AVEO Oncology Announces U.S. Commercial Availability of FOTIVDA® (tivozanib) for the Treatment of Adult Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma Ahead of Previous Guidance

On March 22, 2021 AVEO Oncology (Nasdaq: AVEO) reported that FOTIVDA (tivozanib) is now commercially available in the United States (U.S.) ahead of the previous March 31, 2021 guidance. On March 10, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved FOTIVDA for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) following two or more prior systemic therapies (Press release, AVEO, MAR 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234576968]). FOTIVDA is an oral, next-generation vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI).

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"We are thrilled to begin bringing FOTIVDA to patients battling relapsed or refractory kidney cancer," said Michael Bailey, president and chief executive officer of AVEO. "With its differentiated tolerability and efficacy profile, FOTIVDA has the potential to serve as a meaningful, evidence-based treatment option for the population of patients who have previously received two prior lines of systemic therapy."

"We are keenly focused on ensuring that FOTIVDA is available to as many appropriate patients as possible," said Mike Ferraresso, chief commercial officer of AVEO. "As part of this effort and our commitment to the RCC community, we have put in place an assistance program, AVEO ACE, which we believe will optimize patient access and help patients navigate their treatment journey. With the early FDA approval, the team has worked hard to make FOTIVDA available to patients as quickly as possible through our distribution partners and we believe we are well positioned for the successful launch of FOTIVDA."

The AVEO ACE Patient Support program is designed to offer a comprehensive suite of services dedicated to providing access and personalized support to patients and their loved ones throughout the FOTIVDA treatment journey. Regardless of a patient’s insurance or financial circumstances, AVEO ACE is available to connect them to resources they may need, with the goal of making access to FOTIVDA simple and streamlined. The program is committed to helping identify payor-specific prior authorizations and appeals to address patient needs, offering programs for insurance related delays, and connecting patients, regardless of insurance type, to resources that can address common access and reimbursement challenges. For more information, please call AVEO ACE at 1-833-FOTIVDA (1-833-368-4832) Monday-Friday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time.

FOTIVDA is available through a limited distribution network comprised of specialty pharmacies (Biologics & Onco360) and specialty distributors: Amerisource Specialty Distribution, Oncology Supply, McKesson Plasma and Biologics, McKesson Specialty and Cardinal Specialty.

About FOTIVDA (tivozanib)

FOTIVDA (tivozanib) is an oral, next-generation vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). It is a potent, selective inhibitor of VEGFRs 1, 2, and 3 with a long half-life designed to improve efficacy and tolerability. AVEO received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for FOTIVDA on March 10, 2021 for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) following two or more prior systemic therapies. FOTIVDA was approved in August 2017 in the European Union and other countries in the territory of its partner EUSA Pharma (UK) Limited for the treatment of adult patients with advanced RCC. FOTIVDA has been shown to significantly reduce regulatory T-cell production in preclinical models1. FOTIVDA was discovered by Kyowa Kirin.

INDICATIONS

FOTIVDA is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) following two or more prior systemic therapies.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Hypertension and Hypertensive Crisis: Control blood pressure prior to initiating FOTIVDA. Monitor for hypertension and treat as needed. For persistent hypertension despite use of anti-hypertensive medications, reduce the FOTIVDA dose.

Cardiac Failure: Monitor for signs or symptoms of cardiac failure throughout treatment with FOTIVDA.

Cardiac Ischemia and Arterial Thromboembolic Events: Closely monitor patients who are at increased risk for these events. Permanently discontinue FOTIVDA for severe arterial thromboembolic events, such as myocardial infarction and stroke.

Venous Thromboembolic Events: Closely monitor patients who are at increased risk for these events. Permanently discontinue FOTIVDA for severe venous thromboembolic events.

Hemorrhagic Events: Closely monitor patients who are at risk for or who have a history of bleeding.

Proteinuria: Monitor throughout treatment with FOTIVDA. For moderate to severe proteinuria, reduce the dose or temporarily interrupt treatment with FOTIVDA.

Thyroid Dysfunction: Monitor before initiation and throughout treatment with FOTIVDA.

Risk of Impaired Wound Healing: Withhold FOTIVDA for at least 24 days before elective surgery. Do not administer for at least 2 weeks following major surgery and adequate wound healing. The safety of resumption of FOTIVDA after resolution of wound healing complications has not been established.

Reversible Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome (RPLS): Discontinue FOTIVDA if signs or symptoms of RPLS occur.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: Can cause fetal harm. Advise patients of the potential risk to a fetus and to use effective contraception.

Allergic Reactions to Tartrazine: The 0.89 mg capsule of FOTIVDA contains FD&C Yellow No.5 (tartrazine) which may cause allergic-type reactions (including bronchial asthma) in certain susceptible patients.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

The most common (≥20%) adverse reactions were fatigue, hypertension, diarrhea, decreased appetite, nausea, dysphonia, hypothyroidism, cough, and stomatitis, and the most common Grade 3 or 4 laboratory abnormalities (≥5%) were sodium decreased, lipase increased, and phosphate decreased.

DRUG INTERACTIONS

Strong CYP3A4 Inducers: Avoid coadministration of FOTIVDA with strong CYP3A4 inducers.

USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

Lactation: Advise not to breastfeed.
Females and Males of Reproductive Potential: Can impair fertility.
Hepatic Impairment: Adjust dosage in patients with moderate hepatic impairment. Avoid use in patients with severe hepatic impairment.

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at 1-833-FOTIVDA (1-833-368-4832) or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Please see FOTIVDA Full Prescribing Information which is available at www.FOTIVDA.com.

About Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma

According to the American Cancer Society’s 2021 statistics, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer, which is among the ten most common cancers in both men and women. Approximately 73,750 new cases of kidney cancer will be diagnosed annually and about 14,830 people will die from this disease. In patients with late-stage disease, the five-year survival rate is 13%. Agents that target the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway have shown significant antitumor activity in RCC.2 According to a 2019 publication, 50% of the approximately 10,000 patients who progress following two or more lines of therapy choose not to receive further treatment,3 which may be attributable to tolerability concerns and a lack of data to support evidence-based treatment decisions in this highly relapsed or refractory patient population.

4D pharma Announces Completion of Merger With Longevity Acquisition Corporation

On March 22, 2021 4D pharma plc (Nasdaq: LBPS; AIM: DDDD) ("4D pharma" or the "Company"), a pharmaceutical company leading the development of Live Biotherapeutic products (LBPs) – a novel class of drug derived from the microbiome – reported completion of its merger ("the Merger") with Longevity Acquisition Corporation ("Longevity")(Nasdaq: LOAC) (Press release, 4d Pharma, MAR 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234576966]).

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4D pharma American Depositary Shares ("ADSs") are expected to begin trading today on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol ‘LBPS.’

Warrants of Longevity assumed by 4D pharma in the Merger are currently expected to begin trading on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol ‘LBPSW’ tomorrow, Tuesday, March 23, 2021. Longevity units are expected to be separated and holders thereof are expected receive 4D pharma ADSs and warrants in exchange at the same time as the warrants begin trading.

As a result of the Merger, Longevity shares, warrants, rights and units ceased trading on Nasdaq on Friday, March 19, 2021.

4D pharma ordinary shares continue to be admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market under the ticker symbol ‘DDDD.’

Sesen Bio and Qilu Pharmaceutical Announce Approval of IND Application in China for Vicineum™

On March 22, 2021 Sesen Bio (Nasdaq: SESN), a late-stage clinical company developing targeted fusion protein therapeutics for the treatment of patients with cancer, reported that the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for Vicineum for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) submitted to the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) by the Company’s partner in China, Qilu Pharmaceutical, was approved ahead of the original timeline of April 2021 (Press release, Sesen Bio, MAR 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234576965]).

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With approval of the IND, Qilu Pharmaceutical is authorized to conduct the proposed clinical trial to assess the efficacy and safety of Vicineum in patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC in China, at the sole cost of Qilu Pharmaceutical. Assuming a successful trial, Qilu Pharmaceutical anticipates submission of the product market application for Vicineum in 2022 with potential approval in China expected in 2023.

"The approval of the IND for Vicineum in China represents a significant milestone in realizing our mission to save and improve the lives of patients globally," said Dr. Thomas Cannell, president and chief executive officer of Sesen Bio. "Due to more limited use of BCG in China compared to the US, there is an opportunity to transform the treatment paradigm of NMIBC in China. The approval of the IND ahead of the original timeline underscores the strong collaboration between Sesen Bio and our partner, Qilu Pharmaceutical. Given the highly experienced clinical oncology team at Qilu Pharmaceutical, and the Phase 3 trial results achieved in the US, we are optimistic on the prospects for a successful trial and expeditious submission. We look forward to continuing to work with Qilu Pharmaceutical and the NMPA to bring this potentially best-in-class treatment to patients in China."

Sesen Bio is entitled to receive a $3M milestone payment from Qilu Pharmaceutical, the first of $23M in potential milestone payments. China represents a large potential market for Vicineum, with peak year sales estimated at $155-$418M. Additionally, the Company anticipates Qilu Pharmaceutical will become a key strategic partner for global supply of Vicineum and the manufacturing technology transfer to Qilu Pharmaceutical is on track to be completed in mid-2021. The completion of the manufacturing technology transfer triggers an additional $2M milestone payment.

About Vicineum
Vicineum, a locally administered fusion protein, is Sesen Bio’s lead product candidate being developed for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Vicineum is comprised of a recombinant fusion protein that targets epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) antigens on the surface of tumor cells to deliver a potent protein payload, Pseudomonas Exotoxin A. Vicineum is constructed with a stable, genetically engineered peptide tether to ensure the payload remains attached until it is internalized by the cancer cell, which is believed to decrease the risk of toxicity to healthy tissues, thereby improving its safety. In prior clinical trials conducted by Sesen Bio, EpCAM has been shown to be overexpressed in NMIBC cells with minimal to no EpCAM expression observed on normal bladder cells. Sesen Bio is currently in the follow-up stage of a Phase 3 registration trial in the US for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive NMIBC. In February 2021, the FDA accepted for filing the Company’s BLA for Vicineum for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive NMIBC and granted the application Priority Review with a PDUFA date of August 18, 2021. Additionally, Sesen Bio believes that cancer cell-killing properties of Vicineum promote an anti-tumor immune response that may potentially combine well with immuno-oncology drugs, such as checkpoint inhibitors. For this reason, the activity of Vicineum in BCG-unresponsive NMIBC is also being explored at the US National Cancer Institute in combination with AstraZeneca’s immune checkpoint inhibitor durvalumab.

XOMA Announces Approval of First Preferred Stock Dividend

On March 22, 2021 XOMA Corporation (Nasdaq: XOMA) ("XOMA" or the "Company") reported its Board of Directors approved a dividend of $0.71875 per share to holders of XOMA’s Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock (Nasdaq: XOMAP) (Press release, Xoma, MAR 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234576964]). The cash dividend will be paid on or about April 15, 2021, to XOMAP holders of record at the close of business on April 2, 2021.

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Anixa Biosciences and Moffitt Cancer Center File IND Application for Ovarian Cancer CAR-T Therapy

On March 22, 2021 Anixa Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANIX), a biotechnology company focused on the treatment and prevention of cancer and infectious diseases, reported that an IND (Investigational New Drug) application for its ovarian cancer CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) therapy has been filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Press release, Anixa Biosciences, MAR 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234576962]).

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This CAR-T therapy was invented by a team led by Dr. Jose Conejo-Garcia, while he was at the Wistar Institute. Dr. Conejo-Garcia is currently Chair of the Department of Immunology at Moffitt Cancer Center (MCC), where the IND enabling studies were performed, and where the clinical trial will be conducted, under the leadership of Dr. Robert Wenham, Chair of Gynecological Oncology at MCC. Anixa has a worldwide, exclusive commercial license to the technology.

The technology targets the follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) with engineered T-cells that use the follicle stimulating hormone as a homing mechanism. FSHR is found at immunological levels exclusively on the granulosa cells of the ovaries. Since the target is a hormone receptor, this technology is also known as CER-T (Chimeric Endocrine Receptor T-cell) therapy, a new type of CAR-T.

Dr. Wenham stated, "We are pleased to file this IND application, since women who have recurrent ovarian cancer have very few options. We hope the work of our scientific and clinical team at Anixa and MCC yields results that will address a critical unmet medical need."

"We are looking forward to the response from the FDA, and to eventually testing this therapy in humans," stated Dr. Conejo-Garcia. "This is a very high-profile program at MCC, as we believe this could be the first CAR-T therapy that has the potential to achieve clinical success in a solid tumor indication."

"This IND application is a major milestone for Anixa and our partners at MCC," stated Dr. Amit Kumar, President and CEO of Anixa Biosciences. "This is our second IND application filed within the last few months. Upon clearance from the FDA and commencement of the trial, we expect to have two programs in the clinic."