On May 6, 2025 CRISPR Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CRSP), a biopharmaceutical company focused on creating transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases, reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025 (Press release, CRISPR Therapeutics, MAY 6, 2025, View Source [SID1234652570]).

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"CRISPR Therapeutics remains focused on executing our strategic priorities and advancing our portfolio of innovative therapies. We are highly encouraged by the initial data from our Phase 1 trial for CTX310, which demonstrates the power of our in vivo gene editing platform to deliver paradigm changing medicines to patients with serious cardiovascular disease," said Samarth Kulkarni, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CRISPR Therapeutics. "Additionally, we are pleased with the continued progress of Casgevy and the broader pipeline, and we look forward to sharing further clinical updates in the months ahead."

Recent Highlights and Outlook

In Vivo Liver Editing Programs

CTX310 targets ANGPTL3, a gene that encodes for key protein involved in the regulation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglyceride (TG) levels – both well-established risk factors for atherosclerotic heart disease (ASCVD). Loss-of-function mutations in ANGPTL3 are associated with significantly reduced levels of LDL and TGs, as well as reduced risk of ASCVD, without adverse effects on overall health. In the U.S. alone, more than 40 million patients are affected by elevated LDL, severely elevated TGs or both – representing a large addressable patient population. CTX310 is initially focused on a high-risk subset of this group with the greatest unmet medical need and limited effective treatment options.

CTX310 is in an ongoing Phase 1 first-in-human dose escalation clinical trial targeting ANGPTL3 in four patient groups with elevated LDL, TG or both including homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), severe hypertriglyceridemia (sHTG), heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), or mixed dyslipidemias (MDL) with levels of TG (>300 mg/dL) and/or LDL-C (>100 mg/dL); >70 mg/dL for subjects with ASCVD. TG and LDL, both of which are validated as surrogate endpoints for clinical benefit and accepted by regulatory agencies, were assessed at various timepoints.

Top-line data reported today are from the first 10 patients across the first four cohorts (lean body weight-based doses of DL1 [0.1 mg/kg], DL2[0.3 mg/kg], DL3 [0.6 mg/kg] and DL4 [0.8 mg/kg]) with at least 30 days of follow-up for each participant as of a data cutoff date of April 16, 2025.

A single dose of CTX310 demonstrated dose-dependent decreases in ANGPTL3, TGs, and LDL. Based upon ANGPTL3 knockdown, DL1 and DL2 were minimally active doses, whereas treatment at DL3 and DL4 resulted in reductions of up to 75% of baseline levels in ANGPTL3. CTX310 has been well-tolerated, with no treatment-related severe adverse events (SAEs) and no grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs) reported. No clinically significant changes in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), bilirubin, or platelets were observed at any dose level. There were no dose-dependent trends in any of these laboratory measurements.

Mean % Change from Baseline at Day 30 post-infusion
(+/- SEM)
Dose Level (DL) DL1 + DL2
0.1 + 0.3 mg/kg
(n=6) DL3
0.6 mg/kg
(n=3) DL4
0.8 mg/kg
(n=1)
Patient type HeFH (4), MDL, sHTG MDL (2), HeFH sHTG
Triglycerides -10.6% ± 13.1% -55.7% ± 8.0% -81.9%
LDL 34.8% ± 27.0% -28.5% ± 24.4% -64.6%

Compelling individual patient responses highlight the therapeutic potential of CTX310: a DL4 patient with sHTG had an 82% reduction in triglycerides from a baseline of 1073 mg/dL at day 30, and a DL3 patient with HeFH had an 81% reduction in LDL-C from a baseline of 256 mg/dL at day 90 – supporting the potential for targeted efficacy in high-risk populations.

These initial results represent a significant milestone in the advancement of CRISPR Therapeutics’ proprietary lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery technologies for gene editing in the liver. The Company plans to present the CTX310 Phase 1 data at a medical meeting in the second half of 2025.

CTX320 is in an ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial targeting the LPA gene in patients with elevated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], a genetically determined risk factor associated with increased incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Elevated Lp(a) levels are prevalent in up to 20% of the global population. Dose escalation is ongoing, with an update expected in the second quarter of 2025.

CRISPR Therapeutics continues to advance two preclinical programs: CTX340, targeting angiotensinogen (AGT) for the treatment of refractory hypertension, and CTX450, targeting 5’ aminolevulinic acid synthase 1 (ALAS1) for the treatment of acute hepatic porphyrias (AHP). Both candidates are currently in IND/CTA-enabling studies.

Hemoglobinopathies and CASGEVY (exagamglogene autotemcel [exa-cel])

CASGEVY is approved in the U.S., Great Britain, the EU, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the Kingdom of Bahrain (Bahrain), Canada, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the treatment of both SCD and TDT, and launches are ongoing. Building on the foundational launch in 2024, significant progress is being made to bring this transformative therapy to patients worldwide.

As of May 1, more than 65 authorized treatment centers (ATCs) have been activated globally and approximately 90 patients have had their first cell collection. The number of new patients initiating cell collection is expected to grow significantly throughout 2025.

Vertex has secured a formal reimbursement agreement with NHS England, enabling access to CASGEVY for patients with SCD. This follows an earlier agreement, reaching in August 2024, providing access for eligible patients with TDT. A similar reimbursement agreement has been established in Wales for eligible SCD and TDT patients. Following a positive assessment, national reimbursement was finalized in Austria. In the Middle East, reimbursement was also finalized across the majority of Emirates, following regulatory approval in the UAE.

A manufacturing license application has been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with commercial production in Portsmouth, New Hampshire expected to begin in the second half of 2025. This submission is part of the planned ramp-up of CASGEVY manufacturing capacity as demand for the therapy increases.

CRISPR Therapeutics continues to advance its next-generation approaches designed to significantly broaden the addressable patient population for SCD and TDT. The Company’s internally developed targeted conditioning program, an anti-CD117 (c-Kit) antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), remains on track in preclinical development. In parallel, the Company is making continued progress in its in vivo editing platform aimed at enabling direct editing of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) without the need for conditioning. By potentially eliminating the need for conditioning, this approach could unlock access to transformative therapies for a significantly larger patient population.

Immuno-Oncology and Autoimmune Disease Programs

Clinical trials are ongoing for its next-generation allogeneic CAR T product candidates, CTX112 and CTX131, targeting CD19 and CD70, respectively, across multiple indications. Both candidates incorporate novel potency edits which can lead to significantly higher CAR T cell expansion and cytotoxicity, potentially establishing them as best-in-class allogeneic CAR T products for their respective targets. CTX112 is being developed for hematologic malignancies and autoimmune diseases and has the potential to be best-in-class based on preliminary data.

Encouraging clinical data from the ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial of CTX112 in relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies supported the FDA’s decision to grant Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation for the treatment of relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma and marginal zone lymphoma.

CTX112 is also in an ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial in autoimmune diseases, including indications such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis and inflammatory myositis. Preliminary safety, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic data from oncology trials support its potential in autoimmune indications. The Company plans to provide an update for both oncology and autoimmune disease in mid-2025.

Clinical trials for CTX131 are ongoing in both solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, with updates expected in 2025. In parallel, an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for glypican-3 (GPC3)-targeted gene-edited autologous CAR T program for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma has been opened by our partner, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

CRISPR Therapeutics’ immuno-oncology and autoimmune disease efforts are supported by a wholly-owned, U.S. manufacturing facility located in Framingham, MA. This investment enables the production of clinical and commercial-stage good manufacturing practice (GMP) materials across the Company’s allogeneic cell therapy programs.

Regenerative Medicine Programs

CRISPR Therapeutics continues to advance its regenerative medicine efforts in Type 1 diabetes (T1D). In addition to CTX211, the Company continues to advance next-generation programs focusing on induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derived, allogeneic, gene-edited, beta islet cell precursors. These approaches aim to achieve insulin independence in T1D patients without the need for chronic immunosuppression. The Company expects to provide an update in 2025.

Upcoming Events

The Company will participate in the following events in May:

3rd Annual H.C. Wainwright BioConnect Investor Conference, May 20
2025 RBC Capital Markets Global Healthcare Conference, May 20

First Quarter 2025 Financial Results

Cash Position: Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities were $1,855.3 million as of March 31, 2025, compared to $1,903.8 million as of December 31, 2024. The decrease in cash was primarily driven by operating expenses, offset by proceeds from interest income and employee option exercises.

R&D Expenses: R&D expenses were $72.5 million for the first quarter of 2025, compared to $76.2 million for the first quarter of 2024. The decrease in R&D expense was primarily driven by a decrease in employee-related expenses, including stock-based compensation expenses.

G&A Expenses: General and administrative expenses were $19.3 million for the first quarter of 2025, compared to $18.0 million for the first quarter of 2024.

Collaboration Expense: Collaboration expense, net, was $57.5 million for the first quarter of 2025, compared to $47.0 million for the first quarter of 2024. The increase in collaboration expense, net, was primarily attributable to costs related to CASGEVY and collaboration expenses related to in vivo HSC editing, offset by CASGEVY product sales.

Net Loss: Net loss was $136.0 million for the first quarter of 2025, compared to a net loss of $116.6 million for the first quarter of 2024.

About CASGEVY (exagamglogene autotemcel [exa-cel])
CASGEVY is a non-viral, ex vivo CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited cell therapy for eligible patients with SCD or TDT, in which a patient’s own hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells are edited at the erythroid specific enhancer region of the BCL11A gene. This edit results in the production of high levels of fetal hemoglobin (HbF; hemoglobin F) in red blood cells. HbF is the form of the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin that is naturally present during fetal development, which then switches to the adult form of hemoglobin after birth. CASGEVY has been shown to reduce or eliminate recurrent vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) for patients with SCD and transfusion requirements for patients with TDT. CASGEVY is approved for certain indications in multiple jurisdictions for eligible patients.

About the CRISPR Collaboration and Vertex
CRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex entered into a strategic research collaboration in 2015 focused on the use of CRISPR/Cas9 to discover and develop potential new treatments aimed at the underlying genetic causes of human disease. CASGEVY represents the first potential treatment to emerge from the joint research program. Under an amended collaboration agreement, Vertex now leads global development, manufacturing, and commercialization of CASGEVY and splits program costs and profits worldwide 60/40 with CRISPR Therapeutics. Vertex is the manufacturer and exclusive license holder of CASGEVY.

About CTX112
CTX112 is being developed for both oncology and autoimmune indications. CTX112 is a next-generation, wholly-owned, allogeneic CAR T product candidate targeting Cluster of Differentiation 19, or CD19, which incorporates edits designed to evade the immune system, enhance CAR T potency, and reduce CAR T exhaustion. CTX112 is being investigated in an ongoing clinical trial designed to assess safety and efficacy of the product candidate in adult patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies who have received at least two prior lines of therapy. In addition, CTX112 is being investigated in an ongoing clinical trial designed to assess the safety and efficacy of the product candidate in adult patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, and inflammatory myositis.

About CTX131
CTX131 is being developed for both solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, including T cell lymphomas (TCL). CTX131 is a next-generation, wholly-owned, allogeneic CAR T product candidate targeting Cluster of Differentiation 70, or CD70, an antigen expressed on various solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. CTX131 incorporates edits designed to evade the immune system, prevent fratricide, enhance CAR T potency, and reduce CAR T exhaustion. CTX131 is being investigated in ongoing clinical trials designed to assess the safety and efficacy of the product candidate in adult patients with relapsed or refractory solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, including TCL.

About In Vivo Programs
CRISPR Therapeutics has established a proprietary lipid nanoparticle (LNP) platform for the delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 to the liver. The Company’s in vivo portfolio includes its lead investigational programs, CTX310 (directed towards angiopoietin-related protein 3 (ANGPTL3)) and CTX320 (directed towards LPA, the gene encoding apolipoprotein(a) (apo(a)), a major component of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)]). Both are validated therapeutic targets for cardiovascular disease. CTX310 and CTX320 are in ongoing clinical trials in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, mixed dyslipidemias, or severe hypertriglyceridemia, and in patients with elevated lipoprotein(a), respectively. In addition, the Company’s research and preclinical development candidates include CTX340 and CTX450, targeting angiotensinogen (AGT) for refractory hypertension and 5’-aminolevulinate synthase 1 (ALAS1) for acute hepatic porphyria (AHP), respectively.

About CTX211
CTX211 is an allogeneic, gene-edited, stem cell-derived investigational therapy for the treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D), which incorporates gene edits that aim to make cells hypoimmune and enhance cell fitness. This immune-evasive cell replacement therapy is designed to enable patients to produce their own insulin in response to glucose. A Phase 1 clinical trial for CTX211 for the treatment of T1D is ongoing.

On May 6, 2025 Nuvectis Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: NVCT) ("Nuvectis" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative precision medicines for the treatment of serious conditions of unmet medical need in oncology, reported its financial results for the first quarter 2025 and provided an update on recent business progress (Press release, Nuvectis Pharma, MAY 6, 2025, View Source [SID1234652586]).

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Ron Bentsur, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nuvectis, commented, "The start of 2025 has been eventful for us at Nuvectis as we continued to advance our two clinical programs." Mr. Bentsur continued, "Last week we provided the first clinical data update for NXP900 from the Phase 1a dose escalation "all comers" study, demonstrating a robust pharmacodynamic response and acceptable safety profile in patients with advanced cancers. We are approaching the conclusion of this portion of the Phase 1 program and are completing our preparations for the Phase 1b portion, into which patients with cancers harboring specific genetic alterations will be enrolled to evaluate, for the first time, the therapeutic potential of single agent NXP900 in target patients. In addition, we continue to advance the combination portion of the Phase 1b program, with recent AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) preclinical poster presentations highlighting the potential of NXP900 as a combination partner to market-leading EGFR and ALK kinase inhibitors, combinations aimed at overcoming acquired resistance to these treatments in non-small cell lung cancer. On the NXP800 side, enrollment into the Phase 1b study in patients with platinum resistant, ARID1a mutated ovarian cancer continues, and we expect to provide an update from this study in a couple of months." Mr. Bentsur concluded, "We are excited about the upcoming months with NXP900 entering the Phase 1b portion of its clinical development and believe that with the recent financing we have working capital to take us through key clinical development milestones and into 2027."

First Quarter 2025 Financial Results

Cash and cash equivalents were $29.9 million as of March 31, 2025, compared to $18.5 million as of December 31, 2024. The increase of $11.4 million in cash balance in the first quarter of 2025 is a result of the Company’s public offering in February 2025 with net proceeds of $14.0 million, after transaction fees and expenses, and the utilization of the at-the-market facility, partially offset by the operating expenses for the quarter.

The Company’s net loss was $5.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to $4.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, an increase in net loss of $1.1 million. Non-cash stock-based compensation was $1.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 compared to $1.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2025, also included $0.5 million in one-time non-recurring charges.

Research and development expenses, including non-cash stock-based compensation, were $3.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to $2.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023, an increase of $1.0 million.

General and administrative expenses, including non-cash stock-based compensation, were $1.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to $1.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, an increase of $0.2 million.

Interest income was $0.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to $0.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

On May 6, 2025 Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE AMERICAN: ATNM) (Actinium or the Company), a pioneer in the development of targeted radiotherapies, reported that the first patient was enrolled on the trial studying Iomab-ACT targeted conditioning with a commercial CAR-T therapy at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) (NCT06768905) (Press release, Actinium Pharmaceuticals, MAY 6, 2025, View Source [SID1234652603]). Initial clinical data from this trial is expected in the second half of 2025. Actinium is developing Iomab-ACT as a targeted radiotherapy conditioning agent intended to replace non-targeted chemotherapeutic conditioning agents such as Fludarabine and Cyclophosphamide (Flu/Cy) to address serious CAR-T related toxicities including immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity (ICANS) and cytokine release syndrome (CRS), to potentially improve patient access and outcomes. Currently, there are seven CAR-T therapies approved for certain leukemias and lymphomas and multiple myeloma, that over 150,000 patients are diagnosed with annually. In 2024, the seven approved CAR-T therapies generated over $4 billion in sales and CAR-T therapies are forecasted to reach $12 billion in annual sales in 2030.

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Dr. Farrukh Awan, Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology Oncology at UTSW said, "We are thrilled to initiate patient enrollment to study Iomab-ACT targeted radiotherapy conditioning with a commercial CAR-T therapy. Iomab-ACT is supported by compelling preclinical and clinical data, and we believe it has immense potential to eliminate the need for chemotherapy-based conditioning, which is a major barrier for many patients seeking CAR-T treatment. Despite the positive impact CAR-T therapy has had on patient outcomes, there is still significant room for improvement. We are optimistic that Iomab-ACT can transform CAR-T therapy conditioning if this trial demonstrates it has the ability to increase patients access and reduce the rates and severity of ICANS and CRS and also potentially improve patient outcomes. We are excited to begin treating patients with Iomab-ACT and eager to present our preliminary findings later this year."

Iomab-ACT targets CD45, a cell surface marker expressed on immune cells relevant to CAR-T therapy including lymphocytes and is the only clinical stage conditioning agent targeting CD45. Preclinical data demonstrated that Iomab-ACT can selectively target immune cells implicated in CAR-T toxicities, while sparing bone marrow stem cells, red blood cells and platelets. Preclinical and clinical data also showed that Iomab-ACT produces transient lymphodepletion that aligns with the CAR-T treatment process. This data supported the first clinical trial of Iomab-ACT with a novel CD19 CAR-T therapy in collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in patients heavily pretreated with relapsed and refractory B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL) or Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). In this study, no patients (0/4) developed ICANS of any grade, and minimal CRS. Iomab-ACT also demonstrated transient depletion of peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes, persistence of CAR T-cells up to 8 weeks and minimal non-hematologic toxicities. These positive findings supported the continued advancement of Iomab-ACT and the initiation of the commercial CAR-T trial at UTSW.

Sandesh Seth, Actinium’s Chairman and CEO, stated, "This is a pivotal moment for our Iomab-ACT CD45 targeted radiotherapy conditioning program. Iomab-ACT is a highly differentiated conditioning agent that has produced promising initial clinical results where multiple targeted conditioning approaches including monoclonal antibodies and antibody drug conjugates directed against a variety of targets have not achieved clinical success to date. Based on the promising initial outcomes from the pilot study of Iomab-ACT with a novel CD19 CAR-T, we are incredibly excited by the potential of this commercial CAR-T trial and future development path. With initial clinical data expected beginning in the second half of this year, we are making strong progress to achieving our goal of establishing Iomab-ACT as a universal targeted conditioning regimen for CAR-T and other cellular therapies."

Targeted Radiotherapy CAR-T Conditioning Opportunity

A multi-billion-dollar market opportunity exists for better conditioning in other areas of cellular therapy, such as CAR-T. Currently, there are seven CAR T-cell therapies targeting CD19 for lymphoma and leukemia and BCMA for multiple myeloma that are approved by the FDA with total sales of over $4.0 billion in 2024. The pipeline of CAR-T therapies in development has rapidly expanded, with the addressable patient population expected to nearly double and reach approximately 93,000 patients in the U.S. by 2030 based on the current pipeline of cellular therapies. The addressable market for Iomab-ACT is in line with the patient population for cellular therapies that is approximately150,000 patients annually across the indications in which CAR-T therapies are approved, as all patients receive conditioning of some type. We believe a potential blockbuster revenue opportunity exists for Iomab-ACT assuming it can provide clinical benefits related to adverse events related to CAR-T, longer duration of response or improved survival outcomes.

On May 5, 2025 Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NASDAQ: CORT), a commercial-stage company engaged in the discovery and development of medications to treat serious endocrinologic, oncologic, metabolic and neurologic disorders by modulating the effects of the hormone cortisol, reported its results for the quarter ended March 31, 2025 (Press release, Corcept Therapeutics, MAY 5, 2025, https://ir.corcept.com/news-releases/news-release-details/corcept-therapeutics-announces-first-quarter-financial-results-2 [SID1234652506]).

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Financial Results

"In the first quarter, we had another record number of prescriptions from new and existing prescribers, broadly distributed throughout the country. Growing physician awareness of hypercortisolism has resulted in increased screening and treatment of patients with this devastating disease. Our specialty pharmacy vendor began the quarter unable to fulfill this surge in demand, which negatively affected our first quarter financial results. Pharmacy operations improved substantially in March and April, with each month setting a record for tablets dispensed. We are reiterating our 2025 revenue guidance of $900 – $950 million," said Joseph K. Belanoff, M.D., Corcept’s Chief Executive Officer.

Corcept’s first quarter 2025 revenue was $157.2 million, compared to $146.8 million in the first quarter of 2024. First quarter 2025 operating expenses were $153.8 million, compared to $117.3 million in the same period last year. Net income was $20.5 million in the first quarter of 2025, compared to $27.8 million in the first quarter of 2024.

Cash and investments were $570.8 million at March 31, 2025, compared to $603.2 million at December 31, 2024. The balance at March 31, 2025 reflects the acquisition of $43.3 million of common stock in the first quarter pursuant to the company’s stock repurchase program, net exercise of employee stock options and net vesting of restricted stock grants.

Clinical Development

"Our New Drug Application (NDA) for relacorilant in hypercortisolism is progressing towards approval by the end of this year. We will submit our NDA next quarter for relacorilant in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. We expect that relacorilant will have a role in helping treat earlier stages of ovarian cancer and other tumors that express the glucocorticoid receptor and have already begun our next clinical trial, BELLA. Meanwhile, we are making progress in understanding the role of cortisol modulation to treat a broad range of other serious disorders, including ALS and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH)," added Dr. Belanoff.

Hypercortisolism (Cushing’s Syndrome)

Relacorilant for patients with hypercortisolism – U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted NDA for filing; Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of December 30, 2025
GRACE – Pivotal Phase 3 trial of relacorilant in 152 patients with all etiologies of hypercortisolism – Results presented at Endocrine Society (ENDO) annual meeting and Heart in Diabetes (HiD) conference in June 2024
GRADIENT – Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 3 trial of relacorilant in 137 patients with hypercortisolism caused by adrenal gland pathology – Results will be presented at American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE) annual meeting in May 2025
Phase 3 long-term extension study of 116 patients who completed the GRACE, GRADIENT or Phase 2 relacorilant studies – Results presented at World Congress on Insulin Resistance, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease (WCIRDC) in December 2024
CATALYST Part 1 – Prevalence of hypercortisolism in patients with difficult-to-control type 2 diabetes – Results published in Diabetes Care in April 2025
CATALYST Part 2 – Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of Korlym in 136 patients with hypercortisolism – Results to be presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 85th Scientific Sessions (ADA) in June 2025
MOMENTUM – Enrollment continues in 1,000-patient trial examining the prevalence of hypercortisolism in patients with resistant hypertension – Results expected by year-end
"The positive results from our pivotal GRACE, GRADIENT, long-term extension and Phase 2 studies provide powerful support for the NDA for relacorilant in hypercortisolism. Patients in these studies experienced clinically significant improvements in a wide array of the signs and symptoms of hypercortisolism, without the off-target effects and toxicities that accompany currently available treatments. Relacorilant has the potential to become the new standard of care for patients with hypercortisolism," said Bill Guyer, PharmD, Corcept’s Chief Development Officer.

"CATALYST is a landmark study that will change the way physicians treat some of their sickest patients. Its findings are striking: One in four patients whose diabetes resists treatment with the best available medications have hypercortisolism; hyperglycemia in these patients responds powerfully to treatment with a cortisol modulator. We reached an important milestone with the publication of CATALYST’s prevalence phase results in Diabetes Care and look forward to presenting the full results of the study’s treatment phase at ADA next month," added Dr. Guyer. "Building on the insights from CATALYST, our MOMENTUM study will deepen physicians’ understanding of hypercortisolism as a cause of resistant hypertension."

Oncology

Relacorilant for patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer – NDA submission expected in the third quarter with submission of Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) in Europe shortly thereafter
ROSELLA – Primary endpoint of improved progression-free survival (PFS) met in pivotal Phase 3 trial of relacorilant plus nab-paclitaxel in 381 patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (hazard ratio: 0.70; p-value: 0.008; median PFS of 6.5 versus 5.5 months); interim evaluation of overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio: 0.69; p-value: 0.01; median OS of 16.0 versus 11.5 months), with no increase in side effect burden – Results to be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) annual meeting in June 2025
BELLA – Enrollment underway in Phase 2 trial of relacorilant plus nab-paclitaxel and bevacizumab in 90 patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer
Early-stage prostate cancer – Enrollment continues in randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase 2 trial of relacorilant plus enzalutamide in patients with early-stage prostate cancer, conducted in collaboration with the University of Chicago
"The ROSELLA results are an important advance for patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, a disease with few treatment options. The PFS and OS improvements demonstrated in ROSELLA, with no increase in safety burden, bring us closer to delivering a new standard of care for these patients. We look forward to presenting the full results from ROSELLA in a late-breaker session at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) and submitting our NDA next quarter," said Dr. Guyer. "We are building on the findings from ROSELLA with our BELLA study, which will examine whether combining relacorilant with two medications – nab-paclitaxel and bevacizumab – will offer patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer another potent treatment option."

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

DAZALS – In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 study in 249 patients with ALS, dazucorilant did not meet the primary endpoint of improvement in the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R)
DAZALS – An exploratory analysis at the one-year mark shows that patients who received 300 mg of dazucorilant at baseline demonstrate significantly improved overall survival, compared to patients who received placebo and did not switch to dazucorilant in the long-term extension study (hazard ratio of 0.16, p-value: 0.0009)
DAZALS – Results to be presented at European Network to Cure ALS (ENCALS) annual meeting in June 2025
"ALS is a devastating disease. Patients who received dazucorilant did not show improvement in the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R), which was DAZALS’ primary endpoint. An improvement in overall survival, first seen at the six-month mark, was also observed at year one of the study. An exploratory analysis determined that patients who received 300 mg of dazucorilant at the start of the study lived significantly longer than patients who received placebo and did not switch to dazucorilant in the long-term extension study, with a hazard ratio of 0.16 (p-value: 0.0009). This long-term extension study is on-going. We will immediately seek input from U.S. and European regulatory authorities on the next steps with dazucorilant," said Dr. Guyer.

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH)

MONARCH – Enrollment continues in randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 2b trial of miricorilant in patients with biopsy-confirmed or presumed MASH
"In our Phase 1b study, miricorilant reduced liver fat very rapidly, improved liver health and key metabolic and lipid measures and was well-tolerated. We look forward to building on these promising results in our MONARCH study. First results are expected by the end of next year," said Dr. Guyer.

Conference Call

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On May 5, 2025 AstraZeneca reported that Calquence (acalabrutinib) in combination with bendamustine and rituximab has been approved in the European Union (EU) for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant (Press release, AstraZeneca, MAY 5, 2025, View Source [SID1234652524]).

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The approval by the European Commission follows the positive opinion of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use and was based on positive results from ECHO Phase III trial, presented at the European Haematology Association (EHA) (Free EHA Whitepaper) 2024 Congress and published in The Journal of Clinical Oncology, which demonstrated that Calquence plus bendamustine and rituximab reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 27% compared to standard-of-care chemoimmunotherapy (hazard ratio [HR] 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57-0.94; p=0.016). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 66.4 months for patients treated with the Calquence combination versus 49.6 with chemoimmunotherapy alone.

MCL is a rare and typically aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, often diagnosed at an advanced stage.1,2 An estimated 6,000 patients were diagnosed with MCL in the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy in 2024.3

Martin Dreyling, MD, Department of Medicine, University Hospital LMU Munich, and investigator in the trial, said: "This approval provides a new first-line treatment option for patients in the EU with mantle cell lymphoma, an aggressive lymphoma with a dismal long-term outcome still today. With a progression-free survival improvement of more than 16 months for these patients, the acalabrutinib combination is a much-needed advance in this challenging disease."

Dave Fredrickson, Executive Vice President, Oncology Haematology Business Unit, AstraZeneca, said: "Treatment with the Calquence combination in first-line mantle cell lymphoma demonstrated a significant improvement in progression free survival and a consistent safety profile for patients in the pivotal ECHO trial. As the first and only BTK inhibitor approved in this indication in the EU, we are proud to provide a much-needed new option to patients living with this difficult disease."

The safety and tolerability of Calquence was consistent with its known safety profile, and no new safety signals were identified.

Calquence plus bendamustine and rituximab is approved in the US and several other countries in this setting based on the ECHO results. Regulatory applications are currently under review in Japan and several other countries in this indication.

This approval follows the recent approval for Calquence monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory MCL in the EU.

Notes
Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL)
While MCL patients initially respond to treatment, patients do tend to relapse.4 MCL comprises about 3-6% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas, with an annual incidence of 0.5 per 100,000 population in Western countries; It is estimated that there are more than 21,000 patients diagnosed with MCL in the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan and China.3,4,5

ECHO
ECHO is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-centre Phase III trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of Calquence plus bendamustine and rituximab compared to SoC chemoimmunotherapy (bendamustine and rituximab) in adult patients at or over 65 years of age (n=635) with previously untreated MCL.6 Patients were randomised 1:1 to receive either Calquence or placebo administered orally twice per day, continuously, until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Additionally, all patients received six 28-day cycles of bendamustine on days 1 and 2 and rituximab on day 1 of each cycle, followed by rituximab maintenance for two years if patients achieved a response after induction therapy.6

The primary endpoint is PFS assessed by an Independent Review Committee; other efficacy endpoints include overall survival (OS), overall response rate, duration of response and time to response.6 The trial was conducted in 27 countries across North and South America, Europe, Asia and Oceania.6

The ECHO trial enrolled patients from May 2017 to March 2023, continuing through the COVID-19 pandemic. Prespecified PFS and OS analyses censoring for COVID-19 deaths were conducted to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the study outcome in alignment with the FDA.

Calquence
Calquence is a second-generation, selective inhibitor of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK). Calquence binds covalently to BTK, thereby inhibiting its activity.7 In B-cells, BTK signalling results in activation of pathways necessary for B-cell proliferation, trafficking, chemotaxis and adhesion.

Calquence is approved for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) in the US, Japan and China, and approved for CLL in the EU and many other countries. Calquence is also approved for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated MCL in the US and other countries. It is also approved for the treatment of adult patients with MCL who have received at least one prior therapy in China and several other countries. Calquence is not currently approved for the treatment of MCL in Japan.

As part of an extensive clinical development programme, Calquence is currently being evaluated as a single treatment and in combination with standard-of-care chemoimmunotherapy for patients with multiple B-cell blood cancers, including CLL, MCL and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

AstraZeneca in haematology
AstraZeneca is pushing the boundaries of science to redefine care in haematology. Our goal is to help transform the lives of patients living with malignant, rare and other related haematologic diseases through innovative medicines and approaches that are shaped by insights from patients, caregivers and physicians.

In addition to our marketed products, we are spearheading the development of novel therapies designed to target underlying drivers of disease across multiple scientific platforms. Our acquisitions of Alexion, with expertise in rare, non-malignant blood disorders, and Gracell Biotechnologies Inc., pioneers of autologous cell therapies, expand our haematology pipeline and enable us to reach more patients with high unmet needs through the end-to-end discovery, development and delivery of novel therapies.