Prelude Therapeutics Reports Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results and Provides Corporate Update

On August 12, 2024 Prelude Therapeutics Incorporated (Nasdaq: PRLD), a clinical-stage precision oncology company, reported its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024 and provided an update on its clinical development pipeline and other corporate developments (Press release, Prelude Therapeutics, AUG 12, 2024, View Source [SID1234645736]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"Our team continues to make solid progress towards the Company’s ambitious R&D objectives that we established for 2024 and beyond. We are focused on advancing our two lead clinical programs, including the first-in-class, highly selective SMARCA2 degrader, PRT3789 and a potent and selective CDK9 inhibitor, PRT2527, both on track to report initial clinical results this year," stated Kris Vaddi, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Prelude.

Dr. Vaddi continued, "We believe that targeting the SMARCA pathway has the potential to deliver a ‘pipeline in a program.’ We are building on our leadership position by advancing the industry’s first highly selective oral SMARCA2 degrader, PRT7732, into the clinic, and will initiate a study of PRT3789 in combination with KEYTRUDA in collaboration with Merck later this year. Additionally, in collaboration with AbCellera, we are developing precision ADCs with SMARCA payloads to extend the reach of our molecules to an even broader set of cancers without SMARCA4 mutations."

"Regarding our clinical development programs, we are very pleased with the progress of both of our SMARCA2 degraders, PRT3789 and PRT7732," added Jane Huang, M.D., President and Chief Medical Officer of Prelude. "We are looking forward to sharing the initial clinical data from the Phase 1 study of our highly selective SMARCA2 degrader which has been chosen as the subject of an oral presentation at the upcoming ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Congress in September."

Dr. Huang continued, "Additionally, based on the continued progress of PRT2527, our selective CDK9 inhibitor, we intend to present interim phase 1 clinical data, including a potential best-in-class safety profile in the fourth quarter of this year."

Clinical Program Updates and Upcoming Milestones

PRT3789 – A first-in-class, highly selective, intravenous SMARCA2 Degrader

PRT3789 is a first-in-class SMARCA2 degrader, highly selective for SMARCA2 and designed to treat patients with a SMARCA4 mutation. Cancer patients whose tumors have SMARCA4 mutations have a poor prognosis and as a result, this is an area of high unmet medical need.

PRT3789 is in Phase 1 clinical development in biomarker selected SMARCA4 mutant patients. Enrollment remains on track, and the Company expects to conclude monotherapy dose escalation in 2024 and identify a recommended Phase 2 dose. In addition, enrollment of patients into back-fill cohorts enriched for NSCLC and SMARCA4 loss-of-function mutations is ongoing, as is enrollment of the combination with docetaxel cohort.

Objectives for this first Phase 1 clinical trial are to establish the safety and tolerability profile of PRT3789 as both monotherapy and in combination with docetaxel, evaluate activity, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and determine a dose and potential indications for advancement into registrational clinical trial(s).

Prelude recently launched an educational video series focused on the science of SMARCA biology, the discovery of first-in-class, highly selective SMARCA2 degraders and the unmet medical need for patients with SMARCA4 mutated cancer. This series can be found on the Company’s website under Highly Selective SMARCA2 Degraders – Prelude Therapeutics (preludetx.com).

Interim Phase 1 data selected for an oral presentation at the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Congress 2024

The abstract titled "First Clinical Results from a Phase 1 Trial of PRT3789, a First-in-Class Intravenous SMARCA2 Degrader, in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors with a SMARCA4 Mutation," will be presented by Robin Guo, M.D. from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Congress 2024 Scientific Committee selected the abstract as an oral presentation.

The presentation is scheduled for September 13th, 2024, at 4:00 PM CEST (10:00 AM EST) in the Santander Auditorium (Hall 5) as part of the Developmental Therapeutics Session.

Abstracts are anticipated to be available on the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) website on September 9th, 2024 at 12:05 AM CEST (6:05 PM EST on September 8th).

Clinical collaboration announced with Merck to evaluate PRT3789 in combination with KEYTRUDA in patients with SMARCA4-mutated cancers

In July 2024, Prelude announced a clinical collaboration with Merck to evaluate PRT3789 in combination with KEYTRUDA in patients with SMARCA4-mutated cancers.

The mechanistic rationale and pre-clinical data to support the SMARCA2 and anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) combination was previously presented by the Company at the 2023 AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) AACR-NCI-EORTC (Free AACR-NCI-EORTC Whitepaper) International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics (EORTC-NCI-AACR) (Free ASGCT Whitepaper) (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper). In pre-clinical models, SMARCA2 degrader combined with an anti-PD-1 mAb in SMARCA4-mutated cancers enhanced anti-tumor immunity and demonstrated tumor regressions. Please see the Company’s website under Publications – Prelude Therapeutics (preludetx.com) for more information.

Under the terms of the Agreement, Merck will provide KEYTRUDA to Prelude. Prelude will be the sponsor of the Phase 2 clinical combination trial, anticipated to initiate in the fourth quarter of 2024. Prelude and Merck each retain all commercial rights to their respective compounds, including as monotherapy or as combination therapies.

KEYTRUDA is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA.

PRT7732 – A potent, highly selective and orally bioavailable SMARCA2 Degrader

Prelude has identified a series of highly selective and orally bioavailable SMARCA2 degraders. The lead oral candidate, PRT7732, recently was granted IND authorization from the FDA and is expected to enter Phase 1 clinical development in the second half of 2024.

PRT2527 – A potent and highly selective CDK9 Inhibitor

PRT2527 is a potent and highly selective CDK9 inhibitor that has the potential to avoid off-target toxicities observed with other less selective CDK9 inhibitors. The Company is currently advancing PRT2527 as monotherapy in both lymphoid and myeloid hematological malignancies, and in combination with zanubrutinib in B-cell malignancies.

PRT2527 is expected to complete monotherapy dose escalation in B-cell malignancies this year. Initiation of dose escalation in myeloid malignancies occurred in the first half of 2024. Interim Phase 1 data is on track for presentation in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results 

Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Marketable securities:

Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of June 30, 2024 were $179.8 million. The Company anticipates that its existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities will fund Prelude’s operations into 2026. 

Research and Development (R&D) Expenses:

For the second quarter of 2024, R&D expense increased to $29.5 million from $25.0 million for the prior year period. Research and development expenses increased primarily due to an increase in our chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) expense to support our pre-clinical and clinical research programs. We expect our R&D expenses to vary from quarter to quarter, primarily due to the timing of our clinical development activities.  

General and Administrative (G&A) Expenses:

For the second quarter of 2024, G&A expenses increased to $7.7 million from $7.4 million for the prior year period. The increase is primarily due to an increase in professional fees incurred as we expand our operations to support our research and development efforts.

Net Loss:

For the three months ended June 30, 2024, net loss was $34.7 million, or $0.46 per share compared to $30.4 million, or $0.54 per share, for the prior year period. Included in the net loss for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, was $6.1 million of non-cash expenses related to the impact of expensing share-based payments, including employee stock options, as compared to $6.7 million for the same period in 2023.

ORIC Pharmaceuticals Reports Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results and Operational Updates

On August 12, 2024 ORIC Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ORIC), a clinical stage oncology company focused on developing treatments that address mechanisms of therapeutic resistance, reported financial results and operational updates for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 (Press release, ORIC Pharmaceuticals, AUG 12, 2024, View Source [SID1234645734]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"We have made strong progress on advancing the pipeline, deepening strategic relationships, and growing the leadership team to add new functional capabilities," said Jacob M. Chacko, M.D., president and chief executive officer. "We are making good progress on the expansion cohorts for ORIC-114 in three different selected patient populations in NSCLC and have initiated combination dosing for ORIC-944 in prostate cancer. The clinical trial collaboration and supply agreements with Bayer and Johnson & Johnson are pivotal steps in supporting those combination cohorts. Finally, we bolstered our leadership team to add commercial and medical affairs capabilities in advance of the potential initiation of multiple registrational trials in 2025. We look forward to sharing further clinical updates in 2025."

Second Quarter 2024 and Other Recent Highlights

ORIC-114: a brain penetrant, orally bioavailable, irreversible EGFR/HER2 inhibitor

Announced the completion of the dose escalation portion of the Phase 1b trial of ORIC-114 and the selection of two provisional recommended phase 2 doses.
Announced first patients dosed across three expansion cohorts in the Phase 1b trial of ORIC-114 in patients with mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including EGFR exon 20 insertion (EGFR exon 20 inhibitor naïve), HER2 exon 20 insertion, and EGFR atypical mutations.
Initiated an extension cohort to evaluate ORIC-114 for the treatment of patients with first-line, treatment-naïve EGFR exon 20 insertion NSCLC.
Expect to report updated Phase 1b data in the first half of 2025.
ORIC-944: a potent and selective allosteric inhibitor of PRC2

Initiated dosing of ORIC-944 in combination with NUBEQA (darolutamide) and in combination with ERLEADA (apalutamide) in the ongoing Phase 1b trial for prostate cancer in first half of 2024.
Entered into clinical trial collaboration and supply agreements with Bayer and Johnson & Johnson to support the ongoing Phase 1b trial of ORIC-944 in combinations with AR inhibitors for the treatment of prostate cancer.
Presented preclinical data at the 2024 AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting demonstrating superior drug properties and synergy data in prostate cancer models, reinforcing the promise of ORIC-944 as a potential best-in-class treatment for combination with AR inhibitors.
Discovery Pipeline:

Presented at the 2024 AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) annual meeting the first preclinical data on ORIC-613, a potential first- and best-in-class development candidate selectively inhibiting PLK4.
Corporate Highlights:

Expanded the leadership team with the appointment of industry veteran Keith Lui as Senior Vice President of Commercial and Medical Affairs.
Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Investments: Cash, cash equivalents and investments totaled $308.5 million as of June 30, 2024, which the company expects will be sufficient to fund its operating plan into late 2026.
R&D Expenses: Research and development (R&D) expenses were $28.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, compared to $18.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023, an increase of $10.2 million. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, R&D expenses were $50.9 million, compared to $38.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, an increase of $12.6 million. The increases were due to a net increase in external expenses related to the advancement of product candidates and discovery programs, as well as higher personnel costs, including additional non-cash stock-based compensation of $0.6 million and $1.2 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively.
G&A Expenses: General and administrative (G&A) expenses were $7.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, compared to $6.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023, an increase of $0.9 million. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, G&A expenses were $14.1 million, compared to $12.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, an increase of $1.7 million. The increases were primarily due to higher personnel costs, including additional non-cash stock-based compensation of $0.6 million and $1.3 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively.

Marker Therapeutics Awarded $2 Million Grant from NIH in Support of Phase 1 Study Investigating MT-601 in CAR-Relapsed Patients with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

On August 12, 2024 Marker Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: MRKR), a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company focusing on developing next-generation T cell-based immunotherapies for the treatment of hematological malignancies and solid tumor indications, reported that the Company has been awarded a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to support the clinical investigation of MT-601 in patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) who have relapsed following anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy (Press release, Marker Therapeutics, AUG 12, 2024, View Source [SID1234645733]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The SBIR grant has been awarded based in part on Marker’s preliminary clinical data in patients with lymphoma (Press Release, September 11, 2023) as well as non-clinical data demonstrating the anti-tumor activity of MT-601 on anti-CD19 CAR resistant lymphoma cells (Press Release, May 31, 2023). The proceeds of the grant will support the nationwide multi-center Phase 1 APOLLO study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05798897), evaluating the safety and efficacy of MT-601, a multi-tumor associated antigen (multiTAA)-specific T cell product, in patients with relapsed NHL including those previously treated with anti-CD19 CAR-T cell therapy. Including this SBIR grant, the Company has been awarded over $19 million in non-dilutive funding proceeds.

"We are pleased to receive the SBIR grant from the NIH to support our clinical Phase 1 study in CAR-relapsed patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma," said Juan Vera, M.D., President and CEO of Marker Therapeutics. "Although anti-CD19 CAR-T cells are rapidly expanding as a treatment option in patients with hematological malignancies, approximately 40-60% of patients will relapse within the first year of therapy with currently no standard of care for patients post CD19-targeting CAR-T cells. The NIH award process is highly competitive, and we believe that the decision the NIH made suggests the potential scientific merit and the capacity of Marker’s APOLLO study to address an unmet medical need."

Dr. Vera continued: "While our results of the APOLLO study are preliminary, as we move through the dose escalation part of the study, we are encouraged by the objective responses observed in all three study participants treated at City of Hope (Press Release, April 8, 2024) and the lack of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or immune effector cell associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) observed. We will continue to closely monitor all patients for long-term treatment effects and durability of response, and with the non-dilutive funding support from NIH we look forward to treating additional participants in this Phase 1 study."

"This grant award is a testimony of our continued commitment to apply for non-dilutive funding and allows us to leverage our data to drive innovation and growth while maximizing shareholder value. Obtaining non-dilutive funding is an ongoing effort, and we are actively applying for additional opportunities as they become available," concluded Dr. Vera.

About the NIH SBIR Program

The NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program sets aside more than $1.2 billion from its Research & Development Funding to specifically support early-stage small businesses throughout the United States. Many companies leverage the NIH SBIR funding to attract the partners and investors needed to take an innovation to market. The Small Business program focuses on a variety of high-impact technologies including research tools, diagnostics, digital health, drugs, and medical devices, and can provide the seed funding needed to bring scientific innovations from bench to bedside.

About MT-601

The Company’s lead product, MT-601, is a multi-tumor associated antigen (multiTAA)-specific T cell product that utilizes a non-genetically modified approach that specifically targets six different tumor antigens upregulated in lymphoma cells (Survivin, PRAME, WT-1, NY-ESO-1, SSX-2, MAGE-A4). Marker is currently investigating MT-601 in the Company-sponsored Phase 1 APOLLO trial (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT05798897) for the treatment of lymphoma patients who are relapsed after or where CD19 CAR-T cell therapy is not an option.

About APOLLO

The APOLLO trial (clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT05798897) is a Phase 1, multicenter, open-label study designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of MT-601 in participants with lymphoma who relapsed after anti-CD19 CAR-T cell therapy or where anti-CD19 CAR-T cell therapy is not an option. The primary objective of this exploratory Phase 1 clinical trial is to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of MT-601 in participants with various lymphoma subtypes. Under the APOLLO trial, it is anticipated that nine clinical sites across the United States will cumulatively enroll up to approximately 30 participants during the dose escalation phase.

About multiTAA-specific T cells

The multi-tumor associated antigen (multiTAA)-specific T cell platform is a novel, non-genetically modified cell therapy approach that selectively expands tumor-specific T cells from a patient’s/donor’s blood capable of recognizing a broad range of tumor antigens. Unlike other T cell therapies, multiTAA-specific T cells allow the recognition of hundreds of different epitopes within up to six tumor-specific antigens, thereby reducing the possibility of tumor escape. Since multiTAA-specific T cells are not genetically engineered, Marker believes that its product candidates will be easier and less expensive to manufacture, with an improved safety profile, compared to current engineered T cell approaches, and may provide patients with meaningful clinical benefits.

Leap Therapeutics Reports Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results

On August 12, 2024 Leap Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:LPTX), a biotechnology company focused on developing targeted and immuno-oncology therapeutics, reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024 (Press release, Leap Therapeutics, AUG 12, 2024, View Source [SID1234645732]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Leap Highlights:

· Overall response rate (ORR) increases to 33% across all evaluable patients and 38% across evaluable patients with left-sided CRC in updated data from Part A of the Phase 2 DeFianCe study evaluating DKN-01 in combination with bevacizumab and chemotherapy in second-line patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC)
· Expanded the randomized controlled Part B of the DeFianCe study to 180 patients; enrollment expected to be completed by end of September 2024 with data expected in mid-2025
· Patient follow-up continues in the randomized controlled Part C of the Phase 2 DisTinGuish study evaluating DKN-01 in combination with tislelizumab and chemotherapy in first-line patients with advanced gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) and gastric cancer; data expected in Q4 2024 or early 2025
· Completed $40 million private placement with new and existing investors, including Gilead Sciences, Inc.

"With the momentum provided by our $40 million private placement, we are positioned to achieve our critical company milestones," said Douglas E. Onsi, President and Chief Executive Officer of Leap. "We have executed well on our two DKN-01 randomized controlled trials and on preparatory activities for registrational studies. We look forward to sharing initial data from both randomized controlled studies over the next 12 months as we strive to deliver new treatments for patients fighting against cancer."

DKN-01 Development Update

· ORR increases in updated data from Part A of the DeFianCe Study. The DeFianCe study (NCT05480306) is a Phase 2 study evaluating DKN-01 in combination with bevacizumab and chemotherapy in second-line patients with advanced microsatellite stable CRC. Preliminary results from Part A of the study were previously reported at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium in January 2024. In April 2024, a ninth Part A patient was identified as having a partial response (PR). This patient, who has left-sided Consensus Molecular Subtype 4 CRC with APC and TP53 mutations and KRAS wildtype genetics, had been previously treated with cetuximab and chemotherapy. The patient enrolled in Part A in March 2023 and had a best response of stable disease (SD) for over a year before the tumor reduction deepened into a PR. The patient remains on study with a confirmed PR.

· Key Updated Part A Findings (as of June 7, 2024 data cut-off):

o Across all patients enrolled (n=33):

§ ORR among response-evaluable patients (n=27) was 33% and disease control rate (DCR) was 93%, including 9 PRs and 16 patients with a best response of SD
§ Median progression-free survival (PFS) was unchanged at 6.3 months

o Enhanced activity in patients with left-sided tumors (n=25), a group that has more frequent activation of the Wnt pathway modulated by DKK1

§ 38% ORR and 100% DCR in response-evaluable population (8 PRs, 13 SDs)
§ Median PFS was unchanged at 8.6 months

o DKN-01 plus bevacizumab and chemotherapy was well-tolerated, with a majority of DKN-01 related events being low grade (Grade 1/2)

· Enrollment in Part B of the DeFianCe Study in CRC patients is ongoing and expected to be completed by the end of September 2024. The Company expanded the randomized controlled Part B of the DeFianCe study from 130 to 180 patients and included PFS in the subpopulation of patients with left-sided CRC as an additional primary endpoint. As of August 9, 2024, 161 patients have enrolled in Part B. The Company expects to complete enrollment by the end of September 2024, with data expected mid-2025.

· Randomized controlled Part C of the DisTinGuish study in patients with GEJ and gastric cancer is ongoing, with initial data expected in Q4 2024 or early 2025. The DisTinGuish study (NCT0436380) is a Phase 2, randomized, open-label, multicenter study of DKN-01 in combination with tislelizumab and chemotherapy in first-line, HER-2 negative patients with GEJ and gastric cancer. Part C enrolled 170 patients randomized 1:1 to evaluate DKN-01 in combination with tislelizumab and chemotherapy, compared to tislelizumab and chemotherapy alone. The Company expects to report initial data from Part C of the DisTinGuish study in Q4 2024 or early 2025.

Business Update:

· Completed a $40 million private placement. In April 2024, Leap entered into a securities purchase agreement with a select group of new and existing investors including Gilead Sciences, Inc., a life sciences-focused investor, Samsara BioCapital, LP, 683 Capital Partners, LP, Laurion Capital Management LP, and Rock Springs Capital Management LP. Gross proceeds from the private placement were approximately $40 million. The net proceeds from this financing, combined with existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities, are expected to fund Leap’s operating and capital expenditures into the second quarter of 2026.

Selected Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Net Loss was $20.4 million for the second quarter 2024, compared to $13.4 million for the same period in 2023. The increase was primarily due to an increase in research and development expenses.

Research and development expenses were $17.9 million for the second quarter 2024, compared to $11.1 million for the same period in 2023. The increase of $6.8 million was primarily due to an increase of $5.7 million in clinical trial costs due to patient enrollment, the duration of patients on study, the enhancement of correlative studies, increase in site activity associated with Part C of the DisTinGuish study, and the expansion of the size of Part B of the DeFianCe study. There was also an increase of $0.6 million in manufacturing costs related to clinical trial material and manufacturing campaigns and an increase of $0.5 million in payroll and other related expenses due to an increase in headcount of our R&D full-time employees.

General and administrative expenses were $3.4 million for the second quarter 2024, compared to $3.6 million for the same period in 2023. The decrease was due to a decrease of $0.3 million in professional fees associated with our business development activities, partially offset by a $0.1 million increase in payroll and other related expenses.

Cash and cash equivalents totaled $78.5 million at June 30, 2024.

IN8bio Solidifies Position as a Clinical Leader of Gamma-Delta T Cell Therapy in Oncology with 100% of Treated AML Patients in Complete Remission and Receives FDA Guidance for Registrational Trial of INB-100

On August 12, 2024 IN8bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: INAB), a leading clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative gamma-delta T cell therapies for cancer, reported updated positive clinical data from both of the Company’s Phase 1 investigator-sponsored trials of INB-100 for hematological malignancies and INB-200 for GBM (Press release, In8bio, AUG 12, 2024, View Source [SID1234645731]). The Company has also completed a Type B meeting with the FDA and received guidance on the registrational path to advance INB-100 for the treatment of AML.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Every AML patient treated with INB-100 remains in complete remission (CR), and patients across both trials have exceeded expected progression-free survival (PFS) to date. These data continue to demonstrate the broad clinical potential of gamma-delta T cells for difficult-to-treat cancers and provides support for the advancement of these therapies into Phase 2 trials.

As of August 1, 2024, no new relapses have been reported since the clinical updates provided at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) and the European Hematology Association (EHA) (Free EHA Whitepaper) annual meetings.

"Our gamma-delta T cell therapies, engineered with our industry-leading manufacturing technology, continue to demonstrate their potential to eliminate residual cancer cells and to revolutionize cancer treatment," said William Ho, CEO and co-founder of IN8bio. "The safety profile of gamma-delta T cells has been manageable and well-tolerated across both indications with no significant cell therapy-related toxicities reported to date in any patients across these Phase 1 trials."

Program Details as of August 1, 2024:

INB-100 for AML

FDA Guidance on Registrational Program: Following a Type B meeting with the FDA earlier this summer, IN8bio received regulatory guidance on advancing INB-100 for the treatment of AML as a post-transplant maintenance therapy, with relapse-free survival as the primary endpoint. To date, 100% of AML patients treated with INB-100 are in long-term CR, providing a promising path for the registrational trial. IN8bio plans to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the FDA in Q1 2025. Pending clearance, the Company could initiate a registrational trial for AML in 2025.
100% 1-year Relapse-Free Survival: All patients dosed in the Phase 1 investigator-sponsored trial continue to demonstrate relapse-free survival beyond one year. These patients are mostly classified as high-risk, a category where ~25% would typically be expected to relapse within 100 days post-transplant and up to 50% by one year.
AML Patient Outcomes: 100% of AML patients remain relapse-free after receiving their dose of INB-100. There have been no new relapses reported since the last update with a data cut-off on May 15, 2024. The previously reported patients with other leukemic diagnoses (ALL and MDS/MPN overlap with concurrent TP53 mutations) who relapsed are still alive. The proposed Phase 2 registrational trial will only include patients with AML, a highly aggressive leukemia with high relapse rates, where Phase 1 results to date have shown the most promising long-term responses.
Expansion Cohort: Enrollment in expansion cohort is ongoing, and all treated patients remain in CR, with several having been evaluated for at least 90 days post-transplant and the longest nearing seven months. Full enrollment of the 10-patient expansion cohort is expected by the end of 2024, with long-term follow up results anticipated in 2025.
Gamma-Delta T Cell Persistence: A significant increase in dose-dependent long-term expansion and persistence of circulating gamma-delta T cells continues to be observed up to day 365 post-infusion. This marks the first instance of an allogeneic cellular therapy demonstrating both persistence and expansion over this extended time frame. Cell persistence potentially allows for the gamma-delta T cells to conduct longer immune surveillance to prevent relapse.
INB-200 for GBM

Novel Cellular Therapy Approach: IN8bio’s proprietary drug-resistant immunotherapy (DRI) technology combines standard-of-care chemotherapy with gene-edited, chemotherapy-resistant gamma-delta T cells. Initial data points to a potential dose response across the three cohorts with dose-escalation ranging from a single dose in cohort 1, three doses in cohort 2, and up to six repeat doses in cohort 3. All patients in cohort 1 eventually relapsed. There have been no new relapses with a range of remission from 9.5 to 37.9 months in cohorts 2 and 3 to date. Multiple patients in these higher repeat dose cohorts have now exceeded the overall survival expected with standard-of-care alone relative to historical data.

MGMT-unmethylated GBM patients: Several patients in this group, who are typically poor responders and generally unresponsive to chemotherapy, have remained in remission longer than expected. Notably, one patient who received six doses of INB-200 has been in remission for over a year. Updated clinical data from this trial is expected to be presented in Q4 2024.

INB-400 in Phase 2 trial: This study is investigating six doses of autologous gamma-delta T cells in front-line GBM treatment in combination with standard-of-care. The trial is actively enrolling and treating patients at multiple leading cancer centers across the United States.
Mr. Ho, also commented, "These therapies take advantage of the gamma-delta T cells’ natural ability to target the heterogeneity of cancers, prevent immune escape and disease relapse. Multiple patients have now remained in progression-free remissions longer than expected with many now exceeding expected overall survival, based on historical data. The safety profile and long-term remissions observed with both INB-100 and INB-200, now exceeding three years, across two difficult indications, suggest a significant potential advancement for cellular therapies for cancer. With these compelling results to date, IN8bio stands at the forefront of innovation in oncology and gamma-delta T cell development."

Conference Call Details

IN8bio will host a conference call and webcast today, Monday, August 12, 2024, at 8:30 am ET. The webcast can be accessed by clicking this link and can also be accessed on the Events & Presentations page of the Company’s website. To participate in the live call, please register using this link. It is recommended that participants register at least 15 minutes in advance of the call. Once registered, participants will be informed of the dial-in number and will be provided a unique PIN.