On September 28, 2020 3 EORTC reported that abstracts were selected for the 12th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-12) that will take place virtually on 2-3 October 2020 (Press release, EORTC, SEP 28, 2020, View Source [SID1234567660]).

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Plenary Session

Keynote Lecture, Best and Late Breaking Abstract Presentations

Clinical Utility of MammaPrint testing in Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Results from the MINDACT phase III trial

Presentation number: ORAL-007
Date: 2 October 2020, 13:50-14:00
Speaker: Otto Metzger (USA)
Proffered Papers Session

Updated results of the MINDACT trial: 70-gene signature to guide de-escalation of chemotherapy in early breast cancer

Presentation number: ORAL-021
Date: 3 October 2020, 13:00-13:10
Speaker: Emiel Rutgers (The Netherlands)
Screen-detected breast cancers have different tumor biology and better prognosis compared to interval breast cancers

Presentation number: ORAL-011
Date: 3 October 2020, 12:50-13:00
Speaker: Josephine Lopez Cardozo (The Netherlands)
EBCC-12 is a breast cancer conference where the very latest practice-changing research is presented. It aims to provide a unique multidisciplinary setting for all professionals with a common interest in breast cancer to discuss, debate, inform and educate themselves about this evolving disease.

To view the full two day programme, visit the EBCC-12 searchable programme.

On September 23, 2020 Sapreme, a biotechnology company focused on improving the delivery and efficacy of macromolecule therapeutics, reported positive preclinical data on its proprietary endosomal escape platform in two presentations at the 16th Annual Meeting of the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society (OTS), held virtually from September 27th to 30th, 2020 (Press release, Sapreme Technologies, SEP 28, 2020, View Source [SID1234567684]).

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Sapreme is developing macromolecule delivery methods based on compounds that release therapeutic cargo from the endo-lysosome, improving access to intracellular targets and enhancing the therapeutic window for these therapeutics. Current macromolecular biologics rely on receptor-mediated endocytic uptake into the endosome and inefficient passive release from these vesicles into the cell to achieve therapeutic efficacy. The company’s presentations demonstrate that Sapreme’s SPT001 compound improves intracellular release of targeted antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and thereby also their therapeutic efficacy. In addition to ASOs, SPT001 has also been demonstrated to enhance delivery of other targeted payloads such as antibody-conjugated toxins.

"The data presented today underscore the broad potential of our platform to overcome endosomal entrapment and improve the therapeutic window of macromolecule therapeutics," stated Guy Hermans, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Sapreme. "We are encouraged to see that conjugating SPT001 to liver or tumor targeted ASOs leads to significantly improved silencing, with positive implications for development of metabolic syndrome and oncology targeting drug developments. These results support the further development of SPT001 as the delivery mechanism of choice for future intracellularly active macromolecular drug candidates."

As described in the presentations, multiple in vitro preclinical studies were conducted demonstrating the broad potential of SPT001. Highlights from the data include:

In one experiment, an ASO targeting HSP27 was tested separately or conjugated to monoclonal antibody (mAb) Cetuximab, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) targeting antibody. While antibody targeting slightly improved HSP27 silencing, results from the study demonstrated that the additional conjugation of SPT001 to the ASO-mAb compound resulted in a highly improved and target-dependent reduction of HSP27 expression.
Further studies showed that combining Cetuximab-SPT001 with Cetuximab-ASO conjugates similarly improved ASO delivery efficacy – demonstrating SPT001 can also improve delivery of an ASO not directly linked to it. Also, combined treatment by Cetuximab-SPT001 and Trastuzumab-ASO of EGFR/Her2 double positive cells yields similar synergies. This dual targeting approach allows for the introduction of additional tumor cell selectivity. Furthermore, such combined Trastuzumab-ASO delivery was effective in double positive cells expressing only low levels of Her2, which are typically not sensitive to Trastuzumab-ASO in the absence of SPT001.
In a third study, Sapreme evaluated the effect of using SPT001 conjugates to improve oligonucleotide delivery to liver cells. N-Acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) is used as a targeting ligand to drive liver uptake of many oligonucleotides in many late stage clinical trials. ApoB overexpression is known to result in lipid-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and insulin resistance in the liver, and efficient silencing of ApoB is therefore of therapeutic interest. High doses of GalNAc-ApoB silencing ASOs were required to reduce ApoB expression, whereas combination treatment with GalNAc conjugated SPT001 allowed for complete gene silencing at considerably reduced doses. Similarly, combining SPT001 and ASO payloads with GalNAc into a single next generation compound, resulted in a molecule of superior potency as compared to the GalNAc-ApoB benchmark. Reduced ApoB protein production levels confirmed mRNA silencing results, demonstrating SPT001 conjugates can improve on existing compounds in combination therapy, or serve as building blocks for next generation drug candidates.
The presentations are available on demand at the 16th Annual Meeting of the OTS conference website through this link.

On September 28, 2020 AQILION AB and Immunscape AB reported that it initiated a joint early project in oncology and autoimmune diseases in the spring of 2019 (Press release, Aqilion, SEP 28, 2020, View Source [SID1234567662]). The point of departure was to create a drug candidate that the parties would develop and test further in a joint feasibility study. The parties have now agreed to discontinue the project.

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"Collaborating with Immunscape has been highly rewarding and we continue to appreciate their expertise, from which we have gained great professional benefit. The feasibility study produced good technical results and new intangible assets, but external factors have led to declining interest in the continued commercial development of the project. We have therefore agreed to terminate our collaborative effort. It is extremely important for us to have the courage to start innovative projects, but also to have the courage to close those in which Aqilion cannot continue to create value, even if it is disappointing not to reach all the way to our goal," says Sarah Fredriksson, CEO of AQILION AB.

"We have appreciated the interactions with Aqilion and would like to thank them for their commitment to the project. Our collaboration with Aqilion has allowed us to advance our understanding of the drug targets in the project, which helps us to explore new uses of the compounds as potential treatments for certain cancers," says Lars Öhman, CEO of Immunscape AB.

On September 28, 2020 ROME Therapeutics, a biotechnology company harnessing the power of the repeatome in drug development, reported that it has been named by Fierce Biotech as one of 2020’s Fierce 15 biotechnology companies, designating it as one of the most promising private biotechnology companies in the industry (Press release, Rome Therapeutics, SEP 28, 2020, View Source [SID1234567686]).

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ROME was founded to develop novel therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases by harnessing the power of the repeatome – vast stretches of uncharted genetic material that have long been dismissed as "junk DNA." ROME was launched in April 2020 with $50M Series A funding led by GV and ARCH Venture Partners with participation from Partners Innovation Fund.

"We are honored to be selected as a Fierce 15 company, recognizing ROME’s mission to unlock the uncharted territory of the repeatome and discover a new class of therapies for patients with serious debilitating diseases," said Rosana Kapeller, M.D., Ph.D., CEO, President and Co-founder of ROME Therapeutics. "In a short amount of time, our growing team of ‘Romans’ has generated significant momentum for our lead programs and research platform. We are thankful for the continued support of our founders, collaborators, advisors and investors in pursuit of this mission."

The Fierce 15 celebrates the spirit of being "fierce" – championing innovation and creativity, even in the face of intense competition. This is Fierce Biotech’s 18th annual Fierce 15 selection.

On September 28, 2020 Zai Lab Limited ("Zai Lab" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: ZLAB), an innovative commercial stage biopharmaceutical company, reported listing of its ordinary shares on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Hong Kong Stock Exchange") under the stock code "9688" and the closing of its previously-announced Hong Kong secondary listing (the "Hong Kong Secondary Listing") of 10,564,050 new ordinary shares (the "Offer Shares" or "Shares") which comprises an international offering (the "International Offering") and a Hong Kong public offering (the "Hong Kong Public Offering," and together with the International Offering, the "Offering") (Press release, Zai Laboratory, SEP 28, 2020, View Source [SID1234567666]). The final offer price for both the International Offering and the Hong Kong Public Offering (the "Offer Price") has been set at HK$562.00 per Share. Based on the ratio of one (1) ordinary shares per Nasdaq-listed American depositary share ("ADS"), the Offer Price translates to approximately US$72.52 per ADS. The Company had also granted the international underwriters an over-allotment option, exercisable from September 22, 2020 until 30 days thereafter, to require the Company to issue up to an additional 1,584,600 new Shares at the Offer Price.

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The gross proceeds to Zai Lab from this Offering, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses, were approximately HK$5.94 billion.

J.P. Morgan Securities (Far East) Limited (or its affiliates, as the case may be), Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C. and Citigroup Global Markets Asia Limited (or its affiliate, as the case may be) are the joint sponsors, joint global coordinators, joint bookrunners and joint lead managers for the proposed Hong Kong Secondary Listing.

The International Offering was made only by means of a prospectus supplement dated September 22, 2020 and the accompanying prospectus included in an automatic shelf registration statement on Form F-3ASR filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 29, 2019 and was subsequently amended and became automatically effective upon filing with the SEC on January 21, 2020. The registration statement on Form F-3ASR and the prospectus supplement dated September 22, 2020 are available at the SEC website at: View Source Copies of the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the offering may also be obtained from: (i) J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Attention: Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at 1-866-803-9204 or by email at [email protected], (ii) Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282 or by telephone at 1-866-471-2526, or (iii) Citigroup Global Markets Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at 1-800-831-9146 or by email at [email protected].

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer or an invitation to buy any securities, nor shall there be any offer or sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. This press release does not constitute a prospectus (including as defined under the laws of Hong Kong) and potential investors should read the prospectus of the Company for detailed information about the Company and the proposed offering, before deciding whether or not to invest in the Company. This press release has not been reviewed or approved by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange or the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong.

The price of the Shares of the Company may be stabilized in accordance with the Securities and Futures (Price Stabilization) Rules. The details of the intended stabilization and how it will be regulated under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Chapter 571 of the laws of Hong Kong) have been contained in the prospectus of the Company dated September 17, 2020.