ERYTECH Announces Enrollment of First Patients in Phase 3 Clinical Trial Evaluating Eryaspase for the Treatment of Second Line Pancreatic Cancer

On September 20, 2018 ERYTECH Pharma (Euronext Paris: ERYP – Nasdaq: ERYP), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies by encapsulating drug substances inside red blood cells, reported that the first three patients have been enrolled in its pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial, named ‘TRYbeCA1’, evaluating its lead product candidate eryaspase for the treatment of second line metastatic pancreatic cancer (Press release, ERYtech Pharma, SEP 20, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2368155 [SID1234529509]).

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 TRYbeCa1 (NCT03665441) trial will enroll approximately 500 patients with second line metastatic pancreatic cancer in 120-130 clinical sites in Europe and the US. Patients who meet the eligibility criteria are randomized 1-to-1 to receive eryaspase in combination with standard chemotherapy (gemcitabine/abraxane or irinotecan -based regimen) or chemotherapy alone until disease progression. The primary endpoint is overall survival. An interim analysis is foreseen when approximately two-thirds of events have occurred.

The launch of the TRYbeCA1 Phase 3 trial follows the positive Phase 2b results in the same patient population, that were reported in September 2017. This open-label, multi-center, 2-to-1 randomized study in 141 patients demonstrated significant improvement in both overall survival and progression-free survival. Overall, eryaspase was well tolerated and showed a safety profile comparable to that of standard chemotherapy.

"The results from our landmark Phase 2b study are highly promising and underscore the importance of targeting tumor metabolism pathways in pancreatic cancer. We are hopeful to provide a novel treatment modality for this highly unmet medical need. We are very pleased that eryaspase has now moved into Phase 3 and patient enrollment has started as planned. Our first three enrolled patients mark the initiation of the trial in Europe. Early next year, we expect sites in the United States will begin enrolling as well," commented Iman El-Hariry, Chief Medical Officer.

About pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells are found in the tissues of the pancreas. Every year, there are approximately 150,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer diagnosed in Europe and the United States. Advanced pancreatic cancer is a particularly aggressive cancer, with a five-year survival rate of less than 10%. It is currently the fourth leading cause of cancer death in Europe and the United States and is projected to rise to the second leading cause by 2030. Limited therapeutic options are currently available for this indication, thereby reinforcing the need to develop new therapeutic strategies and rational drug combinations with the aim of improving overall patient outcomes and quality of life.

European Commission Approves BRAFTOVI® (encorafenib) in Combination with MEKTOVI® (binimetinib) for Advanced BRAF-mutant Melanoma

On September 20, 2018 Array BioPharma Inc. (NASDAQ: ARRY) reported that the European Commission (EC) has approved BRAFTOVI in combination with MEKTOVI for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAFV600 mutation, as detected by a validated test (Press release, Array BioPharma, SEP 20, 2018, View Source [SID1234529528]). This approval is applicable to all 28 European Union (EU) member states, as well as Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway.

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!

"With an even greater number of patients with advanced BRAF-mutant melanoma in Europe than in the U.S., we are delighted BRAFTOVI + MEKTOVI will be available to these patients who are in critical need of additional options that delay disease progression and improve overall survival," said Ron Squarer, Chief Executive Officer. "Our European partner, Pierre Fabre, has a strong legacy in oncology, and with over a thousand employees dedicated to this therapeutic area, we are very pleased they have made BRAFTOVI + MEKTOVI a top priority for their team."

The EC approval is based on results from the Phase 3 COLUMBUS trial, of which the primary endpoint was median progression-free survival (mPFS). BRAFTOVI + MEKTOVI achieved an mPFS of nearly 15 months [14.9 months versus vemurafenib monotherapy at 7.3 months; hazard ratio (HR) 0.54 (95% CI, 0.41–0.71), p<0.0001].

BRAFTOVI + MEKTOVI is the first targeted treatment to achieve over 30 months median overall survival (OS). As published in The Lancet Oncology in September 2018, BRAFTOVI + MEKTOVI reduced the risk of death compared to vemurafenib [HR (0.61), (95% CI 0.47,0.79), p <0.0001]. Median OS was 33.6 months for patients treated with the combination, compared to 16.9 months for patients treated with vemurafenib.

Detailed recommendations for the use of these products in the EU are described in the summary of product characteristics (SmPC), which are published in the European public assessment report (EPAR) and made available in all official EU languages at View Source

Array has exclusive rights to BRAFTOVI and MEKTOVI in the U.S. and Canada. Array has granted Ono Pharmaceutical exclusive rights to commercialize both products in Japan and South Korea, Medison exclusive rights to commercialize both products in Israel and Pierre Fabre exclusive rights to commercialize both products in all other countries, including Europe, Latin America and Asia (excluding Japan and South Korea).

In June 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved BRAFTOVI + MEKTOVI for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAFV600E or BRAFV600K mutation, as detected by an FDA-approved test. BRAFTOVI is not indicated for treatment of patients with wild-type BRAF melanoma.

Only 5% of patients who received BRAFTOVI + MEKTOVI discontinued treatment due to adverse reactions. The most common adverse reactions (≥25%) in patients receiving BRAFTOVI + MEKTOVI were fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and arthralgia.

About BRAF-mutant Metastatic Melanoma
Melanoma develops when unrepaired DNA damage to skin cells triggers mutations that may lead them to multiply and form malignant tumors. Metastatic melanoma is the most serious and life-threatening type of skin cancer and is associated with low survival rates. [1,2] There are a variety of gene mutations that can lead to metastatic melanoma. The most common genetic mutation in metastatic melanoma is BRAF. There are about 200,000 new cases of melanoma diagnosed worldwide each year, approximately half of which have BRAF mutations, a key target in the treatment of metastatic melanoma. [1-5]

About BRAFTOVI + MEKTOVI
BRAFTOVI is an oral small molecule BRAF kinase inhibitor and MEKTOVI is an oral small molecule MEK inhibitor which target key enzymes in the MAPK signaling pathway (RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK). Inappropriate activation of proteins in this pathway has been shown to occur in many cancers including melanoma, colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and others. In the U.S., BRAFTOVI + MEKTOVI are approved for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAFV600E or BRAFV600K mutation, as detected by an FDA-approved test. BRAFTOVI is not indicated for treatment of patients with wild-type BRAF melanoma. In Europe, the combination is approved for adult patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAFV600 mutation, as detected by a validated test.

The Swiss Medicines Agency (Swissmedic) and the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) are currently reviewing the Marketing Authorization Applications for BRAFTOVI and MEKTOVI submitted by Pierre Fabre, and Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) is currently reviewing the Manufacturing and Marketing Approval applications submitted by Ono Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd.

About COLUMBUS
The COLUMBUS trial (NCT01909453) is a two-part, international, randomized, open label Phase 3 trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of BRAFTOVI (encorafenib) in combination with MEKTOVI (binimetinib) compared to vemurafenib and encorafenib monotherapy in 921 patients with locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic melanoma with BRAFV600 mutation. The primary endpoint of the trial was mPFS; all secondary efficacy analyses, including the prospectively planned analysis overall survival, are descriptive in nature. Over 200 sites across North America, Europe, South America, Africa, Asia and Australia participated in the trial.

BRAFTOVI + MEKTOVI Indications and Usage
BRAFTOVI (encorafenib) and MEKTOVI (binimetinib) are kinase inhibitors indicated for use in combination for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAFV600E mutation.
Limitations of Use: BRAFTOVI is not indicated for the treatment of patients with wild-type BRAF melanoma.

BRAFTOVI + MEKTOVI Important Safety Information
The information below applies to the safety of the combination of BRAFTOVI and MEKTOVI unless otherwise noted.

Warnings and Precautions
New Primary Malignancies: New primary malignancies, cutaneous and non-cutaneous malignancies can occur. In the COLUMBUS trial, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, including keratoacanthoma, occurred in 2.6% and basal cell carcinoma occurred in 1.6% of patients. Perform dermatologic evaluations prior to initiating treatment, every 2 months during treatment, and for up to 6 months following discontinuation of treatment. Discontinue BRAFTOVI for RAS mutation-positive non-cutaneous malignancies.

Tumor Promotion in BRAF Wild-Type Tumors: Confirm evidence of BRAFV600E or BRAFV600Kmutation prior to initiating BRAFTOVI.

Cardiomyopathy: In the COLUMBUS trial, cardiomyopathy occurred in 7% and Grade 3 left ventricular dysfunction occurred in 1.6% of patients. Cardiomyopathy resolved in 87% of patients. Assess left ventricular ejection fraction by echocardiogram or MUGA scan prior to initiating treatment, 1 month after initiating treatment, and then every 2 to 3 months during treatment. The safety has not been established in patients with a baseline ejection fraction that is either below 50% or below the institutional lower limit of normal.

Venous Thromboembolism (VTE): In the COLUMBUS trial, VTE occurred in 6% of patients, including 3.1% of patients who developed pulmonary embolism.

Hemorrhage: In the COLUMBUS trial, hemorrhage occurred in 19% of patients and ≥Grade 3 hemorrhage occurred in 3.2% of patients. Fatal intracranial hemorrhage in the setting of new or progressive brain metastases occurred in 1.6% of patients.

Ocular Toxicities: In the COLUMBUS trial, serous retinopathy occurred in 20% of patients; 8% were retinal detachment and 6% were macular edema. Symptomatic serous retinopathy occurred in 8% of patients with no cases of blindness. In patients with BRAF mutation-positive melanoma across multiple clinical trials, 0.1% of patients experienced retinal vein occlusion (RVO). Permanently discontinue MEKTOVI in patients with documented RVO. In COLUMBUS, uveitis, including iritis and iridocyclitis, was reported in 4% of patients. Assess for visual symptoms at each visit. Perform ophthalmic evaluation at regular intervals and for any visual disturbances.

Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD): ILD, including pneumonitis, occurred in 0.3% of patients with BRAF mutation-positive melanoma across multiple clinical trials. Assess new or progressive unexplained pulmonary symptoms or findings for possible ILD.

Hepatotoxicity: In the COLUMBUS trial, the incidence of Grade 3 or 4 increases in liver function laboratory tests was 6% for alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and 2.6% for aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Monitor liver laboratory tests before and during treatment and as clinically indicated.

Rhabdomyolysis: In the COLUMBUS trial, elevation of laboratory values of serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) occurred in 58% of patients. Rhabdomyolysis was reported in 0.1% of patients with BRAF mutation-positive melanoma across multiple clinical trials. Monitor CPK periodically and as clinically indicated.

QTc Prolongation: In the COLUMBUS trial, an increase in QTcF to >500 ms was measured in 0.5% (1/192) of patients. Monitor patients who already have or who are at significant risk of developing QTc prolongation. Correct hypokalemia and hypomagnesemia prior to and during BRAFTOVI administration. Withhold, reduce dose, or permanently discontinue for QTc >500 ms.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: BRAFTOVI or MEKTOVI can cause fetal harm when administered to pregnant women. Nonhormonal contraceptives should be used during treatment and for at least 30 days after the final dose for patients taking BRAFTOVI + MEKTOVI.

Adverse Reactions
The most common adverse reactions (≥20%, all Grades, in the COLUMBUS trial) were: fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, arthralgia, myopathy, hyperkeratosis, rash, headache, constipation, visual impairment, serous retinopathy.

In the COLUMBUS trial, the most common laboratory abnormalities (≥20%, all Grades) included: increased creatinine, increased CPK, increased gamma glutamyl transferase, anemia, increased ALT, hyperglycemia, increased AST, and increased alkaline phosphatase.

Drug interactions
Avoid concomitant use of strong or moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers and sensitive CYP3A4 substrates with BRAFTOVI. Modify BRAFTOVI dose if concomitant use of strong or moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors cannot be avoided.

Please see full Prescribing Information for BRAFTOVI and full Prescribing Information for MEKTOVI for additional information [6,7]. You may report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. You may also report side effects to Array at 1-844-Rx-Array (1-844-792-7729).

First neuroblastoma patient successfully dosed with innovative CAR therapy utilizing natural killer T cells (CAR-NKT)

On September 20, 2018 Cell Medica reported the treatment of the first patient world-wide to receive CMD-501, an autologous CAR-NKT therapy targeting pediatric neuroblastoma (Press release, Cell Medica, SEP 20, 2018, View Source [SID1234530199]). This is the first time an engineered NKT cell therapy has been used in humans. Cell Medica is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that is transforming the treatment of solid and hematological cancer by developing the next generation of CAR therapies.

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!

This open-label Phase 1 study, GINAKIT2, is being carried out in collaboration with both Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and Texas Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Andras Heczey, Principal Investigator, Assistant Professor, Pediatrics-Oncology at Baylor College of Medicine and Physician-Scientist, Texas Children’s Cancer Center commented: "Dosing the first patient with this novel CAR-NKT therapy is an important milestone for all pediatric patients with neuroblastoma. CAR-NKTs may offer an exciting new therapeutic option for these patients and potentially for others with solid and hematological cancers. I am extremely grateful to the patients and families participating in this ground-breaking study."

Chris Nowers, Cell Medica’s CEO, said: "We believe that our CAR-NKT platform has a unique profile, with a potential to target solid and hematological tumors, as well as the possibility of a subsequent allogeneic "off the shelf" CAR-NKT therapy that could address some challenges of current autologous CAR-T therapies. This study marks an important step forward for Cell Medica and we are proud to be leading the development of this innovative class of next generation CAR therapies with our colleagues at BCM and Texas Children’s."

Innovative CAR-NKT Platform
CMD-501 is based on Cell Medica’s novel CAR-NKT platform, a next-generation technology of engineered immune cells with enhanced functions for the treatment of hematological and solid tumors, utilizing the unique properties of NKT cells, a specialized type of innate lymphocytes, sharing properties of T and NK cells. CMD-501 is the initial study from Cell Medica’s CAR-NKT pipeline and utilizes an autologous approach. The patient’s own NKT cells are genetically engineered with a CAR targeting GD2, a molecule expressed on the surface of nearly all neuroblastoma cells. In collaboration with its partners at BCM and Texas Children’s, Cell Medica designed this CAR-NKT cell therapy to also secrete the cytokine IL-15, which has been shown in pre-clinical studies to increase the persistence of CAR-NKT cells and improve their efficacy within the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment.

Dr. Leonid Metelitsa, Professor of Pediatrics, Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine and Co-Director, Neuroblastoma Program, Texas Children’s Cancer Center added: "It has been a great pleasure leading the multi-disciplinary team in the development of this versatile CAR-NKT platform. NKT cells effectively traffic to the tumor site, so expressing tumor-specific CARs in these cells ensures delivery to the site of disease for maximum efficacy. We’re now exploiting another natural feature of NKT cells, their lack of allo-reactivity and we are developing allogeneic, "off the shelf", therapies that will further harness the unique advantages of NKT cells."

First-in-Human Study
GINAKIT2 is a first-in-human, dose escalation evaluation of CMD-501 in children with relapsed or refractory (R/R) high-risk neuroblastoma, (NCT03294954). Neuroblastomas occur primarily in children and account for 7-10 percent of all pediatric cancers. Ninety percent of patients are younger than 5 years at diagnosis. R/R high risk neuroblastoma is one of the deadliest types of childhood cancer and the current median survival is around 1-3 years. Almost all neuroblastomas express GD2, which is targeted by CMD-501. This study is supported by a grant from Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), awarded to BCM investigators, Drs. Heczey and Metelitsa.

About Neuroblastoma and GD2
Neuroblastoma is a cancer of the sympathetic nervous system which can occur in the chest, neck, abdomen and adrenal glands, and can metastasize to the bone marrow and other organs. Children with low or intermediate risk neuroblastoma can be cured through surgical intervention and/or chemotherapy, however, at least half of all children with neuroblastoma have high risk disease, which often requires combined surgical, radio-, immuno-, and chemotherapy, in addition to autologous stem cell transplantation. Patients with relapsed/refractory high-risk neuroblastoma have one of the deadliest types of childhood cancer and a poor prognosis, with median survival of 1-3 years.

GD2 is a molecule expressed on tumors of neuroectodermal origin, including almost all neuroblastomas, and a substantial fraction of small cell lung cancer and melanoma, with restricted expression on normal tissues, making it a good target for CAR-NKT cell therapy.

About CMD-501
CMD-501 is an innovative autologous product in which NKT cells are genetically engineered with a CAR targeting GD2. NKT cells are a subset of T lymphocyte with the cytotoxic and anti-tumor properties of conventional T cells, but with other biological attributes that are expected to improve their ability to attack tumors. GD2 is a molecule expressed on the surface of most neuroblastoma cells.

In collaboration with its partners at BCM, Cell Medica has engineered a GD2-specific CAR construct that is additionally designed to secrete the cytokine IL-15, which has been shown in pre-clinical studies to increase the persistence of CAR-NKT cells and improve their efficacy within the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. CMD-501 is an autologous product, meaning that each patient’s own cells are collected, modified and activated outside the body, and then infused back into the same patient. However, NKT cells also have significant potential for so-called off-the-shelf use, where cells from a healthy donor could be prepared in large quantities in advance and used to treat many different patients. Cell Medica is collaborating with BCM to bring an off-the-shelf CAR-NKT cell product into the clinic in the near future.

Daiichi Sankyo Announces Clinical Research Collaboration to Evaluate DS-8201 in Combination with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) in HER2 Expressing Breast and HER2 Expressing or HER2 Mutant Lung Cancers

On September 20, 2018 Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) reported that it has entered into a clinical trial collaboration agreement with a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey, U.S.A., known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, to evaluate the combination of Daiichi Sankyo’s investigational HER2 targeting antibody drug conjugate DS-8201 and KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in HER2 expressing advanced/metastatic breast and HER2 expressing or HER2 mutant non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) (Press release, Daiichi Sankyo, SEP 20, 2018, View Source [SID1234529511]).

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!

"We are excited to pursue this opportunity to evaluate the safety, tolerability and activity of DS-8201 in combination with KEYTRUDA and whether this combination may provide a potential new treatment approach for patients with HER2 expressing advanced breast and non-small cell lung cancer," said Tom Held, Vice President, Head, Antibody Drug Conjugate Task Force, Oncology Research and Development, Daiichi Sankyo. "Strategic collaborations like this support our goal to pursue, investigate and maximize the application of DS-8201 in combination with other compounds that target different pathways to address unmet needs of patients with cancer."

About the Study

Under the terms of the agreement, Daiichi Sankyo will conduct a two-part phase 1b multicenter, open-label study to:

・ Determine the safety, tolerability and dose of DS-8201 in combination with KEYTRUDA and evaluate efficacy of the combination in patients with HER2 expressing advanced/metastatic breast cancer and patients with HER2 expressing or HER2 mutant advanced/metastatic NSCLC.

・ Enroll patients into one of four cohorts: patients with HER2 positive advanced breast cancer who have been previously treated with ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) (cohort 1); patients with HER2 low expressing advanced breast cancer (IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH-) who have received available standard of care (cohort 2); patients with HER2 expressing advanced NSCLC (IHC 1+, 2+, or 3+) who have not received prior treatment with anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 agents (cohort 3); and patients with HER2 mutant advanced NSCLC who have not received prior treatment with anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 agents (cohort 4).

The primary endpoints of the study are maximum tolerated dose/recommended expansion dose and overall response rate. Secondary endpoints include duration of response, disease control rate, progression-free survival, overall survival, time to response and safety. The study is expected to enroll approximately 125 patients in the U.S. and Europe. Additional details of the agreement were not disclosed.

KEYTRUDA is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA.

About DS-8201

DS-8201 is the lead product in the investigational ADC Franchise of the Daiichi Sankyo Cancer Enterprise. ADCs are targeted cancer medicines that deliver cytotoxic chemotherapy ("payload") to cancer cells via a linker attached to a monoclonal antibody that binds to a specific target expressed on cancer cells. Designed using Daiichi Sankyo’s proprietary ADC technology, DS-8201 is comprised of a humanized HER2 antibody attached to a novel topoisomerase I inhibitor payload by a tetrapeptide-based linker. It is designed to target and deliver chemotherapy inside cancer cells and reduce systemic exposure to the cytotoxic payload (or chemotherapy) compared to the way chemotherapy is commonly delivered.

DS-8201 is currently in pivotal phase 2 clinical development for HER2 positive unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer resistant or refractory to T-DM1 (DESTINY-Breast01) in North America, Europe and Asia; pivotal phase 2 development for HER2 positive advanced gastric cancer resistant or refractory to trastuzumab (DESTINY-Gastric01) in Japan and South Korea; phase 2 development for HER2 expressing advanced colorectal cancer in North America, Europe and Japan; phase 2 development for unresectable and/or metastatic non-squamous HER2 overexpressing or HER2 mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in North America, Europe and Japan; and phase 1 development for other HER2 expressing advanced/unresectable or metastatic solid tumors in the U.S. and Japan.

DS-8201 has been granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for the treatment of patients with HER2 positive, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who have been treated with trastuzumab and pertuzumab and have disease progression after ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1), and Fast Track designation for the treatment of HER2 positive unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer in patients who have progressed after prior treatment with HER2 targeted therapies including T-DM1 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. DS-8201 has also been granted SAKIGAKE Designation by the Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for the treatment of HER2 positive advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer.

DS-8201 is an investigational agent that has not been approved for any indication in any country. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Compugen Announces Clinical Milestone Payment in Cancer Immunotherapy Collaboration with Bayer Following Dosing of First Patient in BAY 1905254 Phase 1 Trial

On September 20, 2018 Compugen Ltd. (Nasdaq: CGEN), a clinical-stage cancer immunotherapy company and leader in predictive target discovery, reported that it was informed that Bayer AG dosed the first patient in the Phase 1 clinical trial of BAY 1905254, a first-in-class immuno-oncology therapeutic antibody targeting the ILDR2 protein, in patients with advanced solid tumors (Press release, Compugen, SEP 20, 2018, View Source [SID1234529531]). Under the terms of the collaboration and license agreement, Compugen is entitled to a milestone payment of $7.8 million at first patient dosing. ILDR2 is a new immune checkpoint protein identified by Compugen using its predictive target discovery platform.

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!

"ILDR2 was one of the first immune checkpoint targets discovered through our discovery platforms and the first to enter into a R&D collaboration and license agreement with a pharma partner," stated Anat Cohen-Dayag, PhD, President and CEO of Compugen. "Bayer has been an outstanding partner and we greatly appreciate their excellent R&D team and commitment to advancing this program to the clinic."

"BAY 1905254 and our internally-developed COM701 are the first drug candidates to enter Phase 1 trials addressing new drug targets discovered computationally by Compugen. This represents a breakthrough achievement for Compugen and proof-of-concept of the power of our computational discovery capabilities. We hope that each of these drug candidates will become a life changing treatment option for patients unresponsive to existing cancer immunotherapies," Dr. Cohen-Dayag added.

About ILDR2 and BAY 1905254
ILDR2 is a novel B7/CD28-like immune checkpoint target discovered computationally by Compugen. Preclinical studies demonstrated inhibitory effects of ILDR2 on T cells, consistent with it being an immune checkpoint ligand. Additional expression and functional studies suggest that ILDR2 acts as an inhibitor of the priming step of T cell activation, thereby muting T cell response to cancer.

BAY 1905254 is a fully human antibody that blocks the immunosuppressive activity of ILDR2. BAY 1905254 exhibits anti-tumor activity as a monotherapy in various mouse models, and also demonstrates additive anti-tumor effects in combination with other cancer therapy approaches in those models, indicating the possibility for multiple combination uses in cancer immunotherapy.