. in 2025."

The model development study included 624 patient samples from 13 different clinical sites. 129 samples were from patients with stage 1 or 2 PDAC and 495 control samples came predominantly from people at high-risk for hereditary and/or familial pancreatic cancer, and also included people with pancreatic cysts, diabetics, and healthy individuals.

The Company will submit these results shortly for peer-reviewed publication as well as for presentation at medical conferences. A large, independent clinical validation study will be conducted in the fourth quarter of 2024 to confirm the accuracy of the Immunovia test in a larger set of patient samples. Immunovia remains on track to launch the new test in the United States in 2025.

On August 1, 2024 Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) reported financial results and provided business updates for the second quarter of 2024 (Press release, Moderna Therapeutics, AUG 1, 2024, View Source/news/news-details/2024/Moderna-Reports-Second-Quarter-2024-Financial-Results-and-Provides-Business-Updates/default.aspx" target="_blank" title="View Source/news/news-details/2024/Moderna-Reports-Second-Quarter-2024-Financial-Results-and-Provides-Business-Updates/default.aspx" rel="nofollow">View Source [SID1234645279]).

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"During the second quarter, we marked the approval of our second mRNA product and significantly lowered our operating costs. We remain focused on execution for the 2024-25 COVID season and the launch of our RSV vaccine in the U.S.," said Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna. "With continued positive Phase 3 data across our respiratory portfolio, we are using our mRNA platform to address significant unmet medical needs and advance public health. Our platform is poised to reach millions globally this year and we are excited by its continued positive impact on patients."

Recent progress includes:

Commercial Updates

COVID-19: The Company reported $184 million in Spikevax (COVID-19 vaccine) sales in the second quarter of 2024, which includes $162 million of U.S. sales and $22 million of international sales.

Contracting is mostly complete in a highly competitive COVID market. Moderna is ready for the upcoming vaccination season with ample and timely supply. In the U.S., the majority of contracts are finalized and Moderna’s focus is on working with public health officials, health care providers and pharmacies to drive vaccination coverage rates to reduce the substantial burden of COVID-19. In the European Union (EU), Moderna is negotiating a tender framework agreement to provide market access; however, based on recent discussions, the Company now expects very low EU sales in 2024. In the Rest of World, the Company has multiple signed contracts in place, with some potential revenue deferrals into 2025.

RSV: Following U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in May and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendation in June, Moderna’s RSV vaccine, mRESVIA, has launched in the U.S. and deliveries are underway as of July 2024. The Company is targeting the pharmacy segment in the U.S. and its commercial focus is on reaching vaccinators in a highly competitive market. Additionally, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive opinion recommending marketing authorization in the EU for mRESVIA.

Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Revenue: Total revenue for the second quarter of 2024 was $241 million, compared to $344 million in the same period in 2023. This decline was primarily attributable to decreased sales of the Company’s COVID-19 vaccine. Net product sales for the second quarter of 2024 were $184 million, reflecting a 37% decrease compared to the same period in 2023. This reduction aligns with the expected shift to a seasonal COVID-19 vaccine market, with higher demand anticipated in the fall and winter. In the prior year period, product sales were largely recognized from doses delivered and deferred from 2022.

Cost of Sales: Cost of sales for the second quarter of 2024 was $115 million, which included third-party royalties of $10 million, unutilized manufacturing capacity and wind-down costs of $55 million, and inventory write-downs of $14 million. Compared to the same period in 2023, the cost of sales decreased by $616 million, or 84%. Cost of sales as a percentage of net product sales was 62% for the second quarter of 2024, down from 249% in the second quarter of 2023. The reduction in cost of sales was primarily due to a lower sales volume and decreased unutilized manufacturing capacity, inventory write-downs, and losses on firm purchase commitments and related cancellation fees. The reduction in cost of sales as a percentage of net product sales in 2024 was mainly driven by lower costs, partially offset by the reduced sales volume, reflecting a decline in product demand and increased product seasonality.

Research and Development Expenses: Research and development expenses for the second quarter of 2024 increased by 6% to $1.2 billion, compared to the second quarter in 2023. This increase was mainly due to higher personnel-related costs, driven by an increased headcount to support ongoing research and development efforts. Research and development expenses for the quarter also include the purchase of a priority review voucher. The increase was partly offset by a decrease in clinical development and manufacturing expenses, resulting from lower spending on clinical trials for the Company’s COVID-19 and seasonal flu programs, in line with its planned trial schedules.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses: Selling, general and administrative expenses for the second quarter of 2024 decreased by 19% to $268 million, compared to the second quarter in 2023. This decrease is a result of cost discipline and the efficiencies resulting from investments the Company made in foundational capabilities over the last year, which allowed for a significant reduction of purchased services and the use of external consultants. The Company continues to invest in digital and commercial capabilities and has intensified its focus on building and utilizing AI technologies to further streamline operations and enhance productivity.

Income Taxes: The Company did not recognize an income tax expense for the second quarter of 2024, in contrast to an income tax benefit of $369 million in the same period last year. The shift primarily resulted from the continued application of a valuation allowance on the majority of the Company’s deferred tax assets, first established in the third quarter of 2023. The Company only maintained a valuation allowance on certain state deferred tax assets prior to the third quarter of 2023.

Net Loss: Net loss was $(1.3) billion for the second quarter of 2024, compared to $(1.4) billion for the second quarter of 2023.

Net Loss Per Share: Net loss per share was $(3.33) for the second quarter of 2024, compared to $(3.62) for the second quarter of 2023.

Cash Position: Cash, cash equivalents and investments as of June 30, 2024, were $10.8 billion, compared to $12.2 billion as of March 31, 2024. The decrease in the cash position during the second quarter of 2024 was largely attributable to research and development expenses and operating activities.

2024 Financial Framework

Net Sales: The Company revises its 2024 expected net product sales to $3.0 to $3.5 billion from its respiratory franchise. For the second half of the year, it expects a sales split of 40-50% in the third quarter with the balance in the fourth quarter of 2024, subject to the timing of regulatory approvals. The update in product sales is driven by three primary factors: very low EU sales in 2024, potential revenue deferrals for certain international sales into 2025, and an increasingly competitive environment for respiratory vaccines in the U.S.

Cost of Sales: Cost of sales is expected to be in the range of 40-50% of product sales for the year.

Research and Development Expenses: Full-year 2024 research and development expenses are anticipated to be approximately $4.5 billion.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses: Selling, general and administrative expenses for 2024 are projected to be approximately $1.3 billion.

Income Taxes: The Company continues to expect its full-year tax expense to be negligible.

Capital Expenditures: Capital expenditures for 2024 are expected to be approximately $0.9 billion.

Cash and Investments: Year-end cash and investments for 2024 are projected to be approximately $9 billion.

Recent Progress and Upcoming Late-Stage Pipeline Milestones

Respiratory vaccines:

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine: After Moderna received U.S. FDA approval for its RSV vaccine (mRNA-1345), ACIP issued a recommendation for all unvaccinated people 75 years of age and older and unvaccinated people ages 60-74 who are at increased risk for RSV to receive the vaccine for the prevention of RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease (RSV-LRTD) and acute respiratory disease (ARD). Additionally, the EMA adopted a positive opinion recommending marketing authorization in the EU for mRESVIA. The Company is awaiting regulatory approvals in additional countries.

Seasonal flu vaccine: Moderna’s seasonal flu vaccine (mRNA-1010) demonstrated consistently acceptable safety and tolerability across three Phase 3 trials. The Company is engaging with regulators and intends to file in 2024.

Next-generation COVID-19 vaccine: A recent announcement of positive interim results from the NEXTCove Phase 3 trial showed that Moderna’s next-generation COVID-19 vaccine (mRNA-1283) has met its primary efficacy endpoint, demonstrating non-inferior vaccine efficacy against COVID-19 compared to Spikevax (mRNA-1273) in participants 12 years of age and older. Higher efficacy was also observed compared to Spikevax in adults 18 years of age and older. The Company is engaging with regulators and intends to file in 2024.

Seasonal flu + COVID vaccine: Moderna recently announced the Phase 3 trial of its combination vaccine against seasonal flu and COVID-19 (mRNA-1083) has met its primary endpoints, eliciting higher immune responses against influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 than licensed flu and COVID vaccines in adults 50 years and older, including an enhanced influenza vaccine in adults 65 years and older. The Company is engaging with regulators on next steps.

Oncology therapeutics:

Individualized Neoantigen Therapy (INT): Moderna and Merck announced additional 3-year data for mRNA-4157 in combination with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), demonstrating sustained improvement in recurrence-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival versus KEYTRUDA in patients with high-risk stage III/IV melanoma following complete resection. At a median planned follow-up of the Phase 2b study at 34.9 months, mRNA-4157 in combination with KEYTRUDA reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 49% and the risk of distant metastasis or death by 62% compared to KEYTRUDA alone in these patients. The 2.5-year recurrence-free survival rate of mRNA-4157 in combination with KEYTRUDA was 74.8% as compared to 55.6% for KEYTRUDA alone, with the benefit observed across exploratory subgroups.

Rare disease therapeutics:

Methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) therapeutic: Moderna’s investigational therapeutic for MMA (mRNA-3705) has been selected by the U.S. FDA for the Support for Clinical Trials Advancing Rare Disease Therapeutics (START) pilot program. mRNA-3705 was chosen by the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) as one of four investigational medicines for accelerated development to address unmet medical needs for rare diseases. The Company expects to advance its MMA program into a registrational study in 2024.

Moderna Corporate Updates

Announced that David M. Rubenstein, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of The Carlyle Group, will join Moderna’s Board of Directors, effective August 5, 2024, when directors Robert Langer and Stephen Berenson will retire from the Board.

Entered into an agreement with Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation to promote Moderna’s mRNA respiratory vaccine portfolio in Japan.

Received a project award of $176 million through BARDA’s Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle Consortium to accelerate the development of an mRNA-based pandemic influenza vaccine.

Published third annual ESG Report, Impacting Human Health, on June 25, 2024.

Company Accolades

Moderna was named to the Boston Business Journal’s annual list of the Most Charitable Companies in Massachusetts (second consecutive year)

Moderna was recognized as a top-scoring company on Disability:IN’s Disability Equality Index and a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion (third consecutive year)

Moderna was recognized as a Great Place to Work in the U.S. by Great Place To Work (second consecutive year)

Key 2024 Investor and Analyst Event Dates

R&D Day: September 12

Investor Call and Webcast Information

Moderna will host a live conference call and webcast at 8:00 a.m. ET on August 1, 2024. To access the live conference call via telephone, please register at the link below. Once registered, dial-in numbers and a unique pin number will be provided. A live webcast of the call will also be available under "Events and Presentations" in the Investors section of the Moderna website.

Telephone: https://register.vevent.com/register/BI2ef72dcc8f6e4477bf2f61ab92054abb

Webcast: View Source

The archived webcast will be available on Moderna’s website approximately two hours after the conference call and will be available for one year following the call.

On August 1, 2024 Daiichi Sankyo (TSE: 4568) and Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, reported that the first patient has been dosed in the IDeate-Lung02 Phase 3 trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of investigational ifinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd) in patients with relapsed small cell lung cancer (SCLC) versus treatment of physician’s choice of chemotherapy (Press release, Merck & Co, AUG 1, 2024, View Source [SID1234645278]).

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Ifinatamab deruxtecan is a specifically engineered potential first-in-class B7-H3 directed DXd antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) discovered by Daiichi Sankyo and being jointly developed by Merck.

Small cell lung cancer is the second most common type of lung cancer, accounting for about 15% of cases. SCLC is aggressive and progresses rapidly to the metastatic stage, which has a five-year survival rate of only 3%. Approximately 65% of all SCLC tumors have a moderate-to-high expression of the protein B7-H3, which is associated with disease progression and poor prognosis.

"Patients living with small cell lung cancer face poor outcomes with currently available treatments," said Mark Rutstein, MD, global head, oncology clinical development, Daiichi Sankyo. "The IDeate-Lung02 trial is an important next step as we look to better understand the role of ifinatamab deruxtecan as a potential new medicine for patients with certain types of small cell lung cancer."

"The initiation of the IDeate-Lung02 trial for ifinatamab deruxtecan marks the second pivotal study since the start of our collaboration with Daiichi Sankyo and follows the recent initiation of the REJOICE-Ovarian01 Phase 2/3 study for raludotatug deruxtecan," said Marjorie Green, MD, senior vice president and head of oncology, global clinical development, Merck Research Laboratories. "This is a significant milestone as we work together to evaluate an innovative medicine that may have the potential to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people facing small cell lung cancer, a difficult-to-treat cancer."

The initiation of IDeate-Lung02 is based on updated results from a subgroup analysis of the IDeate-PanTumor01 Phase 1/2 trial of ifinatamab deruxtecan presented at the 2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer.

About the IDeate-Lung02 trial

IDeate-Lung02 is a global, multicenter, randomized, open-label Phase 3 trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of ifinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd) versus treatment of physician’s choice of chemotherapy (amrubicin, lurbinectedin or topotecan) in patients with relapsed SCLC following disease progression with only one prior line of platinum-based chemotherapy. Eligible patients will be randomized to receive ifinatamab deruxtecan (12 mg/kg) or physician’s choice of chemotherapy.

The dual primary endpoints are objective response rate (ORR) as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR) and overall survival. Secondary endpoints include ORR as assessed by investigator, and progression-free survival, duration of response, disease control rate and time to response – all assessed by both BICR and investigator.

IDeate-Lung02 is expected to enroll approximately 460 patients across Asia, Europe, Oceania, North America and South America. For more information, please visit ClinicalTrials.gov.

About small cell lung cancer

More than 2.48 million lung cancer cases were diagnosed globally in 2022. Small cell lung cancer is the second most common type of lung cancer, accounting for about 15% of cases. SCLC is aggressive and progresses rapidly to the metastatic stage, which has a five-year survival rate of only 3%. While conventional first-line therapy for patients with advanced SCLC may help some patients live longer, the current second-line standard of care offers limited clinical benefit and new treatment approaches are needed.

About B7-H3

B7-H3 is a transmembrane protein that belongs to the B7 family of proteins which bind to the CD28 family of receptors that includes PD-1. B7-H3 is overexpressed in a wide range of cancer types, including small cell lung cancer, and its overexpression has been shown to correlate with poor prognosis, making B7-H3 a promising therapeutic target. There are currently no B7-H3 directed medicines approved for the treatment of any cancer.

About ifinatamab deruxtecan

Ifinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd) is an investigational, potential first-in-class B7-H3 directed ADC. Designed using Daiichi Sankyo’s proprietary DXd ADC Technology, ifinatamab deruxtecan is comprised of a humanized anti-B7-H3 IgG1 monoclonal antibody attached to a number of topoisomerase I inhibitor payloads (an exatecan derivative, DXd) via tetrapeptide-based cleavable linkers.

Ifinatamab deruxtecan is being evaluated in a global development program, which includes IDeate-Lung02, a Phase 3 trial in patients with relapsed SCLC versus investigator’s choice of chemotherapy, IDeate-Lung01, a Phase 2 monotherapy trial in patients with previously treated extensive-stage SCLC and IDeate-PanTumor01, a Phase 1/2 first-in-human trial in collaboration with Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI) with study operational oversight and delivery provided through SCRI’s early phase oncology clinical research organization, SCRI Development Innovations in Nashville, TN. Ifinatamab deruxtecan was granted orphan drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in April 2023 and by the European Commission in February 2024 for the treatment of SCLC.