On May 30, 2018 McKesson Specialty Health reported that oncologists from The US Oncology Network (The Network) and US Oncology Research will showcase detailed findings from 43 studies during the 54th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper), held June 1–5, 2018, in Chicago with more than 32,000 oncology professionals in attendance (Press release, McKesson, MAY 30, 2018, View Source [SID1234526957]). The study abstracts accepted for presentation represent substantial contributions made by community oncologists towards the understanding and advancement of cancer care.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"Research conducted by community oncologists and presented at this year’s ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) meeting demonstrates the dedication of these professionals in not only advancing investigational treatment options, but also offering cutting-edge research to their patients," said Michael Seiden, M.D., Ph.D., president and chief medical officer for The US Oncology Network and US Oncology Research. "There have been tremendous advancements in cancer care, and being selected for a clinical study is no longer seen as a last option, but rather as access to some of the latest investigational therapies for treating a wide range of cancers. Our community-based oncology network, made up of 1,400 independent physicians, allows access to resources and emerging treatments across the country. This meeting provides a time to focus on the unmet needs of patients through clinical trials that are leading the way in the fight against cancer."

Key study presentations will include topics such as genome sequencing in lung cancer, metastatic breast cancer, real-world evidence in bladder cancer and melanoma, and Phase 3 data from the PROTECT study in asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer.

"The ability for community oncologists to participate in groundbreaking cancer research must remain a high priority for all research organizations, including those programs supported by the National Cancer Institute," said Nicholas J. Vogelzang, M.D., FASCO, FACP, medical oncologist with Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, an affiliate of The US Oncology Network, and 2018 recipient of an OncLive Giants of Cancer Care award. "It is critically important for oncologists around the world, regardless of the type of center they are practicing in, to be able to find time to conduct research and make advancements in cancer care. I’m proud to be an active clinical investigator within The US Oncology Network, where several studies have been selected for presentation at this year’s ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) annual meeting. This conference is a time for us to share knowledge and gain insights to better and more effectively treat patients, while contributing to our collective mission to eradicate cancer."

Key oral presentations will include:

Results of PROTECT: A randomized phase 3 trial of PROSTVAC-V/F (PRO) in men with asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer
Abstract #: 5006
Date/Time: Monday, June 4, 3-6:00 p.m.
Location: Hall D1
Affiliated Author: Nicholas J. Vogelzang, M.D., FASCO, FACP, Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, US Oncology Research

Genome-wide sequencing for early stage lung cancer detection from plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA): The Circulating Cancer Genome Atlas (CCGA) study
Abstract #: LBA8501
Date/Time: Monday, June 4, 8-11:00 a.m.
Location: Hall B1
Affiliated Author: Donald Richards, M.D., Ph.D., Texas Oncology, The US Oncology Network

Efficacy of sacituzumab govitecan (anti-Trop-2-SN-38 antibody-drug conjugate) for treatment-refractory hormone-receptor positive (HR+)/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (mBC)
Abstract #: 1004
Date/Time: Sunday, June 3, 8-11:00 a.m.
Location: Hall D2
Affiliated Author: Joyce O’Shaughnessy, M.D., Texas Oncology, The US Oncology Network, US Oncology Research

First results from the primary analysis population of the phase 2 study of erdafitinib (ERDA; JNJ-42756493) in patients (pts) with metastatic or unresectable urothelial carcinoma (mUC) and FGFR alterations (FGFRalt)
Abstract #: 4503
Date/Time: Sunday, June 3, 8–-11:00 a.m.
Location: Arie Crown Theater
Affiliated Author: Mark T. Fleming, M.D., Virginia Oncology Associates, US Oncology Research

Prevalence of clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) measured by an ultra-sensitive sequencing assay: Exploratory analysis of the Circulating Cancer Genome Atlas (CCGA) study
Abstract #: 12003
Date/Time: Tuesday, June 5, 8–11:00 a.m.
Location: S406
Affiliated Author: Michael Seiden, M.D., Ph.D., The US Oncology Network, US Oncology Research

An additional 29 poster presentations and nine published abstracts affiliated with US Oncology Research will be featured as part of the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) program. The full schedule of US Oncology Research–affiliated data presentations, including location information, can be found here.

For more information or to be put in touch with a trial investigator, please contact Edie DeVine at 209-814-9564 or [email protected]. Please visit Booth #5123 on the Main Floor at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper).

On May 30, 2018 Syros Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:SYRS), a biopharmaceutical company pioneering the discovery and development of medicines to control the expression of genes, reported that its Chief Executive Officer Nancy Simonian, M.D., will present a corporate overview at upcoming investor conferences (Press release, Syros Pharmaceuticals, MAY 30, 2018, View Source [SID1234526976]). Details are as follows:

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Jefferies 2018 Global Healthcare Conference
Date: Wednesday, June 6
Presentation Time: 3:30 p.m. ET

The JMP Securities Life Sciences Conference
Date: Thursday, June 21
Presentation Time: 2:00 p.m. ET

A live webcast of each presentation will be available on the Investors & Media section of the Syros website at www.syros.com. An archived replay of the webcast will be available for approximately 30 days following each presentation.

On May 30, 2018 Mustang Bio, Inc. ("Mustang") (NASDAQ:MBIO), a Fortress Biotech (NASDAQ:FBIO) Company focused on the development of novel immunotherapies based on proprietary chimeric antigen receptor engineered T cell (CAR T) technology, reported the publication of preclinical data demonstrating that glioblastoma (GBM)-targeted CD4+ CAR T cells mediate superior antitumor activity over CD8+ CAR T cells (Press release, Mustang Bio, MAY 30, 2018, View Source [SID1234526941]). The results were published in the May 17, 2018, edition of JCI Insight, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Society for Clinical Investigation. Mustang licensed the IL13Rα2‐specific CAR (MB-101) technology used in this preclinical study from the City of Hope National Medical Center ("City of Hope").

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Manuel Litchman, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Mustang, said, "Optimizing T cell potency has the potential to enhance the antitumor efficacy of CAR T therapies in challenging solid tumors, which includes engineering the appropriate composition of CD4+ and CD8+ subsets. This important study conducted by our research partner City of Hope demonstrated the superior antitumor effect of CD4+ over CD8+ T cells in glioblastoma models. Optimizing T cell potency is one of many avenues Mustang is exploring to improve CAR T efficacy, and we look forward to the application of this research in the ongoing Phase 1 trial of our MB-101 IL13Rα2‐specific CAR T therapy in patients with glioblastoma."

Dr. Christine Brown, Heritage Provider Network Professor in Immunotherapy and Associate Director of the T Cell Therapeutics Research Laboratory at City of Hope, said, "This study provides important insight into the differences between CD4+ and CD8+ CAR T cells for maintaining killing potency and resisting exhaustion under conditions of high disease burden. These findings are part of our larger efforts to develop more powerful CAR therapies for the treatment of brain tumors."

In the study, City of Hope investigated the antitumor effect of CD4+ and CD8+ CAR T cells targeting the GBM-associated antigen IL-13 receptor α2 (IL13Rα2) in mouse models. Upon stimulation with IL13Rα2+ GBM cells, the CD8+ CAR T cells exhibited robust short-term effector function but became rapidly exhausted. In comparison, CD4+ CAR T cells persisted after tumor challenge and sustained effector potency.

Mixing with CD4+ CAR T cells failed to improve the effector dysfunction of CD8+ CAR T cells, and CD4+ CAR T cell effector potency was weakened when applied with CD8+ CAR T cells. In orthotopic GBM models, CD4+ outperformed CD8+ CAR T cells, specifically with respect to long-term antitumor response. Maintenance of the CD4+ subset was positively correlated with the recursive killing ability of CAR T cell products derived from GBM patients.

On May 30, 2018 GeneCentric Therapeutics reported that it will present the first data on the application of its proprietary Cancer Subtyping Platform (CSP) to bladder cancer and its potential utility to provide drug response biomarkers for the disease (Press release, GeneCentric Therapeutics, MAY 30, 2018, View Source [SID1234526958]). The gene expression subtyping data will be presented in a poster session at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) in Chicago, IL on June 2, 2018.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"Gene expression subtypes of bladder cancer have shown considerable potential as drug response biomarkers," said Dr. Myla Lai-Goldman, CEO/Founder of GeneCentric and senior author on the study. "However, to date subtype signatures have required data on several thousand genes, limiting their use to research settings. This research demonstrates that by applying our CSP platform, subtypes can be generated with a 60-gene signature Cancer Profiler, opening the door to broad use in drug development and ultimately, clinical practice." She noted that with an estimated 81,190 new bladder cancer cases in the US and 17,240 deaths, and the emergence of promising immuno and targeted therapies, there is a significant need for biomarkers predictive of drug response.

The studies, conducted by GeneCentric scientists in collaboration with researchers at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill’s Lineberger Cancer Center, assigned four gene expression subtypes based on approximately 2700 genes from 408 bladder cancer patients in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The researchers then developed a subtype signature based on 60 genes and tested the 60-gene set in two additional data sets.

Analysis of the gene signatures suggested additional study of their potential as therapeutic biomarkers independently as well as in combination with other molecular features. For example, subtypes showed differences in the expression profiles of genes that are promising therapeutic targets in bladder cancer, such as FGFR3 and ERBB2. The differences were consistent across multiple data sets. Bladder cancer subtypes also showed variability in immune profiles that is likely to inform the response to immunotherapy. Subtypes were also found to be significantly prognostic for Stage 2 and 3 bladder cancer.

Details of the presentation are as follows:

Title: "Bladder Cancer Gene Expression Subtypes (60 gene signature) Defines Prognosis, Differential Immune Response and Biomarker Associations."
Abstract Number: 4538

Date: June 2, 2018
Time: 8:30AM-11:30AM
Location: Hall A
Presenter: Greg Mayhew, PhD, Director, Bioinformatics, GeneCentric Therapeutics

On May 30, 2018 Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:RCKT) ("Rocket"), a leading U.S.-based multi-platform gene therapy company, reported that Gaurav Shah, M.D., Chief Executive Officer and President of Rocket, will present at the Jefferies 2018 Healthcare Conference on Thursday, June 7, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) (Press release, Rocket Pharmaceuticals, MAY 30, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2351191 [SID1234526942]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!