G1 Therapeutics Completes Enrollment in Global Multi-Center Phase 3 Clinical Trial of Trilaciclib in Patients with Metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)

On October 10, 2022 G1 Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: GTHX), a commercial-stage oncology company, reported that the last patient has been randomized in PRESERVE 2, G1’s Phase 3 clinical trial of trilaciclib in patients with metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) receiving chemotherapy (Press release, G1 Therapeutics, OCT 10, 2022, View Source [SID1234621850]). The trial includes 187 patients receiving first line trilaciclib or placebo prior to gemcitabine and carboplatin (GC).

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Trilaciclib, an IV-administered transient CDK4/6 inhibitor, is a first-in-class therapy designed to preserve bone marrow and immune system function during chemotherapy to improve patient outcomes. It is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in another indication. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation to trilaciclib investigation for use in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).

"TNBC tumors are aggressive and difficult to treat; and while chemotherapy with or without targeted therapy remains first line TNBC standard of care, there is a great need to improve survival beyond that expected from it – particularly without increasing toxicity," said Raj Malik, M.D., G1’s Chief Medical Officer. "PRESERVE 2 is exciting as it is evaluating trilaciclib in mTNBC to build on the robust survival benefit observed in the Phase 2 program. Completion of enrollment is an important milestone for G1 and the patients we seek to treat, and we look forward to the interim analysis, which is expected to occur in the second half of 2023. This is a registrational trial for which we have been granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration – and if the results are positive, we will work closely with the FDA to expedite our regulatory filing for approval in this indication."

Dr. Malik continued, "I’d like to thank the patients enrolled in the trial, the clinical investigators, our CRO partners, and the G1 and Simcere teams who worked together to reach this enrollment milestone."

About PRESERVE 2

PRESERVE 2 is a global multi-center, randomized placebo-controlled, line extension pivotal Phase 3 trial of trilaciclib in patients with metastatic TNBC receiving first line trilaciclib or placebo administered prior to GC. The regimen is given intravenously (IV) on Days 1 and 8 in 21-day cycles. Treatment is administered until disease progression.

The primary endpoint is to evaluate the effect of trilaciclib on overall survival (OS) compared with placebo in patients receiving first-line GC. Key secondary endpoints include assessment of the effect of trilaciclib on patients’ quality of life compared with placebo, myeloprotection measures, progression free survival (PFS), and overall rate of response (ORR). G1 expects the interim OS analysis to be conducted by its data monitoring committee at 70% of events in the second half of 2023. If the trial meets the interim analysis stopping rule, it will terminate, and G1 will report the topline results. If it does not, the trial will continue to the final analysis.

Fast Track Designation in TNBC

In July 2021, the Company announced that the UFDA has granted Fast Track designation to trilaciclib investigation for use in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Fast track is a process designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of drugs to treat serious conditions and fill unmet medical needs. The purpose is to get important new drugs to the patient earlier. A drug that receives Fast Track designation may be eligible for more frequent engagements with the FDA to discuss the drug’s clinical development plan, eligibility for Accelerated Approval and Priority Review, and Rolling Review in which the Company can submit completed sections of its New Drug Application (NDA) for FDA review rather than waiting until every section of the NDA is completed before the entire application can be reviewed.

Results from Randomized Phase 2 Trial of trilaciclib in mTNBC

G1 presented Phase 2 data at the 2020 the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) showing that trilaciclib significantly improved overall survival (OS) in patients with mTNBC treated with trilaciclib prior to administration of a chemotherapy regimen of gemcitabine/carboplatin (GC) compared with GC alone, and that trilaciclib enhanced immune system function. Patients were randomized to receive GC only (Group 1) or GC plus one of two dosing schedules of trilaciclib: trilaciclib administered on the day of chemotherapy (Group 2) or trilaciclib administered the day prior to and the day of chemotherapy (Group 3). Compared to GC alone (Group 1), statistically significant improvements in OS were achieved in both trilaciclib arms (Group 2: HR=0.31, p=0.0016; Group 3: HR=0.40, p=0.0004). As of the data cutoff of July 17, 2020, the median OS was 12.6 months in patients receiving GC alone, not yet reached for Group 2, and 17.8 months in Group 3. The median OS for Groups 2 and 3 combined was 19.8 months (HR=0.37, p<0.0001). Patients with both PD-L1-positive and PD-L1-negative tumors treated with trilaciclib and GC demonstrated improvement in OS compared to patients receiving GC alone, with the PD-L1-positive subset achieving statistically significant improvement. Data from T-cell clonality analysis suggest that administering trilaciclib prior to chemotherapy enhanced immune system function. (Poster here)

About Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)
According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 300,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer are diagnosed annually in the U.S. Triple-negative breast cancer makes up approximately 15-20% of such diagnosed breast cancers. TNBC is cancer that tests negative for estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and excess HER2 protein. Because mTNBC cells lack key growth-signaling receptors, patients do not respond well to medications that block estrogen, progesterone, or HER2 receptors. Instead, treating mTNBC typically involves chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. TNBC is considered to be more aggressive and have a poorer prognosis than other types of breast cancer. In general, survival rates tend to be lower with mTNBC compared to other forms of breast cancer, and mTNBC is also more likely than some other types of breast cancer to return after it has been treated, especially in the first few years after treatment. It also tends to be higher grade than other types of breast cancer.

Iovance Biotherapeutics Announces First Patient Dosed with PD-1 Inactivated Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL) Therapy

On October 10, 2022 Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: IOVA), a late-stage biotechnology company developing novel T cell-based cancer immunotherapies, reported that the first patient was dosed, and completed the safety observation period, in the IOV-GM1-201 trial of Iovance’s genetically modified, PD-1 inactivated TIL therapy, IOV-4001 (Press release, Iovance Biotherapeutics, OCT 10, 2022, View Source [SID1234621849]). IOV-GM1-201 is a Phase 1/2, first-in-human study investigating the safety and efficacy of IOV-4001 in patients with previously treated metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or advanced melanoma.

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Friedrich Graf Finckenstein, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Iovance, stated, "Dosing the first patient with IOV-4001 is an important first step in providing proof-of-concept for delivering genetically modified TIL therapy to solid tumor patients with significant unmet needs and few treatment options. We look forward to dosing the next patient. This trial may also support our broader platform of genetically modified Iovance TIL therapies to potentially address difficult-to-treat solid tumor cancers."

To inactivate the gene coding for the PD-1 protein, IOV-4001 utilizes the gene-editing TALEN technology licensed from Cellectis (Euronext Growth: ALCLS – NASDAQ: CLLS), a clinical-stage biotechnology company using its pioneering gene-editing platform to develop potentially life-saving cell and gene therapies. This single genetic modification in IOV-4001 may enhance the antitumor activity of the TIL mechanism to directly target and kill tumor cells.

Jason Chesney, M.D., Ph.D., Director and Endowed Professor, UofL Health – Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, and an IOV-GM1-201 principal investigator, stated, "I am excited about the potential for gene-editing to open new doors for TIL therapy in patients with solid tumor cancers that do not respond well to current treatment options. As the first multicenter clinical trial to investigate a genetically modified TIL therapy, the IOV-GM1-201 trial may pave the way for a promising new treatment approach to cancer."

PD-1 is a checkpoint protein found on T cells that normally acts as an "off switch" to help to prevent T cells from attacking other cells in the body. It works by binding to PD-L1, a protein found on both normal and cancerous cells, thereby shutting down an attack by a T cell. As a TIL therapy that is genetically modified to remove this important barrier for T cells to attack cancer, IOV-4001 has the potential to become an optimized, next generation TIL therapy for several solid tumor cancers. A poster on preclinical data was presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2022 Annual Meeting.

IOV-GM1-201 is actively enrolling adult participants with advanced NSCLC or unresectable or metastatic melanoma. For more information, eligibility criteria, and trial locations, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05361174) or contact [email protected].

Exact Sciences schedules third quarter 2022 earnings call

On October 10, 2022 Exact Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq: EXAS), a leading provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, reported that the company plans to release its third quarter 2022 financial results after the close of the U.S. financial markets on November 3, 2022 (Press release, Exact Sciences, OCT 10, 2022, View Source [SID1234621845]). Following the release, company management will host a webcast and conference call at 5 p.m. ET to discuss financial results and business progress.

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An archive of the webcast will be available at www.exactsciences.com. A replay of the conference call will be available by calling 800-770-2030 domestically or +1 647-362-9199 internationally. The access code for the replay of the call is 4437608. The webcast, conference call, and replay are open to all interested parties.

Alligator Bioscience to Present at 10th Annual Immuno-Oncology Summit, October 12 -14, 2022

On October 10, 2022 Alligator Bioscience AB (Nasdaq Stockholm: ATORX) reported that Mattias Levin, PhD, Sr Team Manager Antibody Engineering at Alligator Bioscience, will present at the 10th Annual Immuno-Oncology Summit being held in Boston and virtually, October 12-14 (Press release, Alligator Bioscience, OCT 10, 2022, View Source [SID1234621844]).

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Presentation Details:

Title: "Bispecific Tumor Antigen Conditional Agonistic Antibodies in Immuno-Oncology"
Date: Thursday 13 October 2022
Time: 10:30 am EDT / 4:30 pm CEST
The presentation will focus on Alligator’s Neo-X-Prime, a CD40-based bispecific platform with a dual mechanism of action that, in addition to CD40, targets tumor associated antigens (TAA) expressed at high densities. This enhances the uptake of tumor material by dendritic cells and increases effective neoantigen cross-priming of tumor specific T cells, resulting in increased anti-tumor efficacy. Neo-X-Prime bispecific antibodies address a key need in immune-oncology by increasing tumor specific T cells in the tumor microenvironment.

The presentation will highlight preclinical data and the medical opportunities in multiple cancer indications of ATOR-4066, Alligator’s preclinical first-in-class bispecific CD40 agonist.

Registration for the conference is open here.

The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 08:30 a.m. CET on October 10, 2022.

The China NMPA Approved CYRAMZA® (ramucirumab) for the Treatment in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

On October 9, 2022 Innovent Biologics, Inc. ("Innovent", HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high-quality medicines for the treatment of cancer, metabolic, autoimmune, ophthalmology and other major diseases, reported that the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China has approved the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for CYRAMZA (ramucirumab) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, also known as liver cancer), who have an alpha fetoprotein of ≥400 ng/mL and have been treated with sorafenib (Press release, Innovent Biologics, OCT 9, 2022, View Source [SID1234621843]). In March 2022, CYRAMZA (ramucirumab) was approved by the NMPA in combination with paclitaxel for second-line treatment in patients with advanced or metastatic, gastric or gastro-esophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma, making it the first and only targeted drug approved for the second-line treatment of advanced or metastatic, gastric or gastro-esophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma in China.

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CYRAMZA (ramucirumab) has been discovered and developed by Lilly. In March 2022, Innovent and Lilly expanded their strategic partnership in oncology, which includes an agreement for Innovent to obtain the sole commercialization rights of CYRAMZA (ramucirumab) once approved in China, which positions Innovent to be fully responsible for the pricing, importation, marketing, distribution and detailing of this product. With this further expanded oncology product portfolio, Innovent intends to use its experienced oncology commercial team to leverage its broad commercial coverage in hospitals and pharmacies at various tiers and to provide integrated patient solutions with strong synergies to cancer patients in China.

This new approval was based on the results of the REACH-2 study[1],[2], a global randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical trial. The REACH-2 study is the first Phase 3 clinical trial in HCC to obtain positive results in a biomarker-enriched population known for poor prognosis. On the primary endpoint of overall survival (OS), treatment with CYRAMZA significantly improved the OS of patients compared to placebo (HR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.53-0.95; P=0.020). The median OS was 8.5 months with CYRAMZA, compared to 7.3 months with placebo. On the secondary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS), median PFS was significantly improved with CYRAMZA (2.8 months vs. 1.6 months for placebo (HR: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.34-0.60; P<0.0001)). Objective response rate (ORR) was numerically higher with CYRAMZA compared to placebo (4.6% vs. 1.1%). Disease control rate (DCR) was higher with CYRAMZA than with placebo (59.9% vs. 38.9%). CYRAMZA was well-tolerated in Chinese patients and the overall patient population. The safety and efficacy profile of CYRAMZA in the Chinese population was consistent with that observed in previously reported global studies[2].

Professor Shukui Qin, the principal investigator of REACH-2 in China and the Director of the Cancer Center of Nanjing Jinling Hospital stated, "Primary Liver Cancer (PLC) is the fourth most common cancer in terms of prevalence and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in China with only a 12.1% five-year survival rate. HCC is the main type of PLC and most HCC patients with AFP ≥ 400ng/ml experience greater disease progression on or after first-line treatment[3]. New treatment options are urgently needed to improve outcomes in these patients[4]. Globally, CYRAMZA is the first approved novel medicine specifically evaluated in the biomarker-enriched population of HCC patients with AFP ≥ 400ng/ml; the study results in Chinese patients demonstrated a consistent efficacy and safety profile with the global population. I believe the approval will ignite a positive impact on the clinical practice of liver cancer in China, bringing a new and efficacious treatment option for Chinese patients with advanced HCC."

Dr. Yongjun Liu, President of Innovent, stated, "Hepatocellular carcinoma ranks fifth among the number of new cases in China, with approximately 410,000 new cases yearly and the number of deaths each year are nearly the same[3]. Most patients will experience disease progression after current first-line therapy and are left with limited treatment options. We are excited about the approval of CYRAMZA, the first innovative drug proven to have clinical benefits for a biomarker-enriched population of patients with HCC. This differentiated product will potentially be an exciting treatment option and bring new hope to patients in China with advanced HCC. The successive approvals of CYRAMZA in second-line GC/GEJ and HCC this year enable us to provide integrated patient solutions with strong portfolio synergies while enhancing our leading franchise in these two large cancer indications. Innovent is fully committed to making these new treatment options available to benefit more cancer patients in China as soon as possible."

About Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Primary liver cancer(PLC)is a common malignancy of the digestive system worldwide, among which about half of all new cases and deaths occur in China. The main pathological types of liver cancer are hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which accounts for 85 to 90 percent, and a small number of cases of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC)and HCC-ICC mixed liver cancer. In China, HCC is primarily caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.[5]

About CYRAMZA (ramucirumab)

CYRAMZA is an antiangiogenic therapy. It is a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) Receptor 2 antagonist that binds specifically to VEGFR-2, thereby blocking the binding of the receptor ligands (VEGF-A, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D) – which may slow tumor growth.[6] In recent years, studies have shown that the VEGF pathway is an important signaling pathway involved in tumor angiogenesis, and it is also the main target pathway in targeted therapy of liver cancer[7]. From the existing research results, the single drug use of compounds targeting the VEGF pathway can bring survival benefits to patients and is a very promising treatment method in the treatment of liver cancer.[7]

In March 2022, CYRAMZA (ramucirumab) in combination with paclitaxel was approved by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for second-line treatment in patients with advanced or metastatic, gastric or gastro-esophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma.

In October 2022, CYRAMZA (ramucirumab) was approved by the NMPA for patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) who have an alpha fetoprotein (AFP) of ≥400 ng/mL and have been treated with sorafenib.

About Innovent’s Strategic Cooperation with Eli Lilly and Company

Innovent entered into a strategic collaboration with Lilly focused on biological medicine in March 2015 – a groundbreaking partnership between a Chinese pharmaceutical company and a multinational pharmaceutical company. Under the agreement, Innovent and Lilly will co-develop and commercialize oncology medicines, including TYVYT (sintilimab injection) in China. In October 2015, the two companies announced the extension of their existing collaboration to include co-development of three additional oncology antibodies targeting oncology indications. In August 2019, Innovent further entered into a licensing agreement with Lilly to develop and commercialize a potentially global best-in-class diabetes medicine in China. This collaboration with Lilly indicates that Innovent has established a comprehensive level of cooperation between China’s innovative pharmaceuticals sector and the international pharmaceuticals sector in fields such as R&D, CMC, clinical development and commercialization. In August 2020,Lilly and Innovent announced a global expansion of their strategic alliance for sintilimab, whereby Lilly obtained an exclusive license for sintilimab for geographies outside of China and plans to pursue registration of sintilimab in the U.S. and other geographies outside of China. In March 2022, Lilly and Innovent entered into a fifth agreement to expand their strategic partnership in oncology, in which Innovent obtained the sole commercialization rights to import, market, promote, distribute and detail CYRAMZA (ramucirumab) and selpercatinib once approved in Mainland China, and a right of first negotiation for potential future commercialization of pirtobrutinib in Mainland China.