On February 27, 2018 SELLAS Life Sciences Group Inc. (Nasdaq:SLS) (SELLAS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on novel cancer immunotherapies for a broad range of cancer indications, reported that data from the Phase 2 trial of its lead candidate, galinpepimut-S (GPS), in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have been published in the current issue of Blood Advances (Press release, Sellas Life Sciences, FEB 27, 2018, View Source [SID1234524259]). GPS met its pre-specified primary endpoint of ≥34% actual overall survival (OS) rate at three years with a GPS-induced OS rate of 47.4%. Median disease-free survival (DFS) from first complete response was 16.9 months, while the overall survival (OS) from diagnosis has not yet been reached, but is predicted to be > 67.6 months. GPS targets the antigen, Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) protein, which has been ranked by the National Cancer Institute as the leading target for cancer immunotherapy.

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!

"These data follow on prior positive data in AML and various cancer indications, supporting the development of GPS as an important potential therapy in the treatment of AML and other cancers," said Angelos Stergiou, MD, ScD h.c., President & Chief Executive Officer of SELLAS. "We are encouraged by the collective supporting evidence generated by our Phase 1 and Phase 2 AML studies. We wholeheartedly appreciate the participation of patients and their families in all our clinical studies, as well as the exceptional physicians and study teams. We look forward to advancing GPS into a Phase 3 trial in AML."

For patients in the older cohort (age >60; n=13), median OS post-diagnosis was 35.8 months. Historical controls for comparable patients over sixty years of age who reach first complete remission (CR1) show median OS since initial diagnosis of 9.5-15.8 months.

"We were especially pleased with the findings in AML patients over sixty years of age, which are important considering the poor prognosis particularly for those patients, even with optimal use of current care standards" stated Peter Maslak, M.D., Chief, Immunology Laboratory Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Principal Investigator of the study.

The open-label Phase 2 study evaluated GPS in 22 adult patients with AML (median age – 64 years) in CR1. Patients received 6 vaccinations administered over 10 weeks with the potential to receive 6 additional monthly doses if they remained in CR1. Immune responses (IR’s) were evaluated after the sixth and twelfth vaccinations by CD4+ T-cell proliferation, CD8+ T cell interferon-γ secretion (ELISPOT) or the CD8-relevant WT1 peptide MHC tetramer assay (HLA-A*02 patients only).

"Older adults with AML who achieve complete remission (CR) are in critical need of new treatment options to prevent emerging relapses, especially in cases where allogeneic stem cell transplant is infeasible or is not predicted to improve outcome," stated Gert Ossenkoppele, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Hematology at the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and chair of the AML working party of HOVON (Dutch-Belgian Hematology Trial Group). "Results from this GPS Phase 2 study reinforce the potential of this innovative WT1-targeting immunotherapy in the post-CR maintenance setting. I look forward to co-leading the Phase 3 study in AML patients older than 60 years, currently being planned by SELLAS." Dr. Ossenkoppele did not participate in the GPS Phase 2 study.

In the study, GPS was well tolerated, with the most common side effects being Grade 1/2 injection site reactions (46%), fatigue (32%), and skin induration (32%). Fourteen patients (64%) completed more than six vaccinations, and nine (41%) received all 12 vaccine doses. Nine of 14 tested patients (64%) had an immune response (IR) in more than one of three assays used (one for CD4 or two for CD8).

The article, "Phase 2 trial of a multivalent WT1 peptide vaccine (galinpepimut-S) in acute myeloid leukemia," is available in the current issue of Blood Advances, a peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper). The complete article can be accessed here (View Source).

On February 27, 2018 Intensity Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held biotechnology company developing proprietary cancer immune-based drug products for direct intratumoral injection, reported completion of the first safety cohort (A) of the Company’s Phase 1/2 international clinical study evaluating lead product, INT230-6 (Press release, Intensity Therapeutics, FEB 27, 2018, View Source [SID1234524349]). Following intratumoral drug injections into superficial lesions in six patients with either ovarian, thyroid, head and neck or skin cancers, there were no dose limiting toxicities. The investigators reported three drug-related, local, mild-to-moderate reversible adverse events, no drug-related series adverse events, no systemic adverse events and no procedure-related adverse events. These results were consistent with the observed low systemic exposure levels of the active agents comprising INT230-6.

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!

Following the review of all patient data, the Study Steering Committee (SSC) decided to initiate treatment in patients with deep tumors (cohort B1) and to increase the frequency and dose for superficial tumors (cohort E). As a result, the study has now enrolled and dosed a sentinel patient’s deep tumor, a bile duct carcinoma in the liver.

"The Study Steering Committee’s decision to initiate INT230-6 injections into the deep tumor cohort and the treatment of our first such patient are important program milestones that demonstrate significant progress," said President and CEO, Lewis H. Bender. "We will now be able to test our drug in cancers with great unmet medical need such as pancreatic, liver, cholangiocarcinoma and even glioblastoma. These conditions do not typically respond to conventional therapies and long-term patient survival is quite poor."

"We are encouraged with the preliminary safety results of INT230-6 and are pleased by the observation of necrosis in the injected tumors even at low dose," said Chief Medical Officer Ian B. Walters, MD. "Our murine studies with INT230-6 have shown our drug’s ability to stimulate a strong adaptive immune response in addition to the direct tumor killing effect. Those results also indicated a substantial benefit when our drug is given with an anti-PD-1 agent. Thus, as part of our clinical study, we have planned a cohort that combines our INT230-6 with checkpoint blockade compounds such as anti-PD-1 antibodies. Intensity Therapeutics is grateful to the volunteers participating in our study. We look forward to collecting more data on INT230-6 in different cancer types and to presenting our results at a scientific conference as soon as possible."

About INT230-6

INT230-6 is a novel, anti-cancer drug for direct intratumoral injection. The product contains potent anti-cancer agents that disperse throughout tumors and diffuse into cancer cells. INT230-6 was identified from Intensity’s DfuseRxSM platform and is being evaluated in a clinical trial; IT‑01. In preclinical studies INT230-6 administration eradicated tumors by a combination of direct tumor kill coupled with recruitment of dendritic cells to the tumor micro-environment that induced anti-cancer T-cell activation. Treatment with INT230-6 in in vivo models of severe cancer resulted in substantial improvement in overall survival compared to standard therapies. Further, INT230-6 provided complete responder animals with long-term, durable protection from multiple re-inoculations of the initial cancer and resistance to other cancers.

About Study IT-01

IT-01 is entitled A Phase 1/2 Safety Study of Intratumorally Administered INT230-6 in Adult Subjects with Advanced Refractory Cancers. The trial aims to enroll approximately 60 patients with different types advanced solid tumor malignancies in a multicycle dosing regimen. The study will be conducted in multiple countries and includes a cohort combining INT230-6 with an anti-PD-1 antibody. Currently the study is recruiting in the U.S. and in Canada. The study’s primary objective is to assess the safety and tolerability of multiple intratumoral doses of INT230-6. Secondary assessments are to understand preliminary efficacy of INT230-6 by measuring the injected and bystander tumor responses. The study will characterize the systemic pharmacokinetic profile of multiple doses of INT230-6’s drug substances after single and then multiple intratumoral injections. Exploratory analysis will characterize patient outcome, as well as evaluate various tumor and anti-tumor immune response biomarkers that may correlate with response. The trial includes several adaptive components that will allow for adjustments in patient groups, dosing schedule and dose volumes administered. Data will be used to assess the progression free and overall survival in subjects receiving INT230-6. Further information can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT#03058289).

Acceleron Pharma has filed a 10-K – Annual report [Section 13 and 15(d), not S-K Item 405] with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Filing, 10-K, Acceleron Pharma, 2018, FEB 27, 2018, View Source [SID1234524200]).

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!

On February 27, 2018 Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYGN), a leader in molecular diagnostics and personalized medicine, reported that Mark C. Capone, president and CEO, is scheduled to present at two upcoming investor conferences (Press release, Myriad Genetics, FEB 27, 2018, View Source [SID1234524246]). On March 13, 2018, Mr. Capone will present at the 38th annual Cowen Healthcare Conference in Boston, Massachusetts at 8:40 a.m. ET. On March 14, 2018, Mr. Capone will present at the Barclays Global Healthcare Conference in Miami, Florida at 2:35 p.m. ET.

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!

The presentations will be available to interested parties through a live audio webcast accessible through a link in the investor information section of Myriad’s website at www.myriad.com.

On February 27, 2018 Sierra Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: SRRA), a clinical stage drug development company focused on advancing next generation DNA Damage Response (DDR) therapeutics for the treatment of patients with cancer, today reported its financial and operational results for the year ended December 31, 2017 (Press release, Sierra Oncology, FEB 27, 2018, View Source [SID1234524262]).

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!

"During 2017, we made substantial progress advancing our portfolio of promising next generation DDR therapeutics. In particular, emerging preclinical and clinical data continue to reinforce the fundamental biological role of Chk1 in regulating cancer-driven replication stress associated with genomic instability, a hallmark of cancer with potentially broad therapeutic relevance. Accordingly, during the year we significantly advanced and expanded the development program for our potential best-in-class Chk1 inhibitor, SRA737, which will now be evaluated across ten cancer indications in two ongoing Phase 1/2 trials, targeting aggregate enrollment of approximately 200 genetically-selected patients. We look forward to reporting preliminary data from these trials, expected in the fourth quarter of 2018," said Dr. Nick Glover, President and CEO of Sierra Oncology. "We also announced, subsequent to the end of the year, the advancement of a promising third development opportunity for SRA737 with the signing of an agreement with Janssen to supply us with ZEJULA (niraparib). This agreement facilitates the advancement of a novel Chk1i/PARPi combination trial in prostate cancer that we plan to initiate in the fourth quarter of 2018, which will be led by Professor Johann de Bono, Regius Professor of Cancer Research at The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

2017 Highlights:

In January 2017, we relaunched as Sierra Oncology with a stated focus on developing oncology drugs targeting the DNA Damage Response (DDR) network.
Also in January, we successfully transferred sponsorship of the two ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trials for our lead DDR drug candidate, SRA737, from the Cancer Research UK Centre for Drug Development, enabling us to submit protocol amendments aimed at enhancing these studies to include cohort expansions of prospectively selected patients with tumors identified to have genetic aberrations hypothesized to confer sensitivity to Chk1 inhibition via synthetic lethality.
In February, we raised net proceeds of US$27.4 million to further advance our programs.
In April, our collaborator, the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, UK, reported preclinical results for SRA737 in a poster at the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, supporting our genetically-driven clinical development strategy for SRA737.
In May, we were issued a patent providing SRA737 with protection in the United States to 2033, before any potential patent term extensions.
In June, having received clearance for our protocol amendments, we presented these innovative SRA737 Phase 1 clinical designs in two Trials in Progress posters at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting. We concurrently reported encouraging initial progress from the two ongoing trials; SRA737 was well-tolerated and a maximum tolerated dose (MTD) had not yet been reached in the dose escalation phase of the monotherapy trial.
In August, we established a DDR Advisory Committee composed of leading experts in DDR biology, chemistry and medicine. We also held two Key Opinion Leader (KOL) events, in September and October 2017, which featured members from our Advisory Committee who shared their insights on emerging DDR biology and the potential of Chk1 inhibition in oncology, providing further support for our programs.
In October, we presented a poster 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), reporting on preclinical data demonstrating that sub-therapeutic, non-cytotoxic doses of gemcitabine induce replication stress and hence potentiate the anti-tumor activity of SRA737. These data support the design of our ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial which is specifically evaluating this combination.
We appointed Dr. Andrew Allen to our Board of Directors, effective October 23, 2017. Dr. Allen is the co-founder of Gritstone Oncology and was the co-founder of Clovis Oncology (Nasdaq: CLVS).

Subsequent Events:
On February 27, 2018, we provided an update on the SRA737 and SRA141 development programs:

For the SRA737 Monotherapy Phase 1/2 trial, we reported that the Dose Escalation Phase 1 portion of the study was in the final stages of optimizing the SRA737 dose regimen and the Cohort Expansion Phase 2 portion of the study was ongoing. The Cohort Expansion Phase 2 portion of the study was being expanded to include more patients, including a sixth indication (CCNE1-driven ovarian cancer), and would in aggregate target enrollment of 120 patients across six genetically-defined cohorts. We also reported that we plan to expand the number of sites recruiting patients into the trial from three active sites (as of the third quarter of 2017) to fifteen leading centers across the United Kingdom. The Cohort Expansion Phase 2 portion of the study is expected to report preliminary data in the fourth quarter of 2018.
For the SRA737 Low-Dose Gemcitabine Phase 1/2 Combination trial, we reported that the Standard-Dose Triplet Combo Dose Escalation Phase 1 was complete and that the Low-Dose Gemcitabine Combo Dose Escalation Phase 1 had made significant progress. In addition, the Low-Dose Gemcitabine Combo Cohort Expansion Phase 2 was anticipated to commence in the second quarter of 2018 and would be expanded to target enrollment of 80 genetically-selected patients across four indications. An update on the study is expected to be reported in the fourth quarter of 2018.
We reported signing a supply agreement with Janssen Research & Development, LLC where they will supply TESARO’s ZEJULA (niraparib), an orally administered poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, facilitating the initiation of a combination trial of niraparib with SRA737 in patients with prostate cancer in the fourth quarter of 2018. The trial is to be led by Professor Johann de Bono, Regius Professor of Cancer Research, Head of the Division of Clinical Studies and Professor in Experimental Cancer Medicine at The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.
We presented emerging evidence of biological synergy between immune checkpoint blockade and Chk1 inhibition. Sierra is currently designing a clinical study for this combination, which potentially could be submitted to regulatory authorities in the fourth quarter of 2018.
We reported supportive preclinical research for SRA141 demonstrating noteworthy anti-cancer activity in two independent oncology models, generated in preparation for an Investigational New Drug (IND) filing expected in the second half of 2018.

2017 Financial Results (all amounts reported in U.S. currency)

Research and development expenses were $30.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to $33.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The decrease is primarily due to expenses incurred in 2016, including $9.0 million related to the SRA737 license agreement, a $0.9 million upfront payment for the exclusive license of SRA141, and a $2.3 million restructuring charge related to close-out expenses for PNT2258. These decreases were partially offset by increases of $4.6 million in third-party manufacturing costs, $2.6 million in research and other costs related to SRA737 and SRA141, and $1.0 million in clinical trial costs. Research and development expenses included non-cash stock-based compensation of $4.0 million and $3.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

General and administrative expenses were $12.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to $14.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The decrease is primarily due to a $1.1 million decrease in business development expenses and a $0.5 million decrease in restructuring costs as compared to 2016. General and administrative expenses included non-cash stock-based compensation of $1.9 million for both the year ended December 31, 2017 and the year ended December 31, 2016.

For the year ended December 31, 2017, Sierra incurred a net loss of $42.0 million compared to a net loss of $47.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2016.

Cash and cash equivalents totaled $100.3 million as of December 31, 2017, compared to $107.8 million as of September 30, 2017, and $109.0 million as of December 31, 2016. The company believes that its existing cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund current operating plans through approximately mid-2019.

At December 31, 2017, there were 52,395,223 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, and stock options to purchase 7,470,601 shares of common stock issued and outstanding.