On December 6, 2025 Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, a member of Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka, Japan; President and COO: Toichi Takino; "Ono"), reported the oral presentation of positive results from the Phase 2a IMPRSSION study of sapablursen in patients with polycythemia vera (PV) at the 67th American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, taking place December 6-9, 2025, in Orlando, FL.

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The results were presented by Ionis Pharmaceuticals, who discovered and developed sapablursen and conducted the IMPRSSION study. In March 2025, Ionis and Ono entered into a license agreement in which Ono obtained exclusive global rights for the development and commercialization of sapablursen.

"In the treatment of PV, phlebotomy and cytoreductive therapy are performed as treatments for preventing thrombosis. Phlebotomy is the most common treatment for PV, in which blood is regularly removed from the vein, but it imposes significant physical and psychological burdens on patients. These Phase 2a study results demonstrate the ability of sapablursen to reduce the rate of blood withdrawals and control the hematocrit, which is the percentage of red blood cells in the total blood volume of the body, in phlebotomy-dependent patients including those undergoing cytoreductive therapy," said Tatsuya Okamoto, Corporate Officer / Executive Director, Clinical Development of Ono. "We believe sapablursen has the potential to be an important new treatment option for patients with PV and we look forward to advancing this promising treatment in a Phase 3 study."

Sapablursen was granted Fast Track designation in January 2024 and orphan drug designation in August 2024 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with Breakthrough Therapy designation in May 2025. Based on the positive Phase 2a study, Deciphera plans to initiate a Phase 3 study of sapablursen in patients with PV in 2026.

Summary of Data and Findings from Phase 2a IMPRSSION Study

The Phase 2a IMPRSSION study is a multicenter, randomized, open-label trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of sapablursen in patients with phlebotomy-dependent PV. Forty-nine (49) patients were accrued to Cohort A (N=32) and Cohort B (N=17). Cohort A initially assessed 120 mg before the dose was reduced to 80 mg, and Cohort B tested 40 mg. Sapablursen was administered subcutaneously every four weeks. The treatment period was 37 weeks, with an endpoint window between weeks 17 and 37, followed by a 36-week treatment extension period.

Efficacy

In both cohorts, the study achieved its primary endpoint of significantly decreasing weekly phlebotomy rate from baseline to weeks 17-37; with a decrease from 0.15 to 0.05 in Cohort A (p<0.0001) and from 0.17 to 0.07 in Cohort B (p=0.0001).
In patients who completed the 37-week treatment period, the median number of phlebotomies during the last 20 weeks of treatment (weeks 17-37) decreased to 0 and 1.5 phlebotomies in Cohort A and B, respectively, compared to 5 phlebotomies in the 26 weeks (6 months) prior to treatment for both cohorts.
Sapablursen caused a dose- and time-dependent increase in hepcidin with a corresponding reduction in hematocrit.
When assessing the symptoms of PV via Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Symptom Assessment Form – Total Symptom Score (MPN-SAF-TSS), the mean change from baseline was statistically significant in Cohort A and not statistically significant for Cohort B.
In Cohort A there was a mean change of -6.2.
In Cohort B there was a mean change of -2.7.
Safety

Sapablursen was generally safe and well tolerated.
During the study, one death occurred due to transformation to acute myeloid leukemia, which was deemed not related to the study drug.
The incidence of injection site reactions was low.
Injection site reactions were all mild in severity, not progressive, resolved spontaneously, and did not recur.
No laboratory trends suggesting adverse effects on liver or renal function were observed.
About Sapablursen

Sapablursen is designed to reduce the production of TMPRSS6 resulting in increased expression of hepcidin, which is the key regulator of iron homeostasis. By increasing production of hepcidin, sapablursen has the potential to positively impact blood diseases such as PV.

About Polycythemia Vera

Polycythemia vera (PV) is a rare and potentially life-threatening hematologic disease characterized by the overproduction of red blood cells, which significantly increases the risk of serious blood clots, especially in critical organs like the lungs, heart and brain. Patients with PV also experience severe iron deficiency and commonly have symptoms of fatigue, which can lead to reduced quality of life (QOL).

(Press release, Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, DEC 6, 2025, View Source [SID1234661227])

On December 6, 2025 Kite, a Gilead Company (Nasdaq: GILD), and its partner Arcellx, reported new positive data from its pivotal iMMagine-1 Phase 2 study of anitocabtagene autoleucel (anito-cel), an investigational agent, which continues to show clinically meaningful deep and durable efficacy with predictable and manageable safety observed to date in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) patients who had received at least three prior lines of therapy. These new findings from the ongoing study will be shared in an oral presentation (Abstract #256) today at 2:45 PM ET during the 67th American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting and Exposition.

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"These data are compelling and are an important advancement for patients living with multiple myeloma," said Dr. Krina Patel, lead investigator, Associate Professor, Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. "I am encouraged by the depth of responses in the iMMagine-1 study. For clinicians, we rely on therapies that deliver continued meaningful efficacy, a predictable safety profile, and reliable manufacturing. Anito-cel demonstrates that it could become a significant new treatment option in our efforts to improve outcomes for patients with multiple myeloma."

Data from an October 7, 2025 cutoff date, including 117 patients treated with anito-cel, who were followed for a median of 15.9 months, showed an independent review committee (IRC)-assessed overall response rate (ORR) of 96%, with 74% achieving a stringent complete response or complete response (sCR or CR) per International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) criteria. 102 of 117 patients (87%) were triple refractory, 48 of 117 patients (41%) were penta refractory, 21 of 117 patients (18%) had extramedullary disease, and 47 of 117 patients (40%) had high risk cytogenetics. For many in this heavily pre-treated population, responses began quickly, often within one month. Median time to best response was 4.8 months and median time to sCR or CR was 3.2 months. Of the 96 patients evaluable for minimal residual disease (MRD) testing, 91 (95%) achieved MRD negativity at a median time of 1 month, meaning no cancer cells could be detected even with highly sensitive tests (≤10-5 sensitivity).

The progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 82.1% at 12 months, 67.4% at 18 months and 61.7% at 24 months, meaning many patients were still alive and free from cancer progression at those timepoints. The overall survival (OS) rates showed that a significant majority of patients remained alive, with 94% at 12 months, 88% at 18 months and 83% at 24 months. The median PFS and OS have not yet been reached, suggesting sustained and ongoing benefit for a majority of patients.

Importantly, no delayed (non-ICANS) neurotoxicities, including no Parkinsonism, no cranial nerve palsies, no Guillain-Barré syndrome, and no immune effector cell-associated enterocolitis, have been observed to date, with all patients dosed at least 12 months prior to the cutoff. In an exploratory study sponsored by Kite (Abstract #503), characterization of CD4+ CAR T cell subtypes provide further mechanistic hypotheses supporting the neurologic tolerability profile of anito-cel.

"For multiple myeloma patients in advanced treatment stages, effective options are critical as resistance to treatment grows," said Cindy Perettie, Executive Vice President, Kite. "The deep, durable responses seen with iMMagine-1, combined with a predictable and manageable safety profile and rapid and reliable manufacturing, highlight anito-cel’s potential to redefine care. Together with Arcellx, our goal is to deliver a differentiated, one-time treatment option in 2026 that may reduce patient burden and improve access, including in outpatient and community oncology settings."

Observed side effects were generally consistent with past readouts. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) was observed in 86% of patients but was generally mild and manageable. In fact, 83% of patients in the study experienced no CRS or Grade 1 CRS (fever only). Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) occurred in 8% of patients, with only one Grade 3 case and all other cases Grade 2 or lower. The most common hematologic adverse events noted during treatment were low white blood cell counts (neutropenia) in 71% of patients, low red blood cells (anemia) in 28%, and low platelets (thrombocytopenia) in 26%. Grade 3 or higher infections occurred in 9% of patients.

Additional research presented at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) provided further insights into CAR T-cell therapies, detailing anito-cel’s mechanism and factors influencing treatment outcomes.

Preclinical research (Abstract #7644) shows that anito-cel’s D-Domain binder interacts with BCMA by binding and releasing quickly. Relative to a comparator CAR T-cell therapy in preclinical models, this transient interaction with cancer cells may be associated with decreased inflammation while maintaining the ability to effectively kill cancer cells. Additionally, the abstract shows anito-cel retains its ability to target cancer cells with altered BCMA expression after previous treatments, demonstrating the potential for anito-cel to maintain efficacy in patients previously exposed to BCMA-targeting therapies. Further research, including crystallography and epitope mapping, is ongoing to provide more detail on this mechanism.

About anitocabtagene autoleucel (anito-cel)

Anitocabtagene autoleucel (anito-cel, previously ddBCMA) is the first BCMA-directed CAR T-cell therapy to be investigated in multiple myeloma that utilizes Arcellx’s novel and compact binder known as the D-Domain. The small, stable D-Domain binder enables high CAR expression without tonic signaling and is designed to quickly release from the BCMA target. This combination may allow for the effective elimination of multiple myeloma cells without severe immunotoxicity. Anito-cel has been granted Fast Track, Orphan Drug, and Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy Designations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

About Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a type of hematological cancer in which diseased plasma cells proliferate and accumulate in the bone marrow, crowding out healthy blood cells and causing bone lesions, loss of bone density, and bone fractures. These abnormal plasma cells also produce excessive quantities of an abnormal immunoglobulin fragment, called a myeloma protein (M protein), causing kidney damage and impairing the patient’s immune function. MM is the third most common hematological malignancy in the United States and Europe, representing approximately 10% of all hematological cancer cases and 20% of deaths due to hematological malignancies. The median age of patients at diagnosis is 69 years with one-third of patients diagnosed at an age of at least 75 years. Because MM tends to afflict patients at an advanced stage of life, patients often have multiple comorbidities and toxicities that can quickly escalate and become life-endangering.

About iMMagine-1

iMMagine-1 is a Phase 2 registrational, pivotal open-label study of anito-cel in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) who have received at least three prior regimens of systemic therapy including proteasome inhibitor, immunomodulatory drugs (IMiD) and anti-CD38 antibody and are refractory to the last line of therapy.

The trial assessed both safety and efficacy in 117 patients receiving a single infusion of anito-cel (target dose of 115×106 CAR+ viable T cells). Efficacy was assessed monthly for the first 6 months, then quarterly up to 2 years, or upon patient relapse. Long-term safety data will be collected under a separate long-term follow-up study for up to 15 years.

The primary endpoint is overall response rate (ORR) per International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) criteria, as assessed by an independent review committee. Secondary endpoints include complete response rate (CR/sCR), progression-free survival, overall survival, duration of response, minimal residual disease negativity and safety.

(Press release, Gilead Sciences, DEC 6, 2025, View Source [SID1234661212])

On December 6, 2025 Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) reported data from multiple studies demonstrating the clinical benefits of CASGEVY (exagamglogene autotemcel) in people ages 5 years and older living with severe sickle cell disease (SCD) or transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT). The results, including the first presentation of clinical data from pivotal studies in children ages 5-11 years, and longer-term data from the pivotal studies of people with severe SCD and TDT ages 12 years and older, will be presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting. CASGEVY is currently approved for eligible people ages 12 years and older with SCD or TDT in the United States, Great Britain, the European Union, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Canada, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.

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"These results — the first clinical data ever presented on any genetic therapy for children ages 5-11 years with SCD — again demonstrate the transformative potential of CASGEVY," said Carmen Bozic, M.D., Executive Vice President, Global Medicines Development and Medical Affairs, and Chief Medical Officer at Vertex. "With dosing completed in the 5-11 age group and the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher for CASGEVY in this population in hand, we are excited to begin global regulatory filings in the first half of next year and bring this potentially transformative therapy to eligible children as soon as possible."

"As an investigator in the clinical program for patients 12 years and older and after having real-world experience with CASGEVY as an early commercial treatment center, I have seen firsthand the transformative impact this therapy has had on older patients with SCD or TDT. I am excited to hopefully be able to offer this option to my younger patients soon, early in life, before some of the most devastating impacts of these diseases begin," said Haydar Frangoul, M.D., M.S., Medical Director of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at Sarah Cannon Research Institute and HCA Healthcare’s TriStar Centennial Children’s Hospital, Member of Vertex’s SCD Program Steering Committee, and presenting author of the 5-11 years old CASGEVY data at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper).

First presentation of data in children ages 5-11 years treated with CASGEVY

In children with SCD, 11 patients have been dosed with CASGEVY in the Phase 3 CLIMB-151 clinical study, and all (4/4) patients with sufficient follow-up achieved the primary endpoint of being free from vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) for at least 12 consecutive months (VF12).
No patient experienced a VOC following infusion with CASGEVY, with the longest duration of VOC-free of approximately two years (range 3.2–24.1 months).
In children with TDT, 13 patients have been dosed with CASGEVY in the Phase 3 CLIMB-141 clinical study, and all (6/6) patients with sufficient follow-up achieved the primary endpoint of transfusion independence for at least 12 consecutive months while maintaining a weighted average hemoglobin (Hb) of at least 9 g/dL (TI12).
Following CASGEVY infusion, 12/13 are transfusion free, with the longest duration of transfusion free just under two years (range 2.3–22.5 months).
One patient died from pneumonia in the setting of multi-organ failure due to severe veno-occlusive disease related to the busulfan conditioning.
The safety profile of CASGEVY in younger patients is consistent with myeloablative conditioning and autologous transplant in both SCD and TDT, as established in clinical studies in older patients.
Consistent with studies in older patients, children treated with CASGEVY have durable increases in fetal hemoglobin (HbF) and stable allelic editing.
Longer-term data for people with SCD and TDT ages 12 years and older treated with CASGEVY

New longer-term data from the pivotal clinical studies of CASGEVY in people 12 years and older will also be presented at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper). These data, as of April 2025, continue to demonstrate the transformative, durable clinical benefits that CASGEVY provides to people living with SCD or TDT. In SCD, 100% of patients (45/45) achieved VF12 in either CLIMB-121 or the long-term follow-up study CLIMB-131, with a mean duration of VOC-free for 35.3 months (range 12.9–67.7 months). In TDT, 98.2% (55/56) achieved TI12 in either CLIMB-111 or CLIMB-131 with a mean duration of transfusion independence of 41.4 months (range 13–72.3 months). The safety profile remained consistent with myeloablative conditioning and autologous transplant in both SCD and TDT.

About Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)
SCD is a debilitating, progressive and life-shortening disease. It is an inherited blood disorder that affects the red blood cells, which are essential for carrying oxygen to all organs and tissues of the body. SCD causes severe pain, organ damage and shortened life span due to misshapen or "sickled" red blood cells. The clinical hallmark of SCD is vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs), which are caused by blockages of blood vessels by sickled red blood cells and result in severe and debilitating pain that can happen anywhere in the body at any time. SCD requires a lifetime of treatment and results in a reduced life expectancy. In the U.S., the median age of death for patients living with SCD is approximately 45 years. SCD patients report health-related quality of life scores well below the general population, and the lifetime health care costs in the U.S. of managing SCD for patients with recurrent VOCs is estimated between $4 and $6 million.

About Transfusion-Dependent Beta Thalassemia (TDT)
TDT is a serious, life-threatening genetic disease. It requires frequent blood transfusions and iron chelation therapy throughout a person’s life. Due to anemia, patients living with TDT may experience fatigue and shortness of breath, and infants may develop failure to thrive, jaundice and feeding problems. Complications of TDT can also include an enlarged spleen, liver and/or heart, misshapen bones and delayed puberty. TDT requires lifelong treatment and significant use of health care resources, and ultimately results in reduced life expectancy, decreased quality of life and reduced lifetime earnings and productivity. In the U.S., the median age of death for patients living with TDT is 37 years. TDT patients report health-related quality of life scores below the general population and the lifetime health care costs in the U.S. of managing TDT are estimated between $5 and $5.7 million.

About CASGEVY (exagamglogene autotemcel)
CASGEVY is a non-viral, ex vivo CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited cell therapy for eligible patients with SCD or TDT, in which a patient’s own hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells are edited at the erythroid specific enhancer region of the BCL11A gene through a precise double-strand break. This edit results in the production of high levels of fetal hemoglobin (HbF; hemoglobin F) in red blood cells. HbF is the form of the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin that is naturally present during fetal development, which then switches to the adult form of hemoglobin after birth. CASGEVY has been shown to reduce or eliminate VOCs for patients with SCD and transfusion requirements for patients with TDT.

The use of CASGEVY in children ages 5-11 years is investigational.

About the CLIMB Studies
The Phase 1/2/3 open-label studies, CLIMB-111 and CLIMB-121, are designed to assess the safety and efficacy of a single dose of CASGEVY in patients ages 12-35 years with TDT or with SCD and recurrent VOCs. Patients will be followed for approximately two years after CASGEVY infusion in these studies. CLIMB-141 and CLIMB-151 are ongoing Phase 3 open-label studies, designed to assess the safety and efficacy of a single dose of exagamglogene autotemcel in patients ages 2-11 years with TDT or with SCD and recurrent VOCs. Enrollment and dosing are complete for the 5-11-years-old cohort in both studies with the plan to extend to ages 2-4 years.

Each patient will be asked to participate in the ongoing long-term, open-label study, CLIMB-131. CLIMB-131 is designed to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of CASGEVY in patients with up to 15 years of follow up after CASGEVY infusion.

Next steps for CASGEVY in children ages 5-11 years
Enrollment and dosing are complete for the 5-11 years cohort in both studies. Vertex expects to initiate global regulatory filings for this age group, including a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) in the U.S., in the first half of next year. Vertex recently received a Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher for CASGEVY in the 5-11 years age group from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to accelerate the review of the sBLA once submitted. Products under the program will be subject to a 1–2-month review clock from the start of FDA’s review and will also benefit from enhanced communication opportunities with the agency.

U.S. INDICATIONS AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR CASGEVY

WHAT IS CASGEVY?

CASGEVY is a one-time therapy used to treat people ages 12 years and older with:

sickle cell disease (SCD) who have frequent vaso-occlusive crises or VOCs
beta thalassemia (β-thalassemia) who need regular blood transfusions
CASGEVY is made specifically for each patient, using the patient’s own edited blood stem cells, and increases the production of a special type of hemoglobin called hemoglobin F (fetal hemoglobin or HbF). Having more HbF increases overall hemoglobin levels and has been shown to improve the production and function of red blood cells. This can eliminate VOCs in people with sickle cell disease and eliminate the need for regular blood transfusions in people with beta thalassemia.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is the most important information I should know about CASGEVY?

After treatment with CASGEVY, you will have fewer blood cells for a while until CASGEVY takes hold (engrafts) into your bone marrow. This includes low levels of platelets (cells that usually help the blood to clot) and white blood cells (cells that usually fight infections). Your doctor will monitor this and give you treatment as required. The doctor will tell you when blood cell levels return to safe levels.

Tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience any of the following, which could be signs of low levels of platelet cells:
severe headache
abnormal bruising
prolonged bleeding
bleeding without injury such as nosebleeds; bleeding from gums; blood in your urine, stool, or vomit; or coughing up blood
Tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience any of the following, which could be signs of low levels of white blood cells:
fever
chills
infections
You may experience side effects associated with other medicines administered as part of the treatment regimen for CASGEVY. Talk to your physician regarding those possible side effects. Your healthcare provider may give you other medicines to treat your side effects.

How will I receive CASGEVY?

Your healthcare provider will give you other medicines, including a conditioning medicine, as part of your treatment with CASGEVY. It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of all medicines involved in your treatment.

After receiving the conditioning medicine, it may not be possible for you to become pregnant or father a child. You should discuss options for fertility preservation with your healthcare provider before treatment.

STEP 1: Before CASGEVY treatment, a doctor will give you mobilization medicine(s). This medicine moves blood stem cells from your bone marrow into the blood stream. The blood stem cells are then collected in a machine that separates the different blood cells (this is called apheresis). This entire process may happen more than once. Each time, it can take up to one week.

During this step rescue cells are also collected and stored at the hospital. These are your existing blood stem cells and are kept untreated just in case there is a problem in the treatment process. If CASGEVY cannot be given after the conditioning medicine, or if the modified blood stem cells do not take hold (engraft) in the body, these rescue cells will be given back to you. If you are given rescue cells, you will not have any treatment benefit from CASGEVY.

STEP 2: After they are collected, your blood stem cells will be sent to the manufacturing site where they are used to make CASGEVY. It may take up to 6 months from the time your cells are collected to manufacture and test CASGEVY before it is sent back to your healthcare provider.

STEP 3: Shortly before your stem cell transplant, your healthcare provider will give you a conditioning medicine for a few days in hospital. This will prepare you for treatment by clearing cells from the bone marrow, so they can be replaced with the modified cells in CASGEVY. After you are given this medicine, your blood cell levels will fall to very low levels. You will stay in the hospital for this step and remain in the hospital until after the infusion with CASGEVY.

STEP 4: One or more vials of CASGEVY will be given into a vein (intravenous infusion) over a short period of time.

After the CASGEVY infusion, you will stay in hospital so that your healthcare provider can closely monitor your recovery. This can take 4-6 weeks, but times can vary. Your healthcare provider will decide when you can go home.

What should I avoid after receiving CASGEVY?

Do not donate blood, organs, tissues, or cells at any time in the future
What are the possible or reasonably likely side effects of CASGEVY?

The most common side effects of CASGEVY include:

Low levels of platelet cells, which may reduce the ability of blood to clot and may cause bleeding
Low levels of white blood cells, which may make you more susceptible to infection
Your healthcare provider will test your blood to check for low levels of blood cells (including platelets and white blood cells). Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms:

fever
chills
infections
severe headache
abnormal bruising
prolonged bleeding
bleeding without injury such as nosebleeds; bleeding from gums; blood in your urine, stool, or vomit; or coughing up blood
These are not all the possible side effects of CASGEVY. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

General information about the safe and effective use of CASGEVY

Talk to your healthcare provider about any health concerns.

Please see full Prescribing Information including Patient Information for CASGEVY.

(Press release, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, DEC 6, 2025, View Source [SID1234661228])

On December 6, 2025 Cogent Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: COGT) reported complete results from the registration-directed Part 2 of the SUMMIT clinical trial of bezuclastinib in patients with nonadvanced systemic mastocytosis (NonAdvSM). As previously reported, bezuclastinib demonstrated clinically meaningful and highly statistically significant improvements across the primary and all key secondary endpoints. New results further highlight the benefit of bezuclastinib on patient-reported symptoms and objective measures of mast cell burden and demonstrate significant correlation between improvement in disease pathology and patient-reported symptom severity.

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"We are excited to present additional data from the SUMMIT trial that support our conviction that bezuclastinib will be the best-in-class treatment option for patients with nonadvanced systemic mastocytosis," said Andrew Robbins, Cogent’s President and Chief Executive Officer. "We remain on track to submit our first New Drug Application for bezuclastinib in NonAdvSM with the FDA this month and are encouraged by the increased interest in our Expanded Access Program."

"Nonadvanced systemic mastocytosis patients currently have very limited treatment options, and the benefit bezuclastinib demonstrated in the SUMMIT trial across measures of disease pathology and symptomatic improvement is very exciting for this patient population," said Lindsay Rein, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Duke University. "The SUMMIT trial results match my clinical experience using bezuclastinib with NonAdvSM patients, delivering rapid and deep improvement in symptom control and objective measures of disease without tolerability challenges."

SUMMIT Trial Data

In the registration-directed Part 2 of the SUMMIT clinical trial, 118 patients received bezuclastinib once daily plus best supportive care (BSC) and 60 patients received placebo plus BSC. The study included adults with a NonAdvSM diagnosis confirmed by central pathology review, and moderate-to-severe symptom burden despite an optimized regimen of BSC.

Following completion of the 24-week treatment period, patients had the option to receive bezuclastinib in an open-label extension study. Baseline patient demographics were balanced between treatment arms and reflected significant disease burden. Disease symptoms were assessed using the Mastocytosis Symptom Severity Daily Diary (MS2D2).

Bezuclastinib delivered clinically meaningful and statistically significant symptomatic improvement

Outcome measure Bezuclastinib Placebo p-value
At 24 weeks of treatment (primary endpoint and key secondary endpoints)
Mean change TSS (%) -24.3 (-43%) -15.4 (-29%) p<0.001
Proportion of patients with ≥50% reduction in TSS 34.3% 18.1% p=0.01
Proportion of patients with ≥30% reduction in TSS 65.4% 38.6% p<0.001
For patients treated through 48 weeks (follow-up data cut off Nov 2025)
Mean change TSS (%) -32.0 (-54%) n/a n/a
Proportion of patients with ≥50% reduction in TSS 56.4% n/a n/a
Proportion of patients with ≥30% reduction in TSS 86.2% n/a n/a

Across several additional key secondary endpoints, bezuclastinib demonstrated rapid, deep and sustained improvement on objective disease markers of mast cell burden. At week 24, 87.4% of patients achieved ≥50% reduction in serum tryptase levels, 75.6% of patients demonstrated ≥50% reduction in bone marrow mast cells or clearance of aggregates and 85.7% of patients achieved ≥50% reduction in KIT D816V variant allele frequency or undetectable, each of which was statistically significant when compared to placebo. Additional pathobiology data from SUMMIT patients will be shared in an oral presentation on Monday, December 8th at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper).

SUMMIT Subgroups

As part of the SUMMIT study, patients with Smoldering Systemic Mastocytosis (n=8 bezuclastinib arm, n=4 placebo arm) and patients who had previously been treated with avapritinib (n=11 bezuclastinib arm, n=3 placebo arm) were enrolled. Patients treated with bezuclastinib in these subgroups showed a mean change in TSS of -35.6 and -21.6, respectively. The response in objective measures of disease burden in these patients was consistent with results from the broader SUMMIT population, as were their related adverse events and overall tolerability.

Safety Data

As previously reported on July 7, 2025, the majority of treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) (98.3% in bezuclastinib arm vs. 88.3% in placebo arm) were of low grade. The most frequent TEAEs reported on bezuclastinib treatment were hair color change (69.5% bezuclastinib vs. 5.0% placebo), altered taste (23.7% bezuclastinib vs. 0% placebo), nausea (22.0% bezuclastinib vs. 13.3% placebo) and ALT/AST elevations (22.0% bezuclastinib vs. 6.6% placebo; ≥Gr 3, 5.9% vs. 0%). Serious AEs occurred in 4.2% of patients treated with bezuclastinib, compared to 5.0% of patients treated with placebo. Discontinuations due to treatment-related AEs occurred in 5.9% of patients treated with bezuclastinib, all due to ALT/AST elevations and all patients fully resolved. There were no hepatic AEs reported in any patient other than transient and manageable lab abnormalities.

SUMMIT Long Term Follow-up

Data from longer term follow-up in patients participating in the SUMMIT trial are expected to be presented at an upcoming scientific meeting in Q1 2026. Preliminary 48-week data will be shared during the investor call scheduled for Monday, December 8th.

(Press release, Cogent Biosciences, DEC 6, 2025, View Source [SID1234661197])

On December 6, 2025 Arcellx, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACLX), a biotechnology company reimagining cell therapy through the development of innovative immunotherapies for patients with cancer and other incurable diseases, reported new positive data from its pivotal Phase 2 iMMagine-1 study of anitocabtagene autoleucel (anito-cel), in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). These data are being presented during an oral presentation at the 67th American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting and Exposition on Saturday, December 6, 2025 at 2:45 p.m. ET. Anito-cel is partnered with Kite, a Gilead Company.

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October 7, 2025, is the data cutoff date for this presentation and the BLA submission. These data are for all 117 patients with a median follow-up of 15.9 months. All patients received a single infusion of anito-cel (target dose of 115×106 CAR+ viable T cells). Within the study population, 102 of 117 patients (87%) were triple refractory, 48 of 117 patients (41%) were penta refractory, 21 of 117 patients (18%) had extramedullary disease, and 47 of 117 patients (40%) had high risk cytogenetics. Patients received a median of three prior lines of therapy, with 65 of 117 patients (56%) having received three prior lines.

Overall response rate (ORR) was 96% (112/117) with a complete response/stringent complete response (CR/sCR) rate of 74% (86/117) and a very good partial response or higher (≥VGPR) rate of 88% (103/117), per Independent Review Committee (IRC) assessment. Of those evaluable for minimal residual disease (MRD) testing at the time of this data cut, 95% (91/96) achieved overall MRD negativity. Of the MRD evaluable group with sufficient follow up, 83% (54/65) sustained MRD negativity for >6 months, at a minimum of 10-5 sensitivity. Six-month progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 93.1% and 95.7%, respectively; 12-month PFS and OS rates were 82.1% and 94.0%, respectively; 18-month PFS and OS rates were 67.4% and 88.0% respectively, and 24-month PFS and OS rates were 61.7% and 83.0% respectively. Median PFS and median OS have not been reached.

To date, no delayed or non-ICANS neurotoxicities, including no Parkinsonism, no cranial nerve palsies, no Guillain-Barré syndrome, and no immune effector cell-associated enterocolitis have been observed with anito-cel with all patients dosed more than 12 months ago.

Conclusions

Preliminary results from the Phase 2 iMMagine-1 study continue to demonstrate deep and durable responses with a predictable and manageable safety profile in a fourth-line or higher (4L+) RRMM population, including triple- and penta-refractory disease. Notably, no delayed or non-ICANS neurotoxicities, including no Parkinsonism, no cranial nerve palsies, no Guillain-Barré syndrome, and no immune effector cell-associated enterocolitis have been observed with anito-cel to date.

"These data are compelling and are an important advancement for patients living with multiple myeloma," said Dr. Krina Patel, Associate Professor, Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and iMMagine-1 and iMMagine-3 clinical investigator. "I am encouraged by the depth of responses in the iMMagine-1 study. For clinicians, we rely on therapies that deliver continued meaningful efficacy, a predictable safety profile, and reliable manufacturing. Anito-cel demonstrates that it could become a significant new treatment option in our efforts to improve outcomes for patients with multiple myeloma."

Rami Elghandour, Arcellx’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "The data from iMMagine-1 continue to reinforce our belief that anito-cel is poised to become a category leader in treating multiple myeloma patients. Our plans for a 2026 commercial launch are well underway. We are building a world-class commercial and medical affairs organization to ensure broad patient access and physician support. We remain committed to a launch of unparalleled scale and impact to meet the needs of the myeloma community and to demonstrate the true potential of cell therapy. We could not have reached this transformational moment without the collaboration of the physicians and patients who participated in the iMMagine-1 study, our team members who go above and beyond the status quo every day, and our partners at Kite. We believe we can set a new standard for what’s possible with a CAR T treatment option for multiple myeloma. We have come so far together, and the best is yet to come as we sit on the precipice of helping so many more patients in need."

ASH Presentation Details
Title: Phase 2 registrational study of anitocabtagene autoleucel for the treatment of patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma: Updated results from iMMagine-1

Speaker: Krina K. Patel, MD, MSc, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Session Name: 655. Multiple Myeloma: Cellular Therapies: Clinical Trial Advances in CAR T-Cell Therapy for Multiple Myeloma
Session Date: Saturday, December 6, 2025
Session Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. ET
Presentation Time: 2:45 p.m. ET
Location: OCCC – West Hall E1
Publication Number: 256
Submission ID: abs25-4541

Webcast Event:

Arcellx will host a live webcast event with a panel of clinician experts to discuss the iMMagine-1 clinical results on Saturday, December 6, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET. The event will be accessible from Arcellx’s website at www.arcellx.com in the Investors section. A replay of the webcast will be archived and available for 30 days following the event.

About Multiple Myeloma

Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a type of hematological cancer in which diseased plasma cells proliferate and accumulate in the bone marrow, crowding out healthy blood cells and causing bone lesions, loss of bone density, and bone fractures. These abnormal plasma cells also produce excessive quantities of an abnormal immunoglobulin fragment, called a myeloma protein (M protein), causing kidney damage and impairing the patient’s immune function. MM is the third most common hematological malignancy in the United States and Europe, representing approximately 10% of all hematological cancer cases and 20% of deaths due to hematological malignancies. The median age of patients at diagnosis is 69 years with one-third of patients diagnosed at an age of at least 75 years. Because MM tends to afflict patients at an advanced stage of life, patients often have multiple co-morbidities and toxicities that can quickly escalate and become life-endangering.

About Anitocabtagene Autoleucel (anito-cel)

Anitocabtagene autoleucel (anito-cel, previously CART-ddBCMA) is the first BCMA-directed CAR T-cell therapy to be investigated in multiple myeloma that utilizes Arcellx’s novel and compact binder known as the D-Domain. The small, stable D-Domain binder enables high CAR expression without tonic signaling and is designed to quickly release from the BCMA target. This combination may allow for the effective elimination of multiple myeloma cells without severe immunotoxicity. Anito-cel has been granted Fast Track, Orphan Drug, and Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy Designations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

(Press release, Arcellx, DEC 6, 2025, View Source [SID1234661229])