IDRx Announces Updated Phase 1 Data from Ongoing Phase 1/1b StrateGIST 1 Trial of IDRX-42 in Advanced Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST) at CTOS 2024

On November 14, 2024 IDRx, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and commercializing precision therapeutics for the treatment of cancers with well-characterized biology and significant unmet medical need, reported updated clinical data from StrateGIST 1, the company’s ongoing Phase 1/1b trial of IDRX-42 in patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) (Press release, IDRx, NOV 14, 2024, View Source [SID1234648425]). These data continue to demonstrate promising anti-tumor activity of IDRX-42 in patients with advanced GIST and will be highlighted today in an oral presentation at the Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS) 2024 Annual Meeting, being held November 13-16, in San Diego, CA.

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!

IDRX-42 is an investigational oral, small molecule, tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) designed to selectively target the most prevalent KIT mutations that either drive the growth, proliferation, and survival of tumor cells (activating mutations in exons 9 and 11), or confer resistance to currently available therapies (resistance mutations in exons 13 and 17).

"In patients living with GIST, the therapeutic potential of KIT targeted TKIs has been limited by drug resistance caused by an inability to target the spectrum of the most prevalent KIT mutations, and poor tolerability," said Suzanne George, M.D., Chief, Division of Sarcoma at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "These updated data from StrateGIST 1 are highly encouraging with respect to the clinical activity observed in later-line patients with a variety of KIT activating and resistance mutations. I am excited by the potential of IDRX-42, with its differentiated clinical profile demonstrated to date, to help meet this critical need for GIST patients."

"We are particularly excited about the emerging durability data from StrateGIST 1. These data, together with the continued strengthening of response rate and tolerability data, underscore the potential for IDRX-42 to improve outcomes for GIST patients and support our plans to move IDRX-42 into late-phase development," said Tim Clackson, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of IDRx. "With FDA alignment now in place, we plan to conduct StrateGIST 3, a randomized, Phase 3 registrational trial which will evaluate the efficacy and safety of IDRX-42 as compared to sunitinib in second-line GIST patients. We remain steadfast in our commitment to transform the lives of patients with GIST, including in early-line settings, where the standards of care have remained unchanged for almost 20 years and a significant unmet need remains."

Presentation Highlights

As of the data cut-off date of September 30, 2024, 89 patients have been treated with IDRX-42 in the Phase 1 portion of the ongoing StrateGIST 1 trial across dose cohorts ranging from 120 mg once daily (QD) to 1200 mg total daily dose (600 mg twice daily (BID)). All 89 patients had KIT-mutant GIST. 87 patients were evaluable for efficacy as of the data cut-off date. The two non-evaluable patients were recently enrolled and remain on treatment, awaiting their first post-baseline tumor assessment.
While a maximum tolerated dose was not reached, dose escalation in the Phase 1 portion of the trial has been completed, and the Phase 1b dose confirmation portion of the trial has been initiated utilizing a dose of 300 mg in tablet formulation, which has comparable steady-state plasma exposure to a dose of 400 mg in capsule formulation.
Patients were heavily pretreated overall, with a median of four prior lines of therapy.
17% (15/89) patients had received one prior line of therapy (IDRX-42 evaluated as second-line).
11% (10/89) patients had received two prior lines of therapy (IDRX-42 evaluated as third-line).
72% (64/89) patients had received three or more prior lines of therapy (IDRX-42 evaluated as ≥ fourth-line).
28% (25/89) received three or more prior lines of therapy that did not include ripretinib.
As of the data cut-off date, 63% (56/89) of patients remained on study treatment, and the median duration of treatment was 6.6 months.
The ORR by modified RECIST v1.1 in the total efficacy evaluable population was 29% (25/87) treated across all lines of therapy, including one complete response (CR) and 24 partial responses (PRs). Two of the PRs were awaiting confirmation at the time of the data cut.
At the 400 mg capsule/300 mg tablet QD recommended Phase 1b dose (RP1bD), the ORR was 26% (10/38) in the total efficacy evaluable population.
The ORR in second-line patients was 53% (8/15) including one CR and 7 PRs.
At the RP1bD or below, the ORR was 50% (7/14) across second-line patients.
In second-line patients (n=15), the 6-month PFS was 85%, and the median was not yet reached.
The median PFS in third- or later-line patients both at the RP1bD (n=25) and across all doses (n=72) was 9.2 months.
The median PFS in third-line patients overall (n=10) was 12.9 months.
The median PFS in fourth- or later-line patients who had not previously received ripretinib (n=25) was 9.2 months, and at the RP1bD (n=10) was 11 months.
IDRX-42 was generally well-tolerated and treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were mainly low grade at the RP1bD.
The most frequently reported TRAEs (≥20%) were gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea, nausea, decreased appetite, vomiting, dysgeusia) and fatigue.
An 8% dose reduction rate due to TRAEs was observed at RP1bD, with no TRAEs leading to dose discontinuation.
The Phase 1b portion of StrateGIST 1 commenced enrollment in May 2024 and includes a first-, second-, and two later-line cohorts. The second- and two later-line cohorts are nearly fully enrolled. IDRx has aligned with the FDA on fundamental elements of the trial design, dose, and statistical analysis for StrateGIST 3, a global, randomized, Phase 3 registrational trial which will evaluate IDRX-42 as a second-line therapy in patients diagnosed with metastatic and/or unresectable GIST with disease progression on, or intolerance to, imatinib, the current first-line standard of care for GIST patients.

Presentation Details
Title: The Novel KIT inhibitor IDRX-42 Shows Promising Activity in Second- and Later-Line Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST): Results from a Phase 1 Trial (StrateGIST 1)
Presenter: Suzanne George, M.D.
Abstract Number: P 10
Presentation Type: Oral Abstract Session
Time: Thursday, November 14, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. PST
Location: Harbor Ballroom, Manchester Grand Hyatt, San Diego, CA

About GIST
Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common subtype of soft tissue sarcoma occurring in the gastrointestinal tract. Between 4,000 to 6,000 people are diagnosed with GIST in the United States each year. Approximately 80% of all GIST cases are driven by mutations in the KIT gene. An estimated 90% of patients who receive imatinib, the current standard of care for GIST, will experience disease progression related to the emergence of KIT resistance mutations. In unresectable or metastatic GIST, clinical benefits from existing treatments can vary by mutation type. Despite the widespread availability of tyrosine kinase inhibitors approved for GIST, first-line and second-line standards of care have remained unchanged for almost 20 years and significant unmet need remains.

About the StrateGIST 1 Study
StrateGIST 1 is an ongoing, open-label, first-in-human Phase 1/1b study designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary anti-tumor activity of IDRX-42 in patients with metastatic and/or surgically unresectable GIST after progression on imatinib and other approved drugs. The study is currently enrolling patients with documented pathogenic mutation in KIT or any platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) mutation (other than PDGFRA exon 18) at sites in the U.S., United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, South Korea, and China. The Phase 1b portion commenced enrollment in May 2024 and includes four exploratory cohorts based on defined lines of prior tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy, including first-, second-, third- and later-line therapies.

About IDRX-42
IDRX-42 is an investigational oral, small molecule KIT tyrosine kinase inhibitor in clinical development as a monotherapy for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). IDRX-42 is designed to selectively target the most prevalent forms of KIT mutations that either drive the initial growth, proliferation, and survival of tumor cells, or confer resistance to currently available therapies. In pre-clinical studies, IDRX-42 demonstrated superior anti-tumor activity as compared to imatinib, the current first-line of therapy, in tumors associated with both exon 9 and 11 KIT mutations. IDRX-42 was also shown in pre-clinical studies to have strong inhibition activity against the most prevalent KIT resistance mutations in exons 13 and 17, suggesting that IDRX-42 could prevent or substantially delay the emergence of such mutations. In xenograft models expressing secondary resistance mutations in KIT exon 13 or 17, IDRX-42 treatment resulted in potent and dose-dependent antitumor activity superior to the second-line standard of care agent, sunitinib. IDRX-42 is currently being evaluated in StrateGIST 1, a first-in-human Phase 1/1b trial. IDRX-42 has been granted Fast Track and Orphan Drug designations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of GIST after disease progression on imatinib.

Flare Therapeutics Inc., a GordonMD® Global Investments LP Portfolio Company, Enters Strategic Discovery Collaboration with Roche

On November 14, 2024 GordonMD Global Investments LP reported that its portfolio company, Flare Therapeutics Inc., has entered into a strategic discovery collaboration with Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY). Flare will lead discovery and preclinical activities targeting multiple transcription factor targets in oncology, while Roche will pursue the further preclinical and clinical development and commercialization of potential products from the collaboration, leveraging its industry-leading capabilities in oncology (Press release, Flare Therapeutics, NOV 14, 2024, View Source [SID1234648424]).

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!

Combining Flare’s advanced proteomic and mass spectrometry platform — powered by its proprietary library of electrophilic compounds — to discover small molecule drugs targeting transcription factors previously deemed yet to be affected by drugs in oncology with Roche’s experience in developing and manufacturing medicines, this collaboration seeks to advance potentially transformative therapies for patients living with cancer.

Flare will receive a US$70 million upfront cash payment and is eligible to receive discovery, development, and commercialization milestone payments potentially exceeding US$1.8 billion and royalties. Additionally, Flare retains a right to co-fund development for one target under the collaboration in exchange for increased royalties in the United States for this target. Flare will retain ownership of its existing pipeline, including its lead clinical-stage program, FX-909, in advanced urothelial cancer, its prostate cancer program entering IND-enabling studies, and other programs in discovery and early development in oncology and other therapeutic areas.

"This collaboration reinforces Flare’s capacity to advance its breakthrough science," said Dr. Craig Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of GordonMD.

"We look forward to our partnership with Roche because we share a commitment to tackling the most challenging disease areas with novel approaches and overcoming the difficulties of drugging transcription factors," said Rob Sims, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and Co-founder of Flare Therapeutics.

CureLab Oncology Seeks to Revolutionize Chronic Pain Management with Novel p62-Based Therapy

On November 14, 2024 CureLab Oncology, a clinical-stage biotech company dedicated to pioneering innovative therapies, reported a patent application for an innovative chronic pain treatment centered on its p62/SQSTM1 DNA plasmid (Press release, CureLab Oncology, NOV 14, 2024, View Source [SID1234648423]). This development, which leverages CureLab’s chronic inflammation therapeutic, Elenagen, signifies a potential paradigm shift in addressing chronic pain, a pervasive health challenge that affects millions globally.

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!

With this patent, CureLab Oncology aims to address the limitations of existing chronic pain treatments, such as NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), acetaminophen, COX-2 inhibitors, antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, and opioids. While these medications offer varying degrees of pain relief, they often come with a range of side effects, including gastrointestinal problems, kidney problems, stomach bleeding, ulcers, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, and potential addiction. The patent emphasizes the urgent need for more effective chronic pain medications with fewer side effects.

The patent application encompasses the utilization of p62/SQSTM1 DNA to combat a wide spectrum of chronic pain conditions, including arthritis, back pain, headaches, cancer pain, neuropathic pain, and fibromyalgia. This therapeutic strategy operates by modulating the body’s inflammatory response, a critical factor in the development and persistence of chronic pain.

"Chronic pain often stems from persistent inflammation, a complex biological response that can disrupt the body’s natural healing processes," explained Dr. Alexander Shneider, CEO of CureLab Oncology. "Elenagen, our innovative p62-based therapy, targets this underlying inflammation, promoting resolution and potentially alleviating pain at its source."

This groundbreaking therapy holds immense promise for both humans and animals suffering from chronic pain. Preclinical investigations employing animal models have illuminated the efficacy of this therapy in mitigating pain severity and augmenting the quality of life. Notably, the therapy exhibits a favorable safety profile, with no substantial adverse effects detected in the studies.

The global chronic pain treatment market is expected to reach $131.4 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.3% from 2023 to 2030. This growth is driven by the increasing prevalence of chronic pain, the aging population, and the rising demand for effective and non-addictive pain management options. With its potential for fewer side effects and broader applications compared to current treatments, CureLab’s p62-based therapy is positioned to meet the growing demand of the growing chronic pain market.

"Our patenting strategy for this chronic pain treatment aligns with our successful approach for other therapies," said Ilya Lapshin, general counsel for CureLab Oncology. "By initially filing a provisional patent application in the USA and subsequently seeking worldwide protection, we aim to secure comprehensive intellectual property rights for this groundbreaking innovation."

To see CureLab’s portfolio of patents, visit curelaboncology.com/ip and curelabveterinary.com/ip.

About Elenagen
CureLab’s lead investigational compound is code-named Elenagen, an experimental DNA therapy that consists of a circular piece of DNA called a plasmid that includes a gene for a human protein called p62/SQSTM1. In clinical studies conducted ex-US, Elenagen demonstrated desirable safety profile and statistically significant clinical benefit for cancer patients enhancing the anti-cancer effects of chemotherapy. Experimental results also demonstrate mitigation of chronic inflammation, anti-aging effects, and stimulation of an immune response to the tumor.

Flashpoint Therapeutics Announces $50M KAIMRC Partnership and Clinical Pipeline Expansion

On November 14, 2024 Flashpoint Therapeutics, a clinical-stage therapeutics company pioneering structural nanomedicine, reported significant expansion of its therapeutic pipeline through strategic acquisitions and a new partnership valued at $50M with The King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC) in Saudi Arabia (Press release, Flashpoint Therapeutics, NOV 14, 2024, View Source [SID1234648422]).

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!

Structural nanomedicine is an innovative therapeutic approach that enables the creation of precisely engineered nanostructures combining multiple drug components in optimized configurations. This platform technology significantly enhances target cell delivery, therapeutic potency, and safety profiles compared to conventional treatment methods.

"Complex diseases remain inadequately addressed by traditional drugs," said Chad Mirkin, PhD, scientific founder of Flashpoint Therapeutics. "Structural nanomedicines allow us to arrange medicinally active components into configurations that can treat previously undruggable diseases. This represents a fundamental shift in therapeutic development."

The newly announced partnership with KAIMRC establishes the state-of-the-art Flashpoint-KAIMRC Center of Excellence (COE) in Structural Nanomedicine. The Flashpoint-KAIMRC COE is expected to receive funding up to $50M in the next five years to conduct clinical trials on structural nanomedicine candidates and advance structural nanomedicine drug discovery programs targeting diseases prevalent in Saudi Arabia and globally.

Through strategic licensing and acquisition deals with Northwestern University, Holden Pharmaceuticals, and Exicure, Flashpoint has assembled over 150 issued patents and patent applications covering nucleic acid, protein, and CRISPR gene editing therapeutics.

Flashpoint’s lead program, FLASH-001, is a structural nanomedicine incorporating toll-like receptor 9 agonists for immuno-oncology applications. In phase 1b/2 trials, FLASH-001 has demonstrated a curative effect in a small subset of Merkel Cell Carcinoma patients. Flashpoint plans to expand the study in 2025 to larger patient cohorts and additional cancer types. The company’s pipeline includes clinical stage programs targeting skin disorders and multiple preclinical programs in immuno-oncology, neurology, and other indications.

"The establishment of our Center of Excellence with KAIMRC and our growing clinical pipeline demonstrate the momentum behind Flashpoint’s structural nanomedicine platform," said Adam Margolin, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Flashpoint Therapeutics. "We’re executing a dual strategy of internal development and pharmaceutical partnerships to advance first-in-class structural nanomedicines that could fundamentally change how we treat complex diseases."

Mabwell’s Novel Nectin-4 Targeting ADC 9MW2821 Approved for 2 Clinical Trials by CDE of NMPA

On November 14, 2024 Mabwell (688062.SH), an innovative biopharmaceutical company with entire industry chain, reported that its novel Nectin-4 targeting ADC (R&D code: 9MW2821) has received IND approval for two clinical studies (Press release, Mabwell Biotech, NOV 14, 2024, View Source [SID1234648421]). The first will explore its use in combination with a PD-1 monoclonal antibody in the treatment of perioperative urothelial carcinoma, while the second will investigate its combination with other antitumor agents for the treatment of advanced solid tumors.

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 recent approval of a multi-drug combination treatment program for cervical cancer and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, along with the expansion of 9MW2821’s indication to include the perioperative stage for urothelial carcinoma, is anticipated to significantly broaden the therapeutic reach of 9MW2821, potentially benefiting a larger patient population.

9MW2821 is a novel Nectin-4 targeting ADC developed by Mabwell. It stands out as the first clinical-stage drug candidate among Chinese companies for this specific target. Clinical studies for 9MW2821 are underway across a range of tumor indications:

Urothelial Carcinoma (UC):

Monotherapy has advanced to Phase III clinical trials and is included in the CDE’s Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) list.
Combination therapy with PD-1 has entered Phase III clinical trials.
Combination therapy with PD-1 for perioperative UC has been approved for clinical research.
Cervical Cancer (CC):

The first drug candidate targeting Nectin-4 to enter Phase III clinical trials globally.
Combination therapy with PD-1 and other drugs has been approved for clinical research.
Received FDA Fast Track Designation (FTD).
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC):

Monotherapy (post-chemotherapy and topoisomerase ADC treatment) has entered Phase II clinical trials.
Combination therapy with PD-1 has entered Phase II clinical trials.
Received FDA FTD.
Esophageal Cancer (EC):

Monotherapy has entered Phase II clinical trials.
Combination therapy with PD-1 and other drugs has been approved for clinical research.
Received FDA FTD for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC); received FDA Orphan Drug Designation (ODD).