On March 31, 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 eight nonclinical posters based on its molecules and antibody-based technologies at the 2017 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C (Press release, MacroGenics, MAR 31, 2017, View Source [SID1234518363]). Three of these posters are being presented by the Company’s collaboration partners, Janssen Research & Development, LLC and ImmunoGen, Inc.

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"MacroGenics’ record of antibody-based therapeutic innovation continues," said Scott Koenig, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of MacroGenics. "Beyond our broad, growing pipeline of clinical assets across immuno-oncology and autoimmune disorders today, we have maintained our investment in preclinical research to yield our future product candidates for delivering therapeutics to patients in need. The posters featured at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) reflect advances in our DART and TRIDENT multi-specific platform technologies, including the ability to target multiple checkpoints with a single recombinant molecule and T cell-mediated cytotoxic mechanisms as well as the deployment of multiple linker-drug conjugate technologies with novel cancer targets. I’m very excited about the potential for each of these programs."

MacroGenics AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2017 Poster Presentations

Each of the posters featured at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) relating to a MacroGenics-developed molecule are described below and after their presentation at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper), may be accessed under "Events & Presentations" in the Investors section of the Company’s website at View Source

B7-H3-targeted Antibody-drug Conjugate: "Preclinical Development of a Duocarmycin-Based Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) Targeting B7-H3 for Solid Cancer" (presentation date is Sunday, April 2 from 1:00 — 5:00pm ET; poster section 2, board #23).
ADAM9 ADC: "ADAM9: Target Validation, Antibody Discovery and Preclinical Data Supporting ADAM9 as an Antibody-Drug Conjugate Therapeutic Target for Solid Tumors" (presentation date is Sunday, April 2 from 1:00 — 5:00pm ET; poster section 2, board #19).
ADAM9 ADC: "Novel Antibody-Drug Conjugates Targeting ADAM9-expressing Solid Tumors Demonstrate Potent Preclinical Activity" (presentation date is Sunday, April 2 from 1:00 — 5:00pm ET; poster section 2, board #18). This poster is being presented by ImmunoGen, Inc.
CD137 DART: "Tumor-Antigen Expression-Dependent Activation of the CD137 Costimulatory Pathway by Bispecific DART Proteins" (presentation date is Tuesday, April 4 from 8:00am — 12:00pm ET; poster section 26, board #15).
PD-1 x CTLA-4 DART: "Co-targeting PD-1 and CTLA-4 Inhibitory Pathways with Bispecific DART and TRIDENT Molecules" (presentation date is Tuesday, April 4 from 8:00am — 12:00pm ET; poster section 26, board #10).
Duvortuxizumab (MGD011): "Potent Antitumor Activity of Duvortuxizumab, a CD19 x CD3 DART Molecule, in Lymphoma Models" (presentation date is Tuesday, April 4 from 8:00am — 12:00pm ET; poster section 26, board #9). This poster is being presented by Janssen.
Duvortuxizumab (MGD011): "Quantitative Prediction of Human Pharmacokinetics for Duvortuxizumab from Cynomolgus Monkey Data: a Translational Pharmacokinetic Modeling Approach" (presentation date is Tuesday, April 4 from 1:00 — 5:00pm ET; poster section 3, board #29). This poster is being presented by Janssen.
5T4 x CD3 DART: "A 5T4 x CD3 Bispecific DART Molecule with Extended Half-life for T-cell Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper)s" (presentation date is Tuesday, April 4 from 1:00 — 5:00pm ET; poster section 26, board #23).

On March 31, 2017 Propanc Health Group Corporation (OTCQB: PPCH) ("Propanc" or "the Company"), an emerging healthcare company focusing on development of new and proprietary treatments for cancer patients suffering from solid tumors such as pancreatic, ovarian and colorectal cancers, reported that its Board of Directors has approved a corporate name change and ratio for the reverse stock split of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock (Press release, Propanc, MAR 31, 2017, View Source [SID1234518414]). The Company had previously announced that the Board and a majority of its voting stockholders had approved a range for a reverse stock split and a reduction in the number of authorized shares of common and preferred stock of the Company.

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The Company’s name will change to Propanc Biopharma Inc. on April 7, which symbolizes a new and exciting growth phase for the Company, as it heads towards First-In-Man studies for its lead product, PRP.

Also, it is expected that prior to the commencement of trading on April 7 a 1-for-250 reverse stock split will be effectuated. The number of authorized shares of common stock will be reduced from 2 billion to 100 million and the number of authorized shares of preferred stock of the Company reduced from 10 million to just over 1.5 million. Investors should note that for 20 trading days after the reverse stock split, the ticker symbol of the Company’s common stock will change to PPCHD.

"As a result of the Company’s recent progress and anticipated upcoming milestones, we believe the timing is right to change our Company name to better reflect our stage of growth and development, as well as execute the reverse stock split," said James Nathanielsz, Propanc’s Chief Executive Officer. "Given that we expect to complete our GLP toxicity study very soon and expect to then move forward with First-In-Man studies of our lead product, PRP, we wanted to launch our corporate strategy to address our capital structure, reduce debt, and raise additional capital sufficient to progress PRP through clinical development. By undertaking these steps, management hopes to better position the Company for an up-listing of our common stock to a national stock exchange in order to help ensure the long-term future of the Company and create value for its shareholders."

The Company’s lead product, PRP, is a novel, patented, formulation consisting of two pancreatic proenzymes, trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen. Currently in preclinical development and progressing towards First-In-Man studies, PRP aims to prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis in solid tumors. Eighty percent of all cancers are solid tumors and metastasis is the main cause of patient death from cancer. The Company’s initial target patient populations include pancreatic, ovarian and colorectal cancers.

To view Propanc’s "Mechanism of Action" video on anti-cancer product candidate, PRP, please click on the following link: View Source

To be added to Propanc’s email distribution list, please email [email protected] with "Propanc" in the subject line.

On March 31, 2017 Mateon Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQX:MATN), a biopharmaceutical company developing vascular disrupting agents (VDAs) for the treatment of orphan oncology indications, reported that updates on several of its preclinical programs are being presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) annual meeting in Washington, D.C (Press release, Mateon Therapeutics, MAR 31, 2017, View Source [SID1234518365]).

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"These abstract presentations show the breadth of some of our early preclinical development programs," stated William D. Schwieterman, M.D., Mateon’s President and Chief Executive Officer. "As this work matures, we look forward to it complementing our current core clinical programs in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and acute myeloid leukemia."

Poster presentations by Mateon and/or its collaborators at the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) annual meeting are as follows:

Abstract #2952 – The novel Cathepsin L/K inhibitors KGP94 and KGP207 prevent M0 to M2 macrophage differentiation and macrophage mediated pro-tumor functions.
Section: Tumor Microenvironment 3
Date and Time: Monday, April 3, 2017, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Abstract #3203 – Targeting tumor hypoxia with prodrug conjugates of potent small molecule inhibitors of tubulin polymerization
Section: Novel Molecular Targets 2
Date and Time: Tuesday, April 4, 2017, 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Abstract #4899 – The small molecule Cathepsin L and K inhibitor KGP-94 impairs the metastatic phenotype of osteosarcoma cells
Section: Therapeutic Intervention of Cancer and Metastases
Date and Time: Tuesday, April 4, 2017, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time

The above abstracts have been published and can be viewed on the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting website.

On March 30, 2017 Genmab A/S (Nasdaq Copenhagen: GEN) reported that its collaboration partner for daratumumab, Janssen Biotech, Inc., has decided not to initiate stage 2 of the Phase II study (CARINA, LYM2001) of daratumumab in three types of relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) (Press release, Genmab, MAR 30, 2017, View Source [SID1234518322]). The study will not proceed to stage 2 as a data review showed that two cohorts of the study, investigating the use of daratumumab monotherapy in relapsed or refractory patients with follicular lymphoma (FL), and with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) did not reach the predefined futility thresholds of overall response rates (ORR) of 50%, and 30%, respectively. In the third cohort in the study, patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), ORR was not evaluable due to slow recruitment, driven by the aggressive nature of the disease in its final stages. This has no impact on other ongoing or planned studies with daratumumab.

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"While we hoped that daratumumab as a monotherapy could potentially provide a new treatment option in NHL patients with a high unmet medical need, the preliminary activity profile seen was not sufficient for the study to continue. Daratumumab is still being investigated in a number of indications including multiple myeloma and other hematological cancers such as NK/T-cell lymphoma and myelodysplastic syndrome as well as in solid tumors," said Jan van de Winkel, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Genmab.

About the CARINA LYM2001 study
The Phase II study (NCT02413489) is a three arm (DLBCL, FL, MCL), open-label multicenter study, which planned to enroll up to 210 patients in 2 stages with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Stage 1 of the study was designed to provide a preliminary assessment of monotherapy activity, with stage 2 designed to further evaluate safety and efficacy of daratumumab monotherapy. Stage 2 will now not proceed. The primary endpoint of the study was overall response rate. The safety profile of daratumumab in these diseases was also assessed.

About DARZALEX (daratumumab)
DARZALEX (daratumumab) injection for intravenous infusion is indicated in the United States in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, or bortezomib and dexamethasone, for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy and as a monotherapy for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least three prior lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor (PI) and an immunomodulatory agent, or who are double-refractory to a PI and an immunomodulatory agent.1 DARZALEX is the first monoclonal antibody (mAb) to receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to treat multiple myeloma. DARZALEX is indicated in Europe for use as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma, whose prior therapy included a PI and an immunomodulatory agent and who have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy. For more information, visit www.DARZALEX.com.
Daratumumab is a human IgG1k monoclonal antibody (mAb) that binds with high affinity to the CD38 molecule, which is highly expressed on the surface of multiple myeloma cells. Daratumumab triggers a person’s own immune system to attack the cancer cells, resulting in rapid tumor cell death through multiple immune-mediated mechanisms of action and through immunomodulatory effects, in addition to direct tumor cell death, via apoptosis (programmed cell death).1,2,3,4,5

Daratumumab is being developed by Janssen Biotech, Inc. under an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize daratumumab from Genmab. Five Phase III clinical studies with daratumumab in relapsed and frontline multiple myeloma settings are currently ongoing, and additional studies are ongoing or planned to assess its potential in other malignant and pre-malignant diseases on which CD38 is expressed, such as smoldering myeloma, NK/T-cell lymphoma, amyloidosis, myelodysplastic syndromes and solid tumors. Daratumumab has received two Breakthrough Therapy Designations from the U.S. FDA, for multiple myeloma, as both a monotherapy and in combination with other therapiesa

On March 30, 2017 Third Rock Ventures, LLC reported the launch of Tango Therapeutics, a new cancer therapeutics company discovering and developing novel medicines designed to target cancer vulnerabilities beyond mutated oncogenes to deliver transformational new therapies for patients (Press release, Tango Therapeutics, MAR 30, 2017, View Source [SID1234520724]).

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Tango was launched with a $55 million Series A investment from Third Rock Ventures. The company has established a robust product engine that leverages advances in DNA sequencing and CRISPR-based target discovery to generate breakthrough medicines that will provide deeper, more sustained benefit than today’s targeted therapies, and extend the benefit of available immuno-oncology agents.

"Cancers are complex genetic diseases marked by multiple lesions in each tumor. These include genes that are turned on to drive cancer growth and those that are inactivated and thus, unable to function as tumor suppressors," said Barbara Weber, M.D., Tango’s interim Chief Executive Officer and a Venture Partner at Third Rock Ventures. "Loss of tumor suppressor genes is a hallmark of cancer, but the genes, themselves, are not tractable targets for drug discovery. The availability of comprehensive DNA sequencing, coupled with CRISPR-enabled target discovery, provides us with new paths to identify novel drug targets and combinations that take advantage of vulnerabilities created by loss of tumor suppressor gene function — something we have been unable to do effectively in the past. With the sophisticated genomics tools now available, the time is right for Tango to take on this challenge and focus on patients without effective treatment options."

Tango is focused on three areas of drug development, each in well-defined patient populations currently lacking effective treatment options, and each with hallmarks of cancer that have not been targeted yet. These include:

Loss of tumor suppressor gene function: A universal feature of cancer is the inactivation of genes which normally protect against tumor development. Tango is working to turn tumor suppressor gene loss from cancer’s strength into a weakness by identifying associated targetable vulnerabilities, an effect known as synthetic lethality. Drugs against synthetic lethal targets have the potential added benefit of effectiveness against cancer cells without damaging normal cells.

Multiple oncogenic drivers: To address the multiple genetic changes that give rise to cancer, Tango is working to identify novel targets for rational combinations that will offer more robust treatment effects than is possible with single-agent approaches. Decades of cancer research have shown that with the right drug combinations in the right patients, cancers can be curable.

Immune evasion: Complementing current, immune-cell-directed cancer therapies, Tango is working to identify and target the genetic alterations in cancer cells responsible for helping them avoid immune destruction. Drugs against these targets could substantially increase the benefit of current immuno-oncology drugs without increasing immune damage to normal tissues.

Tango product engine: Putting patient selection first to accelerate discovery

What fuels each of Tango’s programs is an increasingly sophisticated ability to utilize synthetic lethality, the interaction between two genes that causes cell death when both are inactivated. In cancer cells, one of these genes is inactivated by mutation; the other will be inactivated by a drug. This approach leaves normal cells largely unaffected, with the potential to greatly enhance anti-tumor efficacy and reduce associated toxicity.

The first FDA-approved example of synthetic lethality in cancer treatment is the use of PARP inhibitors for BRCA-mutant ovarian cancer. Alan Ashworth, Ph.D., a scientific Founder of Tango, discovered that combining a BRCA1/2 mutation and PARP inhibition creates synthetic lethality. Recent data show that continuing treatment with a PARP inhibitor after chemotherapy in patients with BRCA-mutant ovarian cancer extends progression-free survival for more than two years, compared to placebo. The Tango product engine is designed to systematically discover other such context-specific vulnerabilities, uncovering weaknesses created by genetic alterations in cancer and targeting them for therapeutic benefit.

In executing this strategy, Tango will upend the traditional paradigm by doing target discovery in cancer subgroups with a pre-defined patient selection approach. The company will use data from DNA sequencing of patient-derived tumor samples to define genetic contexts, and deploy CRISPR-based target discovery techniques in those cancer subtypes to identify novel drug targets.

Tango’s success will be driven by its depth of understanding of the genetic subtypes of cancer, and corresponding insights into novel drug targets and combinations uniquely relevant to each subtype. By shaping discovery efforts in this way, Tango has the potential to reach the clinic quickly, and with a clear plan for identifying the patients most likely to benefit from each new treatment, an approach that will increase both speed and probability of success in translating novel target discoveries into transformational new medicines for patients.

World-leading team spanning diverse disciplines

The Tango management team includes recognized leaders in target discovery, cancer biology, functional genomics, translational medicine and company building. Company leaders include Barbara Weber, M.D., interim Chief Executive Officer; Cary Pfeffer, M.D., interim Chief Business Officer; Daniella Beckman, C.P.A., Chief Financial Officer; Alan Huang, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Head of Biology; John Maxwell, Ph.D., Vice President, Head of Chemistry; and Janid Ali, Ph.D., Vice President, Head of Biochemistry.

The Tango founders are a group of internationally recognized scientists and clinicians who have shaped the current state of knowledge and practice in cancer biology and genetics, translational medicine and CRISPR technology:

Alan Ashworth, Ph.D., FRS, President of the University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

José Baselga, M.D., Ph.D., Physician-in-Chief at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Global Oncology at Eli Lilly and Company

William Kaelin, M.D., Professor in the Department of Medicine at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator

Timothy K. Lu, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biological Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Antoni Ribas, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Medicine, Surgery, and Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the University of California Los Angeles

About Tango Therapeutics

Tango Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing novel medicines for patients by discovering and drugging context-dependent vulnerabilities in cancers. Tango was launched in 2017 by Third Rock Ventures and is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass.