On December 16, 2015 Aduro Biotech, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADRO) reported that it has received a milestone payment from Janssen Biotech, Inc. for the acceptance of an Investigational New Drug (IND) Application by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for ADU-741, a LADD immunotherapy product candidate for the treatment of prostate cancer (Press release, Aduro BioTech, DEC 16, 2015, View Source [SID:1234508586]).

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Janssen, Aduro’s license partner for ADU-741, plans to initiate a multi-center Phase 1 trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of intravenous administration of ADU-741 by the end of 2015.

"We are extremely pleased with the progress Janssen has made with the development of ADU-741," said Stephen T. Isaacs, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Aduro. "In addition to FDA acceptance of INDs for ADU-741 and ADU-214 in the past two months, we recently received clearance from the FDA for our IND in which we are collaborating with Incyte to begin a clinical trial evaluating the combination of CRS-207 and epacadostat in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian, fallopian and peritoneal cancer. We are thrilled to work with top-notch collaborators like Janssen, Novartis and Incyte, which share the same dedication to the development of novel therapies for patients who need it the most."

In May 2014, Aduro entered into an agreement granting Janssen an exclusive, worldwide license to certain product candidates specifically engineered for the treatment of prostate cancer based on its novel LADD immunotherapy platform. Under the agreement facilitated by Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Aduro received an upfront payment, milestone payments associated with both the submission and the acceptance of the IND, and is eligible to receive future development, regulatory and commercialization milestone payments up to a potential total of $345.5 million. In addition, Aduro is eligible to receive royalties on worldwide net sales upon successful launch and commercialization.

About LADD

LADD is Aduro’s proprietary platform of live-attenuated double-deleted Listeria monocytogenes strains that have been engineered to induce a potent innate immune response and to express tumor-associated antigens to induce tumor-specific T cell-mediated immunity. The LADD technology has been applied to several novel compounds in clinical and preclinical testing including CRS-207 (pancreatic cancer, mesothelioma and ovarian/fallopian/peritoneal cancer (collaboration with Incyte Corporation to be tested in combination with epacadostat)), ADU-623 (brain cancer), ADU-214 (lung cancer, licensed to Janssen Biotech, Inc.) and ADU-741 (prostate cancer, licensed to Janssen Biotech, Inc.).

On December 16, 2015 Celsion Corporation (NASDAQ: CLSN) reported that it has received Clinical Trial Application (CTA) approval from the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) to conduct the ongoing Phase III OPTIMA Study at clinical sites in China (Press release, Celsion, DEC 16, 2015, View Source [SID:1234508584]).

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The OPTIMA Study is the Company’s global pivotal, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, evaluating ThermoDox, Celsion’s proprietary heat-activated liposomal encapsulation of doxorubicin, in combination with radiofrequency ablation standardized to 45 minutes (sRFA) versus sRFA alone to treat patients with primary liver cancer, also known as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Celsion Corporation is a fully-integrated oncology company focused on the development of a portfolio of innovative cancer treatments, including directed chemotherapies, immunotherapies and RNA- or DNA-based therapies for the treatment of cancer and other difficult-to-treat diseases.

"The OPTIMA Study is the only global Phase III clinical trial being conducted in HCC, and the China market is an important element of our global development strategy for ThermoDox, representing approximately 50% of the 850,000 new cases of primary liver cancer diagnosed each year," noted Michael H. Tardugno, Celsion’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. "We believe that this approval by the China FDA represents another important validation of our development program for ThermoDox, which shows the potential for improvement in overall survival in HCC patients. This approval also positions us as a leader in research in a major global market for primary liver cancer," Mr. Tardugno said.

The Phase III OPTIMA Study is expected to enroll up to 550 patients globally, and has been successfully enrolling patients at 50 clinical sites in 12 different countries in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. The CTA approval will now allow Celsion to enroll patients at up to 25 additional clinical sites in China. With the addition of these Chinese clinical sites, the Company expects to complete enrollment in the OPTIMA Study by the end of 2017. Results from the OPTIMA Study, if successful, will provide the basis for a global registration filing and marketing approval.

The primary endpoint for the OPTIMA Study is overall survival (OS). The statistical plan calls for two interim efficacy analyses by an independent Data Monitoring Committee (iDMC). The design of the OPTIMA Study is supported by a retrospective analysis of a large subgroup of 285 patients in the Company’s previous 701 patient HEAT Study in primary liver cancer. In a subgroup of 285 HEAT Study participants, ThermoDox plus standardized RFA demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in survival of over two years compared to standardized RFA alone. In this large subgroup, the median OS in the ThermoDox plus standardized RFA arm was approximately 80 months, which is considered a curative treatment for HCC.

"There is significant interest in the curative potential for ThermoDox among leading liver cancer experts in China and the world, and we have a number of highly-motivated sites eager to enroll patients in this important study," Mr. Tardugno added. "We are aggressively recruiting patients worldwide, and look forward to building our relationships with these key study sites in China as the trial progresses."

On December 16, 2015 Array BioPharma (Nasdaq: ARRY) reported top-line results from the ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial of binimetinib in patients with advanced NRAS-mutant melanoma, known as the NEMO trial (Press release, Array BioPharma, DEC 16, 2015, View Source [SID:1234508583]).

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The study met its primary endpoint of improving progression-free survival (PFS) compared with dacarbazine treatment. The median PFS on the binimetinib arm was 2.8 months versus 1.5 months on the dacarbazine arm; hazard ratio (HR) 0.62, [95% CI 0.47-0.80], p < 0.001.

In the trial, binimetinib was generally well-tolerated and the adverse events reported were consistent with previous results in NRAS melanoma patients.

Array plans to submit binimetinib to regulatory authorities for marketing approval in NRAS-mutant melanoma during the first half of 2016. Results from the NEMO trial including progression free survival, overall survival, objective response rate, safety and prespecified subgroup analyses including outcomes in patients who received prior treatment with immunotherapy will be presented at a medical meeting in 2016.

"We are excited to announce positive results from the NEMO trial, which suggest binimetinib has the potential to provide an important new treatment option for patients with advanced NRAS melanoma," said Ron Squarer, Chief Executive Officer, Array BioPharma. "We look forward to discussing the data with the FDA and other regulatory agencies in the near future."

"The presence of an NRAS mutation is a poor prognostic indicator for patients with advanced melanoma," said Keith T. Flaherty, M.D., Associate Professor, Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Director of Developmental Therapeutics, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital. "I am encouraged the NEMO trial met its primary endpoint and look forward to sharing the full results soon. As the first targeted therapy with positive results in NRAS melanoma, binimetinib will be a welcome addition in this high unmet need population, especially for patients whose disease has progressed following treatment with immunotherapy."

Binimetinib is also being studied in the Phase 3 COLUMBUS trial for patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma and the Phase 3 MILO trial for patients with low grade serous ovarian cancer, as well as in several other earlier stage clinical trials.

About NEMO

The NEMO trial, (NCT01763164), is an international, randomized Phase 3 study in patients with advanced NRAS-mutant melanoma. 402 patients were randomized 2:1 to receive continuous 45 mg BID binimetinib or 1,000 mg/m2 dacarbazine dosed every three weeks. Prior immunotherapy treatment was allowed. The primary endpoint of the study is progression free survival, and overall survival is a key secondary endpoint. Patients underwent radiographic assessment of disease status every six weeks, and assessment of progression was determined by blinded central review. Over 100 sites across North America, Europe, South America, Asia and Australia participated in the study.

About Binimetinib

MEK is a key protein kinase in the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway. Research has shown this pathway regulates several key cellular activities including proliferation, differentiation, migration, survival and angiogenesis. Inappropriate activation of proteins in this pathway has been shown to occur in many cancers, such as non-small cell lung cancer, melanoma, colorectal, ovarian and thyroid cancers. Binimetinib is a small molecule MEK inhibitor which targets key enzymes in this pathway. Binimetinib is being studied in three active Phase 3 trials in advanced cancer patients, including: NRAS-mutant melanoma (NEMO), low-grade serous ovarian cancer (MILO) and BRAF-mutant melanoma (COLUMBUS).

About NRAS Melanoma

Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer among men and the seventh most common cancer among women in the United States, with almost 74,000 new cases and nearly 10,000 deaths from the disease projected in 2015. NRAS mutations occur in approximately 15% to 20% of patients with melanoma, and is known to be a poor prognostic factor. When melanoma is diagnosed early, it is generally a curable disease. However, when it spreads to other parts of the body, it is the deadliest and most aggressive form of skin cancer. Historically, a person with metastatic melanoma typically has a short life expectancy with NRAS melanoma patients living an average of 8.5 months from diagnosis.

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On December 16, 2015 Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NasdaqGS: SPPI), a biotechnology company with fully integrated commercial and drug development operations, and a primary focus in Hematology and Oncology, reported that the company has reached agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) for the Phase 3 clinical trial of its novel, long-acting G-CSF, SPI-2012 (eflapegrastim) (Press release, Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, DEC 16, 2015, View Source [SID:1234508582]).

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This trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of SPI-2012 as a treatment for chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in patients with breast cancer, and will serve as the basis for the Biologics License Application (BLA) filing.

"We are excited to have reached agreement with the FDA on the SPI-2012 SPA, which is the highest priority program at Spectrum," said Rajesh C. Shrotriya, MD, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals. "SPI-2012 is a novel proprietary biologic that has been shown in a Phase 2 clinical trial to be more potent than pegfilgrastim, and consists of a novel, recombinant G-CSF conjugated, using a technology that enhances the half-life of this therapeutic protein. Our team has been ready to start this registrational Phase 3 trial, and plans to aggressively drive study enrollment. Spectrum has built a strong clinical team and commercial infrastructure with expertise in the treatment of neutropenia. If approved, we believe this drug will enable us to compete in a blockbuster market and change the face of our Company."

In accordance with the SPA, this registrational, Phase 3 trial, or ADVANCE study (RAnDomized Trial of SPI-2012 Versus Pegfilgrastim in the Management of Chemotherapy Induced Neutropenia in Breast CANCEr Patients Receiving Docetaxel and Cyclophosphamide) will be a multicenter, randomized, active controlled trial that will enroll 580 newly diagnosed early-stage breast cancer patients, who will receive adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy every 21 days. Adjuvant chemotherapy is treatment given after primary surgical therapy to kill any remaining cancer cells and increase the chance of long-term disease-free survival; neoadjuvant chemotherapy is the administration of cytotoxic agents before surgical resection in early-stage breast cancer to shrink the tumor and potentially allow for breast-conserving surgery. SPI-2012 will be administered subcutaneously as a fixed dose equivalent to 3.6 mg of GCSF, which was selected based on the robust pharmacological and pharmacodynamic data from Phase 2. The primary study endpoint is the Duration of Severe Neutropenia (Absolute Neutrophil Counts [ANC] < 0.5×109/L) in Cycle 1 of chemotherapy, based on central laboratory assessment of ANC over the 21 day cycle. Secondary endpoints include the Incidence of Neutropenic Complications, Incidence of Febrile Neutropenia, Relative Dose Intensity, and safety.

About Special Protocol Assessments

A Special Protocol Assessment is a written agreement between a Sponsor and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the design, execution and analysis for a clinical trial that may form the basis of a new Biologics License application or BLA. Final marketing approval depends upon the efficacy results, safety profile and an evaluation of the risk/benefit of treatment demonstrated in the Phase 3 clinical program.

About Breast Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer in women after skin cancer, and the second highest cause of female cancer deaths after lung cancer. Unfortunately, it is estimated that about 1 in 8 (12%) of women in the US will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime. In 2015 in the United States (US), an estimated 231,840 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 60,290 additional cases of in situ breast cancer will be diagnosed, and approximately 40,290 US women are expected to die from breast cancer. In addition, ~2,350 men are also expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 with an estimated 440 deaths.