ImmunoPrecise to Acquire ModiQuest Research BV

On December 11, 2017 IMMUNOPRECISE ANTIBODIES LTD. (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: IPA)(OTC PINK: IPATF) reported that it has signed a binding letter of intent with ModiQuest Research BV ("ModiQuest") whereby the Company has agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of ModiQuest (the "Transaction") (Press release, ModiQuest Therapeutics, DEC 11, 2017, View Source [SID1234522558]).

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The Transaction continues to realize on the Board’s commitment to grow globally through strategic acquisitions. It allows IPA to become a single source provider of services across the full antibody discovery value chain (antigen design, hit generation, lead selection, lead optimization and lead characterization) and to offer the full spectrum of antibody production methodologies (library based technologies, hybridoma methods, transgenic animal based platforms and single B cell based technology). Furthermore, the acquisition enhances the Company’s capacity for generating human antibodies.

"In acquiring ModiQuest Research B.V., IPA becomes a leading integrated antibody solutions company with global reach," said Dr. James Kuo, Chairman, Interim President of the Company.

ModiQuest

ModiQuest is a privately held company based in Oss, The Netherlands that specializes in the generation of monoclonal antibodies against difficult target antigens. ModiQuest applies proprietary technologies to all aspects of the antibody discovery process in research and development, diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Using its proprietary ModiFuse (hybridoma electrofusion), ModiSelect (B-cell selection) and ModiPhage (phage display) technologies, ModiQuest can generate very large panels of monoclonal antibodies from various backgrounds including mouse, rat, rabbit, chicken, llama and human, as well as transgenic animals harboring the human antibody gene repertoire. ModiQuest serves clients in Europe, the US, Asia and Russia. During its year-ended 2016, ModiQuest had revenues of €2,009,374 (CAD $3,037,249) and earnings of €671,799 (CAD $1,015,451).

The Transaction is accretive in both revenue and earnings and brings additional scientific and management capacity.

Terms of Transaction with ModiQuest

Under the binding letter of intent, the Company and ModiQuest have agreed to negotiate a definitive agreement (the "Definitive Agreement") whereby the Company will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of ModiQuest for €7,000,000 (CAD$10,570,000) (the "Purchase Price"), of which (A) €2,500,000 (CAD$3,775,000) will be paid in cash on closing, (B) €2,500,000 (CAD$3,775,000) will be satisfied by the issuance of approximately 6,622,807 common shares of the Company on closing, and (C) €2,000,000 (CAD$3,020,000) in deferred payments over a three year period (the "Deferred Payments"). The Deferred Payments will be made in three equal installments of cash and equity totaling €666,666 (CAD$1,006,665) on each anniversary date following closing of the transaction. The Deferred Payments will be prorated if the EBITDA of ModiQuest fails to equal the average EBITDA from the previous two years. ImmunoPrecise expects to finance the cash portion of the purchase price using a convertible debt instrument.

The letter of intent also requires that Jos Raats, a principal of ModiQuest, to enter into a three year management contract, which will include non-solicitation and non-competition clauses, and Mr. Raats will provide a minimum of 60% of full time employment to ModiQuest under the management contract. The Company has also agreed to appoint one of the principal shareholders of ModiQuest to its board of directors.

The parties will be entitled to carry out due diligence of each other until February 15, 2018. Upon the parties completing due diligence to their reasonable satisfaction, the parties will enter into the Definitive Agreement setting forth the terms and conditions of the Transaction by February 28, 2018. Completion of any transaction with ModiQuest is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, completion of due diligence, negotiation of definitive agreements in respect of such a transaction, the availability of financing on terms acceptable to the Company, and receipt of any required regulatory and shareholder approvals. A transaction cannot be completed until these conditions are satisfied, and there can be no assurance that a transaction will be completed at all.

Innovation Pharmaceuticals Reports Positive Topline Results from Phase 2 Placebo-Controlled Trial of Brilacidin for the Prevention of Oral Mucositis in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

On December 11, 2017 Innovation Pharmaceuticals, (OTCQB:IPIX) ("the Company"), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, reported successful topline results from the Company’s randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 2 clinical trial of Brilacidin (see NCT02324335) for the prevention and control of Oral Mucositis (OM) in patients receiving chemoradiation for treatment of Head and Neck Cancer (Press release, Innovation Pharmaceuticals, DEC 11, 2017, View Source [SID1234522527]). Brilacidin-OM is being developed under an FDA Fast Track designation for this indication.

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Summary of Topline Results from the Placebo-Controlled Phase 2 Trial

· Brilacidin met primary endpoint of reduced incidence of severe OM experienced by patients during radiation therapy.
· Incidence of severe OM in Modified Intent to Treat (mITT) Population: Brilacidin 42.9%, Placebo 60.0%.
· Incidence of severe OM in Per Protocol (PP) Population: Brilacidin 36.8%, Placebo 60.0%.
· Trial results support continued and expedited development of Brilacidin-OM.

Clinical Trial Background

In this trial, Head and Neck Cancer patients self-administered Brilacidin (45 mg/15 ml oral rinse—"swish and spit") or placebo three times daily across 7 consecutive weeks (49 days). Of the 61 patients randomized, 46 patients met the cumulative radiation dose criteria of at least 55 Gy—the minimum treatment threshold for inclusion in the efficacy population—and 39 of these patients met more strict criteria for inclusion in the "per protocol" study population. The trial’s primary endpoint was established as reduced incidence of severe OM (defined as Grade ≥ 3 on the WHO Oral Mucositis scale) experienced by patients during radiation therapy.

Topline results reveal a clear reduction in the incidence of severe OM (WHO Grade ≥ 3) in patients treated with Brilacidin-OM as compared to those on placebo. Brilacidin also appeared generally safe and well-tolerated across all treated patients (the safety population).

Primary Efficacy Results: Incidence of severe OM (WHO Grade ≥ 3)

Active (Brilacidin) Control (Placebo)

Modified Intent to Treat 9 of 21 patients (42.9 %) 15 of 25 patients (60.0%)
(mITT) Population (n=46)
Per Protocol
(PP) Population (n=39) 7 of 19 patients (36.8%) 12 of 20 patients (60.0%)

Overall reduction in observed severe Oral Mucositis (WHO Grade ≥ 3) in the Brilacidin-OM treatment group from that seen in the control group ([incidence control – incidence active]/incidence control) was: 28.5% (mITT population) and 38.7% (PP population).

Safety and Tolerability Profile

Brilacidin administered as an oral rinse was generally well-tolerated by patients. Safety findings were typical for patients with Head and Neck Cancer being treated with chemoradiation, with all treated patients reporting at least one Treatment-Emergent Adverse Event (TEAE). Of the TEAEs categorized as serious (SAEs), 13 patients (8 in the Brilacidin group, and 5 in the Placebo group) experienced at least one SAE. No SAEs reported led to death. None of the SAEs were classified by the Investigator as related to Brilacidin.

Management Comments

Additional study endpoint analyses are ongoing, with outputs expected in the coming weeks. These endpoints are important in building a deeper knowledge base around Brilacidin-OM, further informing other aspects of efficacy and helping to plan the next stage of clinical development.

"The completion of the Phase 2 trial of Brilacidin-OM is a major milestone for the Company, particularly given the successful topline study results. In a broader context, these mid-phase study results represent a watershed moment in the management of OM, as there has been negligible prior innovation in safely mitigating the onset of the severest stages of the disease," commented Leo Ehrlich, Chief Executive Officer at Innovation Pharmaceuticals. "We believe that we now occupy a leadership position with this drug candidate in the prevention and treatment of severe OM in Head and Neck Cancer patients. Considering the global unmet medical need in treating severe OM, we anticipate leveraging these promising data, both in securing potential partnership opportunities and establishing an early competitive market position. In combination with other promising clinical data on Brilacidin, we are building a strong case that our novel defensin-mimetic pipeline can safely address an array of diseases and conditions by showing meaningful clinical responses. We now look forward to discussing our plans with the FDA to best align and prepare for the expedient advancement of the Brilacidin-OM program."

"Based on these data, we are confident Brilacidin-OM has potential to improve significantly the treatment paradigm for OM," said Arthur P. Bertolino, MD, PhD, MBA, President and Chief Medical Officer at Innovation Pharmaceuticals. "To see a clear beneficial clinical response is what clinicians hope for—a viable drug candidate bettering the lives of patients in dire need of newer treatment options. Further, today’s news is added validation of the Brilacidin Franchise, now anchored in three distinct clinical indications—OM, inflammatory bowel disease and serious skin infections. Brilacidin is an extremely unique drug candidate that we look forward to continuing to explore and advance across its many therapeutic applications."

About Brilacidin

Brilacidin is Innovation Pharmaceuticals’ lead drug candidate in its defensin mimetic franchise. Modeled after Host Defense Proteins (HDPs), the "front-line" of defense in the immune system, it is a small, non-peptidic, synthetic molecule that kills pathogens swiftly and thoroughly. Just as importantly, Brilacidin also functions in a robust immunomodulatory capacity, lessening inflammation and promoting healing. Due to its unique properties, the Company is studying Brilacidin’s effect on Oral Mucositis (under Fast Track designation) and on Ulcerative Proctitis / Proctosigmoiditis (UP/UPS) in Phase 2 trials. Additional trials of Brilacidin are planned in other conditions, including: Atopic Dermatitis, Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Acne. Brilacidin is also being developed under FDA’s Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) designation as an antibacterial product for Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infection (ABSSSI)—qualifying it for Fast Track and possible Priority FDA Review and an extra 5 years of United States market exclusivity upon drug approval.

Learn more here:
View Source

About Brilacidin-OM

Innovation Pharmaceutical’s first-in-class immunomodulatory drug candidate, Brilacidin, targets the prevention of severe Oral Mucositis (OM)—a common and debilitating side-effect of receiving chemoradiation therapy—in Head and Neck Cancer. Each year, OM affects hundreds of thousands of patients worldwide. Only a limited number of OM treatments are available, most of which are palliative in nature. A Phase 2 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of Brilacidin-OM (see NCT02324335) has been recently completed in which topline results demonstrate a reduced rate of severe OM (WHO Grade >3) in patients treated with Brilacidin-OM compared to those on placebo.

About Oral Mucositis

Oral Mucositis (OM) is a frequent, painful and debilitating complication of chemoradiation. Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) patients—comprising an estimated 65,000 newly diagnosed cases in the U.S. alone in 2017, and an estimated 700,000 worldwide (source: GLOBOCAN)—are at the greatest risk of developing OM (a 90 to 100 percent rate of occurrence). By 2030, the global incidence of HNC cases is expected to exceed 1 million per year. Moreover, between 25 and 60 percent of cancer patients, regardless of cancer type, also will experience OM. Characterized by inflammation and ulceration, patients suffering from OM are often unable to speak and eat (requiring the insertion of a feeding tube) and are more susceptible to infections, with severe cases leading to hospitalization at increased treatment costs of up to $25,000. There currently are no approved medications for the prevention of OM in the HNC population, with only limited palliative care options available. Worldwide, the potential market for OM is expected to exceed $1 billion in the next few years.

Aura Biosciences Strengthens Leadership Team with Addition of Cadmus Rich, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer

On December 11, 2017 Aura Biosciences, a biotechnology company developing a new class of therapies to target and selectively destroy cancer cells using viral nanoparticle conjugates, reported that Cadmus Rich, M.D., has joined the company’s leadership team as Chief Medical Officer (Press release, Aura Biosciences, DEC 11, 2017, View Source [SID1234522524]). In this role, he will oversee all clinical research and development activities.

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"We welcome Cadmus to our team during a pivotal time at Aura," said Elisabet de los Pinos, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Aura. "As Chief Medical Officer, Cadmus will play an instrumental role as we continue to advance our Phase 1b/2 clinical trial of light-activated AU-011, following release of positive interim safety data last month. We look forward to drawing on his extensive expertise leading product development and commercialization initiatives in ophthalmology."

Dr. Rich joins the company from Inotek Pharmaceuticals, where he was Vice President, Medical Affairs and Clinical Development, responsible for development of therapies to treat glaucoma and other serious eye diseases. Prior to Inotek, Dr. Rich held key leadership roles at Alcon, most recently as a Therapeutic Unit Head leading the intraocular lenses team and prior to this, as Global Head of Pharmaceutical Clinical Trial Management. At Alcon, he managed many development programs and clinical trials; therapeutic and device submissions; and approvals for six drugs and five devices in a number of international markets. Before that, he established a new center of excellence in ophthalmology at Quintiles Transnational (now IQVIA), the world’s largest contract research organization.

Dr. Rich earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Case Western Reserve University; a Doctor of Medicine from the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine, Chapel Hill; and a Master of Business Administration from Regis University. He completed his ophthalmology residency at the UNC Department of Ophthalmology, Chapel Hill and additionally, is a Certified Physician Executive. He serves on the national board of directors of Prevent Blindness, a volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight.

"I’m pleased to help lead the important work that Aura is advancing in ocular melanoma, which has no FDA-approved, targeted therapies," said Dr. Rich. "In partnership with our global network of ocular oncology experts, we are striving to provide a novel option for early treatment intervention of this rare disease."

Aura also announced today that Alison Lawton has resigned from her role as Chief Operating Officer to pursue other opportunities. She will remain an advisor to Aura.

About ocular melanoma
Ocular melanoma, also known as uveal or choroidal melanoma, is a rare and aggressive eye cancer. Ocular melanoma is the most common primary ocular tumor and develops in the uveal tract of the eye. No targeted therapies are available at present, and current radiotherapy treatments can be associated with severe visual loss and other long-term sequelae such as dry eye, glaucoma, cataracts and radiation retinopathy. The most common current treatment is plaque radiotherapy, which involves surgical placement of a radiation device against the exterior of the eye over the tumor. This technique can control the melanoma but can also lead to radiation-related cataract, retinopathy, optic nerve damage and loss of vision. The alternative is enucleation, or removal of the eye. Ocular melanoma metastasizes to the liver in about 40 percent of cases in the long-term (source: OMF), and only 15 percent of patients whose melanoma has metastasized survive beyond five years after diagnosis (source: ACS).

About light-activated AU-011
AU-011 is a first-in-class targeted therapy in development for the primary treatment of ocular melanoma. The therapy consists of viral nanoparticle conjugates that bind selectively to unique receptors on cancer cells in the eye and is derived from technology originally pioneered by Dr. John Schiller of the Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), recipient of the 2017 Lasker-DeBakey Award. Upon activation with an ophthalmic laser, the drug rapidly and specifically destroys the membranes of tumor cells while sparing key eye structures, which may allow for the potential of preserving patients’ vision and reducing other long term complications of treatment. This therapy can be delivered in the ophthalmologist’s office and does not require a surgical procedure, enabling a less invasive, more convenient therapy for patients and physicians. AU-011 for ocular melanoma has been granted orphan drug and fast track designations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is currently in clinical development.

Aptose Presents New Preclinical Data on CG’806 pan-FLT3/pan-BTK Inhibitor at ASH 59th Annual Meeting

On December 11, 2017 Aptose Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ:APTO) (TSX:APS) reported the presentation of preclinical data from research led by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center demonstrating that CG’806, a highly potent pan-FLT3/pan-BTK inhibitor, exerts a profound anti-leukemia effect in human and murine leukemia cell lines harboring FLT-3 ITD mutations, mutations that are usually associated with very poor prognoses in leukemia patients. In addition, CG’806 demonstrates apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in AML patient samples by several mechanisms and is able to overcome resistance that is seen with other FLT3 inhibitors (Press release, Aptose Biosciences, DEC 11, 2017, View Source [SID1234522545]). The data were highlighted in poster presentations on Sunday and Monday, December 10 and 11, 2017 at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) 59th Annual Meeting & Exposition, being held December 9-12 in Atlanta, GA.

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The poster The Pan-FLT3/BTK Multi-Kinase Inhibitor CG’806 Induces AML Killing in FLT-Mutant and Wild Type Cells, and Exerts Synergistic Pro-Apoptotic Effects with Concomitant Targeting of Anti-Apoptotic Bcl-2 and/or Mcl-1 demonstrated pronounced anti-leukemia activity of CG’806 against a broad array of AML cells, including those with FLT3-wild type, FLT3 with single mutations, or with FLT3 harboring dual ITD plus D835 or ITD plus F691 mutations, and it demonstrated synergistic effects in combination with Bcl-2 or Mcl-1 inhibitors even in FLT3 mutated AML cells. CG’806 elicited its broad spectrum killing of AML cells through its ability to suppress the FLT3 pathway as well the BTK, AURK, AKT and ERK signaling pathways that are differentially operative in different AML cells. Notably, CG’806 maintained cytotoxic activity against AML cells in the presence of FLT3 ligand and bone marrow stromal cells, and CG’806 demonstrated dose-dependent in vivo antitumor activity in a circulating AML murine model.

The poster CG’806, a Novel Pan-FLT3/BTK Multi-Kinase Inhibitor, Induces Cell Cycle Arrest, Apoptosis or Autophagy in AML Cells Depending on FLT3 Mutation Status further elucidated the anti-leukemia effect of CG’806. CG’806 exerted profound suppression of cell proliferation through G1 cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis in FLT3-mutant AML cells, which is associated with inhibition of mutant FLT3 signaling and the downstream p-AKT/p-mTOR/cyclin D1/p-Rb signaling axis. In contrast, CG’806 exerted a G2/M arrest in FLT3-wildtype (WT) cells through inhibition of aurora (AURK) and BTK kinases and induction of non-apoptotic cell death (autophagy or polyploidy). CG’806 sensitized AML cells to standard chemotherapeutic agents cytarabine and idarubicin and significantly enhanced pro-apoptotic effects. Taken together, these data support the development of CG’806 for a diverse set of AML patients with FLT3-ITD, FLT3-ITD plus additional TKD/gatekeeper mutations, as well as FLT3-WT.

Data were presented by members of the research team led by Michael Andreeff, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Medicine, Haas Chair in Genetics, Department of Leukemia, at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

The poster presentations can be accessed on the Events & Presentations section of the Aptose website at the following link.

"As our mechanistic understanding of CG’806 grows, we are beginning to construct a framework of how a single molecule can inhibit specific clusters of kinases and kill a heterogeneous group of AML cells without observed toxicity to normal cells," commented William G. Rice, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aptose. "As a pan-FLT3/pan-BTK multi-kinase inhibitor, CG’806 has the ability to kill a broad range of AML cells through inhibition of multiple oncogenic pathways that are differentially expressed in subgroups of cells. It appears to overcome the limitations of competitive FLT3 inhibitory agents, to enhance the AML cell killing effects of certain other chemotherapies, and to exhibit a robust therapeutic index. We look forward to initiating clinical trials of CG’806 in 2018."

Separately, Aptose and Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Center researchers also announced new data on CG’806 presented at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) (see press release here).

In addition to the abstracts that were presented at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper), two additional abstracts on CG’806 and two abstracts on APTO-253, Aptose’s small molecule c-Myc Inhibitor, have been published on the ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) abstracts site. All abstracts will become part of the permanent ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) and Blood abstracts archive.

About CG’806

CG‘806 is an oral, first-in-class pan-FLT3/pan-BTK inhibitor. This small molecule demonstrates potent inhibition of all wild type and mutant forms of FLT3 tested (including internal tandem duplication, or ITD, and mutations of the receptor tyrosine kinase domain and gatekeeper region), eliminates AML tumors in the absence of toxicity in murine xenograft models, and represents a potential best-in-class therapeutic for patients with FLT3-driven AML. Likewise, CG’806 demonstrates potent, non-covalent inhibition of the wild type and Cys481Ser mutant forms of the BTK enzyme, as well as other oncogenic kinases operative in B cell malignancies, suggesting CG’806 may be developed for CLL and MCL patients that are resistant/refractory/intolerant to covalent BTK inhibitors.

Phase 1 Data for Flotetuzumab, MacroGenics’ CD123 x CD3 DART® Molecule, Presented at 59th Annual ASH Meeting

On December 11, 2017 MacroGenics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MGNX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing innovative monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, as well as autoimmune disorders and infectious diseases, reported the presentation of clinical data from its ongoing Phase 1 study of flotetuzumab in an oral session at the 59th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) in Atlanta, Georgia (Press release, MacroGenics, DEC 11, 2017, View Source [SID1234522556]). John E. Godwin, M.D., Program Leader, Hematologic Malignancies at Earle A. Chiles Research Institute at Providence Cancer Center in Portland, Oregon presented "Preliminary Results of a Phase 1 Study of Flotetuzumab, a CD123 x CD3 Bispecific DART Protein, in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome."

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The ongoing Phase 1, first-in-human study of flotetuzumab was designed to determine safety, tolerability, maximum tolerated dose and initial anti-leukemic activity in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or intermediate-2/high risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). To date, a total of 57 patients have been enrolled, including 11 AML patients in the dose expansion cohort.

Consistent with the dose escalation data that was previously presented at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Congress 2017 in September, flotetuzumab has continued to demonstrate acceptable tolerability in patients treated to date in the dose expansion cohort. Infusion-related reaction and cytokine release syndrome (CRS) were the most common adverse events observed, with Grade 3 CRS occurring in 9 of 57 patients (15.8%). Implementation of a two-step, lead-in dose as well as early intervention with anti-cytokine therapy has helped to limit the severity and incidence of CRS.

As of the data cut-off date, of the eight evaluable patients in the dose expansion cohort who received a lead-in dose followed by 500 ng/kg/day of flotetuzumab via continuous IV infusion, six patients (75%) have evidence of anti-leukemic activity, with three of these patients experiencing an objective response. This included two patients who experienced CR/CRi and one patient who achieved MLF (morphologic leukemia-free state).

The duration of response for the eight patients who have achieved a MLF, CRi or CR in the dose escalation and dose expansion cohorts ranged from 1.0 to 5.8 months, with five of these responses still ongoing as of the November 30, 2017 data cut-off.

Further, in a translational data poster presentation, MacroGenics also described studies that support a rationale for using checkpoint blockade as an approach to potentially enhance the anti-leukemic activity of flotetuzumab. Among these findings, modulation of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway was observed in patients treated with flotetuzumab, and the combination of flotetuzumab and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors was shown to synergistically enhance T-cell mediated cytotoxicity against AML cell lines in vitro.

"We continue to be encouraged by the tolerability and anti-leukemic activity of flotetuzumab as well as by the early data regarding the durability of responses observed in patients from our ongoing Phase 1 study of flotetuzumab," said Scott Koenig, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of MacroGenics. "In addition, given the data-supported rationale for combining flotetuzumab with anti-PD-1, we intend to initiate a combination study with the anti-PD-1 mAb, MGA012, in the coming months, while we continue to enroll the AML and MDS dose expansion cohorts. We look forward to sharing additional flotetuzumab clinical data in 2018."

The presentation at the 59th Annual ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) meeting is available for download from the Events & Presentations page on MacroGenics’ website at View Source

About Flotetuzumab

Flotetuzumab (also known as MGD006 and S80880) is a clinical-stage molecule that recognizes both CD123 and CD3. CD123, the Interleukin-3 receptor alpha chain, has been reported to be over-expressed on cancer cells in a wide range of hematological malignancies, including AML and MDS. The primary mechanism of action of flotetuzumab is believed to be its ability to redirect T lymphocytes to kill CD123-expressing cells. To achieve this, the DART molecule combines a portion of an antibody recognizing CD3, an activating molecule expressed by T cells, with an arm that recognizes CD123 on the target cancer cells.

Flotetuzumab is currently being evaluated at 13 clinical sites in the U.S. and Europe in a Phase 1 study designed to assess the safety, tolerability, maximum tolerated dose and initial anti-leukemic activity of the molecule in patients with relapsed/refractory AML or intermediate-2/high risk MDS. MacroGenics retains full development and commercialization rights to flotetuzumab in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Japan, South Korea and India. Servier participates in the development of flotetuzumab and has exclusive rights to this molecule in all other countries. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation to flotetuzumab for the treatment of AML.