On September 18, 2018 Bavarian Nordic A/S (OMX: BAVA, OTC: BVNRY) reported that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase 2 study evaluating the combination therapy of its cancer immunotherapy, CV301, and Roches’s checkpoint inhibitor, atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ), for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial bladder cancer (Press release, Bavarian Nordic, SEP 18, 2018, View Source [SID1234529475]).

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Bavarian Nordic’s CV301 targets tumor-associated antigens, CEA and MUC1, which are overexpressed on multiple solid tumors, including bladder cancer. Preclinical data has shown that vaccination resulted in the induction of tumor specific T-cells that infiltrated the tumor resulting in the upregulation of PD-L1 on tumor cells. The upregulation of PD-L1 is a marker indicating the tumor is under attack from T-cells, presenting an opportunity for a greater response in patients who might otherwise not benefit from treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor alone.

CV301 is administered in an innovative manner designed to generate a potent and durable T-cell response. Patients receive an enhanced priming regimen of the highly attenuated, non-replicating vaccinia virus MVA-BN-CV301 in 4 different injection sites on days 1 and 22, followed by boosters of the recombinant fowlpox virus FPV-CV301 at tapering intervals throughout the two years they are receiving atezolizumab.

The Phase 2, single-arm, multi-institutional clinical trial is designed to study the combination of CV301 with atezolizumab as a first-line treatment for patients with urothelial bladder cancer who are not eligible for cisplatin-containing chemotherapy (Cohort 1) and as a second-line treatment for patients who have previously been treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapies. The study is expected to enroll 68 patients, using a two-stage design within each cohort.

Stage 1 is planned to enroll approximately 40% of the subjects, with a threshold of around 25% of the subjects needing to achieve an objective response before enrolling the rest of the patients in Stage 2. Key secondary measures will also be evaluated, including: progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and duration of response.

"Today represents another large step forward in the development of our CV301 program and understanding its potential in bladder cancer," said Paul Chaplin, President and CEO of Bavarian Nordic. "We are hopeful that the preclinical data demonstrating a synergistic effect of CV301 with checkpoint inhibition will translate into a new, much-needed treatment option for patients living with this disease."

For more information on the trial, please visit: View Source

About CV301
CV301 is an active immunotherapy candidate that targets two tumor-associated antigens, CEA and MUC1, long known to be overexpressed in most solid tumors. The poxvirus-based prime/boost vaccine incorporates a modified version of vaccinia (MVA-BN, a proprietary technology of Bavarian Nordic) as a priming dose, followed by multiple fowlpox boosts, and encodes the TRICOM costimulatory molecules. Preclinical data shows that antigen specific vaccination results in T cell infiltration into areas of antigen expression and upregulation of PD-L1 on antigen expressing tumor cells. The upregulation of PD-L1 is a marker indicating the tumor is under attack from T-cells, presenting an opportunity for a greater response in patients who might otherwise not benefit from treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor alone.

On September 18, 2018 Biogen Inc. (Nasdaq:BIIB) reported it will report third quarter 2018 financial results Tuesday, October 23, 2018, before the financial markets open (Press release, Biogen, SEP 18, 2018, View Source [SID1234529476]).

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Following the release of the financials, the Company will host a live webcast with Biogen management from 8:00-9:00 am ET. To access the live webcast, please go to the investors section of Biogen’s website at View Source Following the live webcast, an archived version of the call will be available on the website.

On September 18, 2018 MediciNova, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company traded on the NASDAQ Global Market (NASDAQ:MNOV) and the JASDAQ Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Code Number: 4875), reported that Yuichi Iwaki, MD, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Geoffrey O’Brien, JD/MBA, Vice President and Executive Officer, will present a corporate overview at the Ladenburg Thalmann 2018 Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 at 9:30 am at the Sofitel Hotel in New York City (Press release, MediciNova, SEP 18, 2018, View Source;p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2367994 [SID1234529477]). Management will be available for one-on-one meetings at this conference and investors may request a one-on-one meeting through Ladenburg Thalmann.

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On September 18, 2018 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) reported that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has validated the Company’s type II variation application for Empliciti (elotuzumab) in combination with pomalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone (EPd) for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies, including lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor (PI), and have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy (Press release, Bristol-Myers Squibb, SEP 18, 2018, View Source [SID1234529478]). Validation of the application confirms the submission is complete and begins the EMA’s centralized review process.

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"Given the need for new treatment options for patients with multiple myeloma, we look forward to working closely with the EMA as they review this application," said Fouad Namouni, M.D., head, oncology development, Bristol-Myers Squibb. "It is our hope that this new Empliciti-based combination will soon become available for patients in the European Union with multiple myeloma, whose disease progressed on lenalidomide and a PI."

The application is based on data from ELOQUENT-3, a randomized Phase 2 study evaluating the EPd combination versus pomalidomide and dexamethasone (Pd) alone in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). Data from this study were presented at the 23rd Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) (Free EHA Whitepaper) in June.

Bristol-Myers Squibb and AbbVie are co-developing Empliciti, with Bristol-Myers Squibb solely responsible for commercial activities.

About ELOQUENT-3

The Phase 2 ELOQUENT-3 trial randomized 117 patients with RRMM who received two or more prior therapies and were either refractory or relapsed and refractory to lenalidomide and a PI. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either EPd (n=60) or Pd (n=57) in 28-day cycles until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients in both the EPd and Pd arms received 4 mg of pomalidomide for days 1-21 of each cycle, and the weekly equivalent of 40 mg or 20 mg dexamethasone for patients ≤75 years or >75 years, respectively. In the EPd arm, Empliciti was administered at the dose of 10 mg/kg IV weekly for the first 2 cycles and 20 mg/kg monthly starting from cycle 3. Patients randomized to EPd experienced a 46% reduction in risk of disease progression (HR 0.54; 95% CI: 0.34 to 0.86, p=0.0078) compared with patients randomized to Pd alone, with median PFS, the study’s primary endpoint, of 10.3 months (95% CI: 5.6 to not estimable) compared with 4.7 months (95% CI: 2.8 to 7.2) in Pd patients. The PFS benefit experienced among patients randomized to EPd was consistent among patients who had received two to three prior lines of therapy (HR 0.55; 95% CI: 0.31 to 0.98) and four or more prior lines of therapy (HR 0.51; CI 95%: 0.24 to 1.08).

Rates of treatment-related hematologic adverse events (AEs) were comparable between EPd and Pd groups (38% and 42%, respectively). The most commonly occurring hematologic AEs among patients receiving EPd were neutropenia (13%), anemia (10%), thrombocytopenia (8%) and lymphopenia (8%). AEs led to discontinuation in 18% of patients in the EPd arm, compared with 24% of patients in the Pd arm.

On September 18, 2018 Loxo Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq:LOXO), a biopharmaceutical company developing highly selective medicines for patients with genomically defined cancers, reported that abstracts from its LOXO-292 and larotrectinib programs have been accepted for oral presentations at the 88th Annual Meeting of the American Thyroid Association to be held October 3-7, 2018, in Washington, DC (Press release, Loxo Oncology, SEP 18, 2018, View Source [SID1234529642]).

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The LOXO-292 oral presentation will provide an updated analysis of patients with RET mutant medullary thyroid cancer and RET fusion thyroid cancers enrolled in the dose escalation cohorts of the ongoing LIBRETTO-001 Phase 1/2 clinical trial. The larotrectinib oral presentation will provide an analysis of patients with TRK fusion thyroid cancer enrolled to the larotrectinib clinical program.

The schedule for the presentations is as follows:

LOXO-292 Oral Presentation Session Date & Time: October 6, 2018, 9:05 a.m.-9:20 a.m. ET
Title: Clinical Activity of LOXO-292, a Highly Selective RET Inhibitor, in Patients with RET-Altered Thyroid Cancers
Session Title: Clinical Short Call Oral
Presenter: Lori J. Wirth, M.D.

Larotrectinib Oral Presentation Session Date & Time: October 4, 2018, 1:50 p.m.-2:05 p.m. ET
Title: Activity of Larotrectinib in Patients with Advanced TRK Fusion Thyroid Cancer
Session Title: Thursday Clinical Oral Abstracts
Presenter: Marcia S. Brose, M.D., Ph.D.

About LOXO-292
LOXO-292 is an oral and selective investigational new drug in clinical development for the treatment of patients with cancers that harbor abnormalities in the rearranged during transfection (RET) kinase. RET fusions and mutations occur across multiple tumor types with varying frequency. LOXO-292 was designed to inhibit native RET signaling as well as anticipated acquired resistance mechanisms that could otherwise limit the activity of this therapeutic approach. LOXO-292 has been granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the U.S. FDA.

LOXO-292 is currently being studied in the global LIBRETTO-001 Phase 1/2 trial. For additional information about the LOXO-292 clinical trial, please refer to www.clinicaltrials.gov. Interested patients and physicians can contact the Loxo Oncology Physician and Patient RET Clinical Trial Hotline at 1-855-RET-4-292 or email [email protected].

About RET-Altered Cancers
Genomic alterations in the RET kinase, which include fusions and activating point mutations, lead to overactive RET signaling and uncontrolled cell growth. RET fusions have been identified in approximately 2% of non-small cell lung cancer, 10-20% of papillary and other thyroid cancers, and a subset of other cancers. Activating RET point mutations account for approximately 60% of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). Both RET fusion cancers and RET-mutant MTC are primarily dependent on this single activated kinase for their proliferation and survival. This dependency, often referred to as "oncogene addiction," renders such tumors highly susceptible to small molecule inhibitors targeting RET.

About Larotrectinib
Larotrectinib is an oral and selective investigational tropomyosin receptor kinase (TRK) inhibitor in clinical development for the treatment of patients with cancers that harbor a neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) gene fusion. Growing research suggests that the NTRK genes, which encode for TRKs, can become abnormally fused to other genes, resulting in growth signals that can lead to cancer in many sites of the body. In clinical trials, larotrectinib demonstrated anti-tumor activity in patients with tumors harboring NTRK gene fusions, regardless of patient age or tumor type. In an analysis of 55 RECIST-evaluable adult and pediatric patients with NTRK gene fusions, using a July 17, 2017 data cutoff, larotrectinib demonstrated a 75 percent centrally-assessed confirmed overall response rate (ORR) and an 80 percent investigator-assessed confirmed ORR, across many different types of solid tumors. The majority (93 percent) of all adverse events were grade 1 or 2.

Larotrectinib has been granted Priority Review, Breakthrough Therapy Designation, Rare Pediatric Disease Designation and Orphan Drug Designation by the U.S. FDA.

In November 2017, Loxo Oncology and Bayer entered into an exclusive global collaboration for the development and commercialization of larotrectinib and LOXO-195, a next-generation TRK inhibitor. Bayer and Loxo Oncology are jointly developing the two products with Loxo Oncology leading the ongoing clinical studies as well as the filing in the U.S., and Bayer leading ex-U.S. regulatory activities and worldwide commercial activities. In the U.S., Loxo Oncology and Bayer will co-promote the products.

For additional information about the larotrectinib clinical trials, please refer to www.clinicaltrials.gov. Interested patients and physicians can contact the Loxo Oncology Physician and Patient Clinical Trial Hotline at 1-855-NTRK-123 or visit www.loxooncologytrials.com/trk-trials.

About TRK Fusion Cancer
TRK fusion cancer occurs when a neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) gene fuses with another unrelated gene, producing an altered tropomyosin receptor kinase (TRK) protein. The altered protein, or TRK fusion protein, is constantly active, triggering a permanent signal cascade. These proteins become the primary driver of the spread and growth of tumors in patients with TRK fusion cancer. TRK fusion cancer is not limited to certain types of cells or tissues and can occur in any part of the body. NTRK gene fusions occur in various adult and pediatric solid tumors with varying prevalence, including appendiceal cancer, breast cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, colorectal cancer, GIST, infantile fibrosarcoma, lung cancer, mammary analogue secretory carcinoma of the salivary gland, melanoma, pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer, and various sarcomas. Only sensitive and specific tests can reliably detect TRK fusion cancer. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) can provide a comprehensive view of genomic alterations across a large number of genes. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) can also be used to test for TRK fusion cancer, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) can be used to detect the presence of TRK protein.