On September 5, 2018 Immunocore Limited, a leading T Cell Receptor (TCR) biotechnology company focused on delivering first-in-class biological therapies that have the potential to transform the lives of people with serious diseases, reported that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for US Patent Application No. 13/319597 (Press release, Immunocore, SEP 5, 2018, View Source [SID1234529281]). The allowed claims cover the optimal format for TCR-based T cell redirectors and will provide broad protection for the Company’s novel ImmTAC platform. The grant of this U.S. patent will complete broad patent protection for the ImmTAC platform in the US and adds to equivalent patent protection already obtained in other major territories including Europe and China. ImmTAC molecules are the first T cell redirectors to have demonstrated a durable response and robust overall survival rate in patients with solid tumours.

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!

Commenting on the announcement, Andrew Hotchkiss, Chief Executive Officer at Immunocore, said: "We are delighted that the USPTO has issued this Notice of Allowance, which will provide protection of our proprietary platform technology in the US until 2030. Together with other granted and pending patents, the Notice of Allowance cements the Company’s position as a leader in soluble TCR-based therapeutics."

Bent Jakobsen, Chief Scientific Officer at Immunocore and co-inventor of the technology, added: "The allowance of this patent application further exemplifies the Company’s world-leading science and innovation in the design of potent TCR-based biologics able to address some of the most difficult-to-treat tumours."

Immunocore’s extensive IP portfolio provides broad protection for the ImmTAC platform and serves to underpin the Company’s expanding pipeline of TCR-based biologics for the treatment of cancer and other serious diseases. The first ImmTAC to reach the clinic, IMCgp100 is in pivotal trials for the treatment of metastatic uveal melanoma, and a second ImmTAC molecule, IMCnyeso has recently commenced clinical testing for the treatment of various solid tumours.

On September 5, 2018 TP Therapeutics, a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing oncology therapies with a focus on addressing drug resistance, reported that updated interim data from its ongoing Phase 1/2 TRIDENT-1 study of Repotrectinib (TPX-0005) will be presented in an oral presentation at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer to be held Sept. 23-26, 2018, in Toronto (Press release, TP Therapeutics, SEPT 5, 2018, View Source [SID1234529298]).

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 presentation will provide an updated interim analysis of the Phase 1 study in ROS1 fusion-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients across multiple doses of Repotrectinib, TP Therapeutics’ investigational next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) designed to effectively target ROS1, TRKA-C and ALK fusion proteins, and overcome clinical resistance due to secondary kinase domain mutations. Preclinical and early clinical findings have shown Repotrectinib to be a potent and selective inhibitor for ALK, ROS1, and TRK family.

World Conference on Lung Cancer
Presentation Title: Safety and Preliminary Clinical Activity of Ropotrectinib1 (TPX-0005), a Next-Generation ROS1/TRK/ALK Inhibitor, in Advanced ROS1 Fusion-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Topic: Targeted Therapy
Date: Monday, Sept. 24, 2018
Session: Novel Therapies in ROS1, HER2 and rare EGFR Mutations (10:30 a.m. to Noon)
Abstract: 14217
Presenter: Jessica J. Lin, M.D., Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center

Initial preliminary data from the ongoing Phase 1 portion of the TRIDENT-1 study were presented in June 2018 at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper). In addition, the preclinical and clinical proof-of-concept data for Repotrectinib were recently published in the journal Cancer Discovery (The Cancer Discovery article may be found online at: View Source).

About repotrectinib (TPX-0005)

Repotrectinib (TPX-0005) is a potent and orally bioavailable investigational small molecule kinase inhibitor for ALK, ROS1, and TRK family. The clinical benefits of targeting ALK, ROS1, or TRK fusion kinase have been demonstrated with multiple kinase inhibitors already approved for the treatment of ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), in addition to crizotinib for ROS1+ NSCLC, and larotrectinib and entrectinib in clinical studies for TRK+ cancers. The successes of these therapies are overshadowed by the development of acquired resistance. The acquired solvent front mutations including ALK G1202R, ROS1 G2032R, TRKA G595R and TRKC G623R render a common clinical resistance to the current ALK, ROS1, and TRK inhibitors.

Repotrectinib has demonstrated potency against wildtype and mutated ALK, ROS1 and TRK family kinases, especially the clinically significant solvent front mutations, gatekeeper mutations, and emerging compound mutations after multiple line treatments. Repotrectinib may provide a new opportunity to inhibit the abnormal signaling of ALK, ROS1, or TRK family in solid malignancies, and overcome multiple resistance mechanisms seen in refractory patients. Repotrectinib is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1/2, open-label, multi-center, first-in-human study of the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and anti-tumor activity in patients with advanced solid tumors harboring ALK, ROS1, or NTRK1-3 rearrangements TRIDENT-1 study (www.clinicaltrial.gov number NCT03093116). Interested patients and physicians can also contact the TP Therapeutics Oncology Clinical Trial Hotline at 1-858-276-0005 or email [email protected].

1Note: TPX-0005 had an initial generic name of "ropotrectinib," which was later changed to repotrectinib and is now the accepted name by USAN and WHO INN.

On September 5, 2018 Quanterix Corporation (NASDAQ:QTRX), a company digitizing biomarker analysis with the goal of advancing the science of precision health, reported that Kevin Hrusovsky, Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of Quanterix, will present at the Wells Fargo Securities 2018 Healthcare Conference on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018 at 9:45 a.m., EDT at The Westin Copley Place in Boston, Mass (Press release, Quanterix, SEPT 5, 2018, View Source [SID1234529299]). Hrusovsky will also be attending Citi’s 13th Annual Biotech Conference on the same day at the Four Seasons Boston, where he is scheduled to meet privately with leading healthcare investors.

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 September 5, 2018 Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: NBIX) reported that it will present at the Morgan Stanley 16th Annual Global Healthcare Conference at 8:10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018, in New York City. Kevin Gorman, Chief Executive Officer of Neurocrine Biosciences, will present at the conference.

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 live presentation will be webcast and may be accessed on the Company’s website under Investors at View Source A replay of the presentation will be available on the website approximately one hour after the conclusion of the event and will be archived for approximately one month.

On September 25, 2018 Orion Biotechnology Canada Ltd., a developer of novel medical treatments, reported that its subsidiary, Orion Biotechnology Switzerland Sàrl, has successfully closed a transaction with the Mintaka Medical Research Foundation for the acquisition of the 5P12-RANTES molecule (Press release, Orion Biotechnology, SEP 5, 2018, View Source [SID1234530101]) . 5P12-RANTES is a potent CCR5 chemokine antagonist which Orion will develop in a number of areas, including; immuno-oncology, multiple sclerosis and HIV prevention.

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 acquisition includes its worldwide patent portfolio, and has resulted in a partnership with the Geneva, Switzerland based Mintaka Medical Research Foundation, and the Wellcome Trust of London, England. No financial details of the transaction were released.

"We are thrilled to add the enormous potential of the 5P12-RANTES portfolio to our pipeline" said Mark Groper, President and CEO of Orion Biotechnology. "It adds depth to our pipeline, strengthens our intellectual property portfolio, and provides the basis for the development of several additional novel immunotherapies".

"I’m excited that we were able to successfully form this partnership with Orion Biotechnology" said Robin Offord, Executive Director of the Mintaka Medical Research Foundation. "Mintaka looks forward to continuing its work on humanitarian (anti-HIV) uses of 5P12-RANTES with the help of the highly innovative and capable team at Orion and the substantial resources that they bring to the table. Also, 5P12-RANTES has surprised us all by its potential in a wide range of other medical indications and Orion is well placed to exploit these applications to the full".

Daniel Gill, from Wellcome’s Innovations team said: "HIV remains a significant global health issue and we are pleased to continue our collaboration on the development of 5P12-RANTES with Orion Biotechnology. 5P12-RANTES has significant potential in other areas of unmet need and we are excited that Orion will expand development of the molecule in other therapeutic areas such as immune-oncology and multiple sclerosis."