Artelo Biosciences announces selection of Aptus Clinical as Clinical CRO for Phase 1b/2a Study of ART27.13

On October 29, 2019 Artelo Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARTL), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics that modulate the endocannabinoid system, reported that it has selected Aptus Clinical Ltd. (Aptus), a specialist Clinical Contract Research Organization based in the United Kingdom (UK) with particular expertise in oncology, rare diseases and advanced therapies, as its contract research organization (CRO) for the Company’s planned Phase 1b/2a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of ART27.13, its synthetic cannabinoid for the treatment of anorexia and weight loss associated with cancer (Press release, Aptus Clinical, OCT 29, 2019, View Source [SID1234551413]). This latest agreement builds on earlier collaborations between Artelo and Aptus, which included feasibility studies, protocol design, and clinical site identification and selection. The ART27.13 program will continue to be under the operational stewardship of Artelo’s UK subsidiary at the Alderley Park BioHub in Cheshire.

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ART27.13 is a highly potent peripherally selective synthetic dual cannabinoid agonist believed to target peripheral cannabinoid receptors sending a feeding message to the brain. The combined Phase 1b/2a trial is expected to enroll up to 49 subjects at clinical sites within the UK. The study is designed to determine the most effective and well tolerated dose in cancer patients and evaluate activity using criteria such as weight gain, lean body mass, and improvement of anorexia.

Gregory D. Gorgas, President and Chief Executive Officer of Artelo Biosciences, commented, "We are excited to expand our relationship with Aptus, which will allow us to leverage their broad experience as well as their understanding of local regulatory processes combined with a wide network of investigators and key opinion leaders. We look forward to providing further updates as we commence our Phase 1b/2a trial and advance our cancer anorexia program."

Steve McConchie, Chief Executive Officer of Aptus Clinical, added, "We are honored to have been selected by Artelo to help oversee this important trial. Despite the fact that cancer-related anorexia affects about 60% of advanced stage cancer patients, there are no FDA approved drugs for this indication and only a few agents used off-label with limited efficacy. Clearly, patients deserve better and the profile of Artelo’s product candidate is compelling."

BioCryst to Provide Commercial Update and Report Third Quarter 2019 Financial Results on November 6

On October 29, 2019 BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: BCRX) reported that the company will provide a commercial update and report its third quarter 2019 financial results on Wednesday, November 6, 2019 (Press release, BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, OCT 29, 2019, View Source [SID1234549949]).

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BioCryst management will host a conference call and webcast at 8:00 a.m. ET that day to present new 48-week clinical data, share key findings from comprehensive patient, physician and payor market research, and to provide an overall update on the commercial opportunity and launch strategy for BCX7353.

The live call may be accessed by dialing 877-303-8027 for domestic callers and 760-536-5165 for international callers and using conference ID # 4891026. A live webcast of the call and any slides will be available online at the investors section of the company website at www.biocryst.com. A telephone replay of the call will be available by dialing 855-859-2056 for domestic callers or 404-537-3406 for international callers and entering the conference ID # 4891026.

Deciphera Pharmaceuticals Presents Updated Data from Ripretinib and DCC-3014 Programs at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics

On October 29, 2019 Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:DCPH), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company addressing key mechanisms of tumor drug resistance, reported the presentation of updated results from its ongoing Phase 1 study of ripretinib, a broad-spectrum KIT and PDGFRα inhibitor, in patients with second-line through fourth-line plus GIST, as well as its Phase 1 study of DCC-3014, an oral inhibitor of CSF1R, in patients with advanced solid tumors (Press release, Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, OCT 29, 2019, View Source [SID1234549967]). The data are being presented today at the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper)-NCI-EORTC AACR-NCI-EORTC (Free AACR-NCI-EORTC Whitepaper) International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics (EORTC-NCI-AACR) (Free ASGCT Whitepaper) (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper) in Boston.

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"These updated results continue to underscore the potential of our diverse pipeline of product candidates, all generated using our proprietary kinase switch control inhibitor platform, to improve the lives of cancer patients," said Matthew L. Sherman, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Deciphera. "Of note, we believe ripretinib continues to demonstrate strong clinical benefit in post-imatinib GIST patients, particularly in the second-line setting. These results bolster our confidence in the ongoing INTRIGUE pivotal Phase 3 clinical study, which is designed to support potential regulatory approvals in patients with second-line GIST."

Ripretinib

Updated results from the Company’s ongoing Phase 1 study of ripretinib in patients with second-line through fourth-line plus GIST included data from 142 GIST patients receiving 150 mg of ripretinib once daily (QD) as the starting dose, which is the dose being utilized in the Company’s INVICTUS and INTRIGUE registration-enabling studies, as of an August 10, 2019 data cutoff date. The table below includes local, investigator-assessed objective response rate (ORR) by best response as determined by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1, median duration of response, median progression free survival (mPFS) and mean treatment duration.

Line of Therapy

2nd Line

(n=31)

3rd Line

(n=28)

≥4th Line

(n=83)

ORR (confirmed responses only)

19%

14%

7%

Median Duration of Response

80 weeks

NE(1)

76 weeks

mPFS

46 weeks

36 weeks

24 weeks

Mean Treatment Duration(2)

56 weeks

58 weeks

45 weeks

(1) NE = not estimable; (2) Includes 64 patients who elected for intra-patient dose escalation from 150 mg QD to 150 mg twice daily (BID).

Data from GIST patients receiving ≥ 100 mg of ripretinib daily (n=178) in the ongoing Phase 1 study, as of an August 10, 2019 cutoff date, including 2nd line (n=37), 3rd line (n=31), and ≥4th line (n=110) patients were (a) ORR (confirmed responses only): 2nd line (22%), 3rd line (13%), ≥4th line (7%); (b) median duration of response: 2nd line (80 weeks), 3rd line (NE), ≥4th line (48 weeks); (c) mPFS: 2nd line (46 weeks), 3rd line (40 weeks), ≥4th line (24 weeks); (d) mean treatment duration (includes 72 patients who elected for intra-patient dose escalation to 150 mg BID): 2nd line (53 weeks), 3rd line (54 weeks), ≥4th line (48 weeks).

Ripretinib was generally well tolerated and the updated adverse events were consistent with previously presented Phase 1 data in patients with GIST. Grade 3 or 4 treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) in >5% of patients were increase in lipase level (n=25; 18%), anemia (n=11; 8%), and abdominal pain (n=11; 8%).

DCC-3014

The Company’s Phase 1 study of DCC-3014 was designed to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of multiple doses of DCC-3014 in patients with advanced solid tumors. The Company expects to present preliminary data from initial tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT) patients at the 2019 Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS) Annual Meeting being held November 13-16 in Tokyo, Japan.

As of the data cut-off date of September 10, 2019, increasing doses of DCC-3014 were assessed in seven dose cohorts across 36 patients with advanced solid tumor tumors. This included one dose cohort that received 10 mg once daily and six dose cohorts that received a three to five day loading dose regimen at doses of up to 50 mg followed by a schedule of daily, once-weekly or twice-weekly maintenance dosing with DCC-3014.
Data demonstrated dose-proportional exposure for DCC-3014 and exposure to DCC-3014 was associated with an increase in plasma CSF1 and IL-34, rapid and sustained reduction of CD16+ monocytes in peripheral blood, and substantial decreases in CD163+ macrophages in tumor.
DCC-3014 was generally well-tolerated, with most treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) Grade 1 or 2. Most common related TEAEs ≥10% were fatigue (n=6;17%), diarrhea (n=4; 11%), and nausea (n=4; 11%). Grade 3 or 4 related TEAEs occurred in 4 patients, which were grade 3 aspartate aminotransferase (AST) increase, grade 4 lipase increase, grade 3 amylase increase, and grade 3 colitis. Serious adverse events were reported in 17 patients; none of which were related to DCC-3014.
The dose escalation evaluation is ongoing to determine a recommended phase 2 dose for advanced solid tumors and diffuse-type TGCT.
A copy of each presentation is available at www.deciphera.com/science/presentation-publications/.

About Ripretinib

Ripretinib is an investigational tyrosine kinase switch control inhibitor that was engineered to broadly inhibit KIT and PDGFRα mutated kinases by using a unique dual mechanism of action that regulates the kinase switch pocket and activation loop. Ripretinib is currently in clinical development for the treatment of KIT and/or PDGFRα-driven cancers, including gastrointestinal stromal tumors, or GIST, systemic mastocytosis, or SM, and other cancers. Ripretinib inhibits initiating and secondary KIT mutations in exons 9, 11, 13, 14, 17, and 18, involved in GIST, as well as the primary D816V exon 17 mutation involved in SM. Ripretinib also inhibits primary PDGFRα mutations in exons 12, 14 and 18, including the exon 18 D842V mutation, involved in a subset of GIST. In June 2019, the U.S. FDA granted Fast Track Designation to ripretinib for the treatment of patients with advanced GIST who have received prior treatment with imatinib, sunitinib and regorafenib. For more information about the Company’s clinical trials with ripretinib, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Deciphera Pharmaceuticals has an exclusive license agreement with Zai Lab (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. for the development and commercialization of ripretinib in Greater China (MainlandChina, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan). Deciphera Pharmaceuticals retains development and commercial rights for ripretinib in the rest of the world.

About DCC-3014

DCC-3014 is an investigational, orally administered, potent and highly selective inhibitor of CSF1R. DCC-3014 was designed using the Company’s proprietary switch control kinase inhibitor platform to selectively bind to the CSF1R switch pocket. DCC-3014 has greater than 100-fold selectivity for CSF1R over other closely related kinases and has an even greater selectivity for CSF1R over approximately 300 other human kinases. CSF1R controls the differentiation and function of macrophages including Tumor Associated Macrophages (TAMs) whose density within certain tumors including cancers of the breast, cervix, pancreas, bladder and brain correlates with poor prognosis. Tumors induce TAMs to suppress a natural immune response mediated by cytotoxic T-cells, a type of lymphocyte that would otherwise eradicate the tumor; a process known as macrophage checkpoints. Through inhibition of CSF1R, DCC-3014 has in preclinical studies demonstrated potent macrophage checkpoint inhibition as both a single agent and in combination with PD1 inhibitors. DCC-3014 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical study. For more information about the clinical trial design please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03069469).

Xencor to Host Third Quarter 2019 Financial Results Webcast and Conference Call on November 5, 2019

On October 29, 2019 Xencor, Inc. (NASDAQ: XNCR), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing engineered monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune diseases, asthma and allergic diseases, reported that it will release third quarter 2019 financial results after the market closes on Tuesday, November 5, 2019 (Press release, Xencor, OCT 29, 2019, View Source [SID1234549983]).

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Xencor management will host a webcast and conference call the same day at 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT) to discuss the financial results and provide a corporate update.

The live call may be accessed by dialing (877) 359-9508 for domestic callers or (224) 357-2393 for international callers and referencing conference ID number 9415077. A live webcast of the conference call will be available under "Events & Presentations" in the Investors section of the Company’s website located at www.xencor.com. The webcast will be archived on the company website for 30 days.

Aethlon Medical To Release Second Quarter Financial Results and Host Conference Call on November 1, 2019

On October 29, 2019 Aethlon Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: AEMD), a medical device technology company focused on unmet needs in global health, reported that it will issue financial results for its second quarter fiscal year 2020, ended September 30, 2019, at 4:15pm Eastern time on Friday, November 1, 2019 (Press release, Aethlon Medical, OCT 29, 2019, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aethlon-medical-to-release-second-quarter-financial-results-and-host-conference-call-on-november-1-2019-300947523.html [SID1234549999]).

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Management will host a conference call on Friday, November 1, 2019 at 4:30pm Eastern time to review financial results and recent corporate developments. Following management’s formal remarks, there will be a question and answer session.

To listen to the call by phone, interested parties within the U.S. should call 1-844-836-8741 and International callers should call 1-412-317-5442. All callers should ask for the Aethlon Medical, Inc., conference call.

A replay of the call will be available approximately one hour after the end of the call through November 8, 2019. The replay can be accessed via Aethlon Medical’s website or by dialing 1-877-344-7529 (domestic) or 1-412-317-0088 (international) or Canada Toll Free at 1-855-669-9658. The replay conference ID number is 10136640.