Botensilimab/Balstilimab Breakthrough Data Presented at ASCO-GI Shows Unprecedented Tumor Shrinkage and Robust Biomarker Response in Prevalent Colorectal Cancer Population

On January 22, 2024 Agenus Inc. (Nasdaq: AGEN), a leader in developing immunological cancer treatments, reported results from the NEST-1 study, an investigator-sponsored trial (IST) evaluating the combination of botensilimab and balstilimab (BOT/BAL) in the neoadjuvant setting for colorectal cancer (CRC), both those with Microsatellite Stable (MSS) CRC and Microsatellite Instability High (MSI-H) CRC (Press release, Agenus, JAN 22, 2024, View Source [SID1234639413]). Dr. Pashtoon Kasi, M.D., Director of Colon Cancer Research at Weill-Cornell Medicine, presented these findings at the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper)-GI conference.

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"BOT/BAL’s potential impact on colorectal cancer is groundbreaking. The study’s findings, particularly the significant tumor regression after only a single dose of BOT and two doses of BAL, and the complete elimination of ctDNA in 100% of patients tested, offer a potentially transformative treatment approach for CRC patients diagnosed with early stage and locally advanced colon and rectal cancers. These results hold great promise for patients and providers as a framework for reduced reliance on chemotherapy and/or surgical resection," said Dr. Pashtoon Kasi, M.D., Director of Colon Cancer Research at Weill-Cornell Medicine and lead investigator of the NEST-1 study.

Study Highlights:

Treatment Protocol: Patients received a single dose of BOT and two doses of BAL between diagnosis and surgery, which was approximately a four-week period.
Impressive Pathologic Response: Tumor shrinkage of ≥50% was observed in 67.5% of patients in the Microsatellite Stable (MSS) CRC cohort and 100% in the Microsatellite Instability-High (MSI-High) CRC cohort.
Surgery Without Delays: Treatment with BOT/BAL did not cause any postponements in surgical procedures, with only two instances of Grade 3 Treatment-Related Adverse Events (TRAEs) observed.
BOT/BAL Eliminates Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA): patients in the NEST-1 study were tested for ctDNA, a biomarker closely associated with long-term Disease-Free Survival (DFS).
In a separate, independent observational study of 1,792 patients (NCT04264702; View Source), also led by Dr. Kasi and presented at the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper)-GI meeting on January 20th, showed a correlation between ctDNA clearance and improved disease-free survival (DFS) rates. Patients who remained ctDNA negative post-treatment exhibited better 2-year DFS as compared to ctDNA-positive patients.
Dr. Steven O’Day, Chief Medical Officer of Agenus, stated, "The NEST-1 trial results are remarkable. Neoadjuvant BOT/BAL in both MSS and MSI-H CRC resulted in marked tumor regression and robust immune cell infiltration in a very short interval. These results in MSS CRC (90% of all CRC) are particularly compelling and may lead to an unprecedented shift away from invasive and morbid standard treatments in the future."

NEST-1 data presented at the conference is available to view in the publications section of the Agenus website (View Source).

About Botensilimab

Botensilimab is an investigational multifunctional anti-CTLA-4 immune activator (antibody) designed to boost both innate and adaptive anti-tumor immune responses. Its novel design leverages mechanisms of action to extend immunotherapy benefits to "cold" tumors which generally respond poorly to standard of care or are refractory to conventional PD-1/CTLA-4 therapies and investigational therapies. Botensilimab augments immune responses across a wide range of tumor types by priming and activating T cells, downregulating intratumoral regulatory T cells, activating myeloid cells and inducing long-term memory responses.

Approximately 750 patients have been treated with botensilimab in phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials. Botensilimab alone, or in combination with Agenus’ investigational PD-1 antibody, balstilimab, has shown clinical responses across nine metastatic, late-line cancers. For more information about botensilimab trials, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov with the identifiers NCT03860272, NCT05608044, NCT05630183, and NCT05529316.

Opdivo (nivolumab) Plus Yervoy (ipilimumab) Reduced the Risk of Disease Progression or Death by 79% Versus Chemotherapy in Patients with Microsatellite Instability-High or Mismatch Repair Deficient Metastatic Colorectal Cancer in CheckMate -8HW Trial

On January 20, 2024 Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) reported results from the Phase 3 CheckMate -8HW trial evaluating Opdivo (nivolumab) plus Yervoy (ipilimumab) compared to investigator’s choice of chemotherapy (mFOLFOX-6 or FOLFIRI with or without bevacizumab or cetuximab) as a first-line treatment for patients with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) (Press release, Bristol-Myers Squibb, JAN 20, 2024, View Source;8HW-Trial/default.aspx [SID1234639399]). The dual immunotherapy combination of Opdivo and Yervoy demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in the primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS) as assessed by Blinded Independent Central Review (BICR), with a reduction in the risk of disease progression or death by 79% (Hazard Ratio [HR]: 0.21; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.14-0.32; p<0.0001) compared to chemotherapy in patients with centrally confirmed MSI-H/dMMR mCRC.

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These late-breaking data (Abstract #LBA768) will be featured in an oral presentation at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium on Saturday, January 20 at 9:15 a.m. Pacific Time and will be highlighted as part of the Congress’ official press program.

Improvement in PFS was noted beginning at approximately three months and was sustained throughout. Median PFS was not yet reached in the Opdivo plus Yervoy arm (95% CI: 38.4-NE) vs. 5.9 months in the chemotherapy arm (95% CI: 4.4-7.8). Consistent PFS benefit was observed across all pre-specified subgroups, including patients with KRAS or NRAS mutations, and those with baseline liver, lung, or peritoneal metastases.

The safety profile for the combination of Opdivo plus Yervoy remained consistent with previously reported data and was manageable with established protocols, with no new safety signals identified. Grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 23% of patients in the Opdivo plus Yervoy arm and 48% of patients in the chemotherapy arm. Any grade TRAE-related discontinuation was 17% in the Opdivo plus Yervoy arm and 32% in the chemotherapy arm.

"Patients with MSI-H/dMMR metastatic colorectal cancer are less likely to benefit from chemotherapy," said Thierry Andre, M.D., Head of the Medical Oncology Department, Sorbonne University and Hospital Saint-Antoine, Paris, France. "An impressive improvement in PFS and sustained benefit beginning at three months was observed with nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus chemotherapy in this trial. These results demonstrate the meaningful efficacy of this combination with practice-changing potential for this patient population."

Opdivo plus Yervoy is the first dual immunotherapy regimen to demonstrate significant efficacy benefit compared to chemotherapy as first line treatment in MSI-H/dMMR mCRC.

"With research from the full CheckMate clinical development program, BMS has revolutionized the oncology landscape and helped change survival expectations for people with cancer. Today, with these data from CheckMate -8HW, we showed that Opdivo plus Yervoy reduced the risk of disease progression or death by an unprecedented 79%," said Dana Walker, M.D., M.S.C.E., vice president, global program lead, gastrointestinal and genitourinary cancers, Bristol Myers Squibb. "These results build on the benefit of Opdivo and Yervoy in MSI-H/dMMR metastatic colorectal cancer as previously demonstrated in CheckMate -142 and reinforce our commitment to exploring the potential of these therapies to help more patients in need."

CheckMate -8HW is ongoing to assess the second dual primary endpoint of PFS in patients receiving Opdivo plus Yervoy compared to Opdivo alone across all lines of therapy, as well as secondary endpoints, including overall survival (OS).

Bristol Myers Squibb thanks the patients and investigators involved in the CheckMate -8HW clinical trial.

About CheckMate -8HW

CheckMate -8HW (NCT04008030) is a Phase 3 randomized, open-label trial evaluating Opdivo plus Yervoy compared to Opdivo alone or investigator’s choice chemotherapy (mFOLFOX-6 or FOLFIRI with or without bevacizumab or cetuximab) in patients with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Approximately 830 patients were randomized to receive either Opdivo monotherapy (Opdivo 240 mg Q2W for six doses, followed by Opdivo 480 mg Q4W), Opdivo plus Yervoy (Opdivo 240 mg plus Yervoy 1 mg/kg Q3W for four doses, followed by Opdivo 480 mg Q4W), or investigator’s choice of chemotherapy. The dual primary endpoints of the trial are progression-free survival (PFS) per blinded independent central review (BICR) for Opdivo plus Yervoy compared to investigator’s choice of chemotherapy in the first line setting and PFS per BICR for Opdivo plus Yervoy compared to Opdivo alone across all lines of therapy. The trial also includes several secondary safety and efficacy endpoints, including overall survival (OS).

The study is ongoing to assess the second dual primary endpoint of PFS in patients receiving Opdivo plus Yervoy compared to Opdivo alone across all lines of therapy, as well as secondary endpoints.

About MSI-H or dMMR Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a cancer that develops in the colon or the rectum, which are part of the body’s digestive or gastrointestinal system. CRC is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world. In 2020, it is estimated that there were approximately 1,931,000 new cases of the disease; it is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women combined.

Mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) occurs when the proteins that repair mismatch errors in DNA replication are missing or non-functional, leading to microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) tumors. Approximately 5-7% of metastatic CRC patients have dMMR or MSI-H tumors; they are less likely to benefit from conventional chemotherapy and typically have a poor prognosis.

Novartis Lutathera® significantly reduced risk of disease progression or death by 72% as first-line treatment for patients with advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

On January 19, 2024 Novartis reported data from the Phase III NETTER-2 trial showing that Lutathera (INN: lutetium (177Lu) oxodotreotide / USAN: lutetium Lu 177 dotatate) plus long-acting release (LAR) octreotide reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 72% as first-line therapy in patients with somatostatin receptor-positive (SSTR+) well-differentiated grade 2/3 advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) versus high-dose octreotide LAR alone (Press release, Novartis, JAN 19, 2024, View Source [SID1234639366]). Data were presented at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancers Symposium.

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"These positive results for Lutathera are practice-changing and offer new first-line treatment data for patients who have a significant unmet need. This study confirms the clinical benefit of first-line radioligand therapy for newly diagnosed patients living with these types of advanced GEP-NETs," said Dr. Simron Singh, Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and cofounder of the Susan Leslie Clinic for Neuroendocrine Tumours at the Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Ontario, Canada. "These findings should instill confidence among physicians in using Lutathera as a first-line treatment for patients with this life-threatening type of cancer."

Efficacy endpoint1 Lutathera plus octreotide LAR vs. high-dose octreotide LAR
Progression-free survival HR 0.28 (95% CI: 0.18, 0.42; p<0.0001)
Median PFS (months) 22.8 month (95% CI: 19.4 -not estimable) vs. 8.5 months (95% CI: 7.7-13.8)
Objective response rate (ORR)* 43% (95% CI: 35.0-51.3) vs. 9.3% (95% CI: 3.8-18.3), p<0.0001
*Assessed via RECIST 1.1
"This is the first positive Phase III trial of a radioligand therapy in the first-line setting, and the overall efficacy and safety results are amongst the most clinically relevant observed to date in this kind of advanced cancer, addressing a significant unmet need for patients with newly diagnosed advanced GEP-NETs," said Jeff Legos, Global Head of Oncology Development at Novartis. "The positive results are a significant advancement and further reaffirm our strategy to research and develop radioligand therapies in earlier lines of treatment or stages of disease to improve outcomes for patients."

No new or unexpected safety findings were observed in the study and data are consistent with the already well-established safety profile of Lutathera1. Most patients (88%) in the Lutathera arm received all four cycles of Lutathera treatment. The most common all-grade AEs (≥20%) for the Lutathera arm vs. control arm were nausea (27.2% vs 17.8%), diarrhea (25.9% vs 34.2%) and abdominal pain (17.7% vs 27.4%), and the most common grade ≥3 AE (>5%) was lymphocyte count decreased (5.4% vs 0%).

NETs are a type of cancer that originate in neuroendocrine cells throughout the body and are commonly considered slow-growing malignancies. However, some NETs are associated with rapid progression and poor prognosis and in many cases, diagnosis is delayed until patients have advanced disease2-4. Even though NETs are a rare (orphan) disease, their incidence has increased over the past several decades2-5 and there is a need for continued research into treatment options for newly diagnosed patients.

The NETTER-2 trial is ongoing for further evaluation of secondary endpoints including overall survival and long-term safety.

About NETTER-2
NETTER-2 (NCT03972488) is an open-label, multi-center, randomized, comparator-controlled Phase III trial assessing whether Lutathera plus octreotide LAR when taken as a first-line treatment can prolong PFS in patients with high-proliferation rate tumors (G2 and G3), compared to treatment with high-dose (60 mg) long-acting octreotide6. Eligible patients were diagnosed with SSTR-positive advanced GEP-NETs within 6 months before enrollment6.

About Lutathera
Lutathera (INN: lutetium (177Lu) oxodotreotide / USAN: lutetium Lu 177 dotatate) is approved in the US for the treatment of adult patients with SSTR-positive GEP-NETs, including those in the foregut, midgut and hindgut, an indication which includes the NETTER-2 population. Lutathera is also approved in Europe for unresectable or metastatic, progressive, well-differentiated (G1 and G2), SSTR-positive GEP-NETs in adults7,8, and in Japan for SSTR-positive NETs.

EMERALD-1 is first global Phase III trial to show improved clinical outcome for
systemic therapy in combination with TACE in this setting

On January 19, 2024 Astrazeneca reported that Positive results from the EMERALD-1 Phase III trial showed Imfinzi (durvalumab) in combination with TACE and bevacizumab demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in the primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS) compared to TACE alone in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) eligible for embolisation (Press release, AstraZeneca, JAN 19, 2024, View Source [SID1234639367]).

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These results will be presented today at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (ASCO GI) in San Francisco, California (#LBA432).

Approximately 20-30% of patients with HCC, the most common type of liver cancer, are eligible for embolisation, a procedure that blocks the blood supply to the tumour and can also deliver chemotherapy or radiation therapy directly to the liver.1-8 Despite being the standard of care in this setting, most patients who receive embolisation experience disease progression or recurrence within eight months.9-11

In EMERALD-1, treatment with Imfinzi plus TACE and bevacizumab reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 23% compared to TACE alone (based on a hazard ratio [HR] of 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.61-0.98; p=0.032). Median PFS was 15 months in patients treated with the Imfinzi combination versus 8.2 months with TACE. The PFS benefit observed was generally consistent across key prespecified subgroups. The secondary endpoint of time to progression (TTP) further supports the clinical benefit of Imfinzi plus TACE and bevacizumab in this setting, with a median TTP of 22 months versus 10 months for TACE (HR 0.63; 95% CI 0.48-0.82).

The trial will continue as planned to assess the key secondary endpoint of overall survival (OS).

Bruno Sangro, MD, PhD, Director of the Liver Unit and Professor of Medicine at Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain and a lead investigator in the EMERALD-1 trial, said: "In this earlier liver cancer setting, embolisation alone has been the standard of care for more than 20 years, and rates of disease progression have remained high. Adding durvalumab and bevacizumab to TACE reduced the risk of disease progression or death by twenty-three per cent for patients with liver cancer eligible for embolisation, showing for the first time that combining a systemic treatment with TACE meaningfully improves this clinically relevant outcome in earlier-stage disease."

Susan Galbraith, Executive Vice President, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, said: "With Imfinzi-based treatment, patients with liver cancer eligible for embolisation lived nearly seven additional months before their disease progressed. We are discussing these positive EMERALD-1 data with global regulatory authorities while awaiting the final overall survival results from the trial."

Summary of results: EMERALD-1i

Imfinzi plus TACE and bevacizumab

(n=204)

Placebo plus TACE

(n=205)

Median PFS (months; 95% CI)ii, iii

15.0 (11.1-18.9)

8.2 (6.9-11.1)

PFS HR (95% CI)ii, iv

0.77 (0.61-0.98)

p-valuev

0.032

PFS rate at 12 months (%)iii

55.5

39.8

PFS rate at 18 months (%)iii

43.1

28.3

Median TTP (months; 95% CI)iii, v

22.0 (16.6-24.9)

10.0 (7.1-13.6)

TTP HR (95% CI)iv, v

0.63 (0.48-0.82)

Subjects with measurable disease

Imfinzi plus TACE and bevacizumab

(n=202)

Placebo plus TACE

(n=203)

Objective Response Rate (ORR) (%)iii

43.6

29.6

i The data cut-off date was 11 Sep 2023.

ii PFS, TTP and ORR by Blinded Independent Central Review (BICR) per RECIST v1.1

iii Calculated using Kaplan-Meier method

iv Calculated from stratified Cox proportional hazards method

v The threshold of significance for this analysis was 0.0435 based on the alpha spend at the PFS interim analysis (2.27%) and the actual number of events at PFS final analysis.

The safety profile for Imfinzi plus TACE and bevacizumab was generally manageable and consistent with the known profile of each medicine. The number of TACE procedures was consistent across arms. No new safety signals were observed. Grade 3 and 4 adverse events due to any cause occurred in 45.5% of patients treated with Imfinzi plus TACE and bevacizumab and 23% of patients treated with TACE alone.

Notes

Liver cancer
Liver cancer, of which HCC is the most common type, is the third-leading cause of cancer death, with an estimated 900,000 people worldwide diagnosed each year and a high prevalence in certain regions of Asia.12-14 An estimated 80-90% of all patients with HCC also have cirrhosis.15 Chronic liver diseases such as cirrhosis are associated with inflammation that over time can lead to the development of HCC.15 Immunotherapy is a proven treatment modality in HCC with approved options available for patients in later-line settings.16

EMERALD-1
EMERALD-1 is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre, global Phase III trial of Imfinzi plus TACE concurrently, followed by Imfinzi with or without bevacizumab until progression versus TACE alone in a total of 616 patients with unresectable HCC eligible for embolisation.

The trial was conducted in 157 centres across 18 countries, including in North America, Australia, Europe, South America and Asia. The primary endpoint was PFS for Imfinzi plus TACE and bevacizumab versus TACE alone, and secondary endpoints include PFS for Imfinzi plus TACE, OS, patient-reported outcomes and ORR.

Imfinzi
Imfinzi (durvalumab) is a human monoclonal antibody that binds to the PD-L1 protein and blocks the interaction of PD-L1 with the PD-1 and CD80 proteins, countering the tumour’s immune-evading tactics and releasing the inhibition of immune responses.

Imfinzi is approved in combination with chemotherapy (gemcitabine plus cisplatin) in locally advanced or metastatic biliary tract cancer (BTC) and in combination with Imjudo (tremelimumab) in unresectable HCC in the US, EU, Japan, China and many other countries based on the TOPAZ-1 and HIMALAYA Phase III trials, respectively. Following HIMALAYA in the advanced setting, EMERALD-1 is AstraZeneca’s second positive Phase III trial in HCC.

In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), Imfinzi is approved in combination with a short course of Imjudo and chemotherapy for the treatment of metastatic NSCLC in the US, EU and Japan based on the POSEIDON Phase III trial. Imfinzi is also the only approved immunotherapy and the global standard of care in the curative-intent setting of unresectable, Stage III NSCLC in patients whose disease has not progressed after chemoradiation therapy based on the PACIFIC Phase III trial, the results of which have been confirmed in the real-world setting in the PACIFIC-R study. In 2023, AstraZeneca announced positive results from the AEGEAN Phase III trial evaluating Imfinzi in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery and as adjuvant monotherapy after surgery in resectable NSCLC.

Imfinzi is also approved in the US, EU, Japan, China and many other countries around the world for the treatment of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) based on the CASPIAN Phase III trial. Imfinzi is approved in previously treated patients with advanced bladder cancer in a small number of countries.

Since the first approval in May 2017, more than 200,000 patients have been treated with Imfinzi.

As part of a broad development programme, Imfinzi is being tested as a single treatment and in combinations with other anti-cancer treatments for patients with SCLC, NSCLC, bladder cancer, several GI cancers, breast cancer and other solid tumours. In 2023, AstraZeneca announced positive results for several Phase III trials evaluating Imfinzi in various combinations, including in ovarian (DUO-O) and endometrial (DUO-E) cancers with Lynparza (olaparib).

In GI cancers specifically, AstraZeneca has an extensive clinical development programme further assessing Imfinzi across multiple settings. In addition to EMERALD-1, Imfinzi is also being investigated in combination with bevacizumab in adjuvant HCC (EMERALD-2), in combination with Imjudo, lenvatinib and TACE in embolisation-eligible HCC (EMERALD-3), in resectable gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers (MATTERHORN) and in locally advanced oesophageal cancer (KUNLUN). In June 2023, Imfinzi added to standard-of-care neoadjuvant chemotherapy met a key secondary endpoint of pathologic complete response in the MATTERHORN Phase III trial.

Jacobio Pharma Presents Data of Glecirasib in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer and Other Solid Tumors at the 2024 ASCO GI

On January 19, 2024 Jacobio Pharmaceuticals (1167.HK), a clinical-stage oncology company focusing on undruggable targets, reported data of glecirasib in patients with pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors in the oral abstract session at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium ("2024 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) GI") (Press release, Jacobio Pharmaceuticals, JAN 19, 2024, View Source [SID1234639369]).

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As of December 6, 2023, the monotherapy global study of glecirasib enrolled 52 patients with pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors harboring KRAS G12C mutation in China, the United States, Europe, Israel and other regions, including 31 patients with pancreatic cancer, and 21 patients with other solid tumors (8 with biliary tract tumors, 3 with gastric cancer, 3 with small bowel cancer, 2 with appendix cancer, and 5 with other solid tumors).

Among 50 patients with evaluable solid tumors, the confirmed objective response rate (cORR) was 48% (24/50) and the disease control rate (DCR) was 90% (45/50). For second-line and above KRAS G12C mutated pancreatic cancer patients, the cORR was 41.9% (13/31) and the DCR was 93.5% (29/31). The median progression-free survival (mPFS) was 5.6 months, and the median overall survival (mOS) was 10.7 months. In other solid tumor patients, the cORR was 57.9% (11/19), DCR was 84.2% (16/19), the mPFS was 7.0 months, and the mOS has not yet matured. The above safety and efficacy data are better than the published data of similar studies.

Glecirasib has good tolerability and safety characteristics, the majority of treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs)are grades 1-2, and grade 3 or above TRAEs occurred in 25% of patients. No patient has permanently withdrawn from the study due to TRAE.

Professor Lin Shen, director of Peking University Cancer Hospital gastroenterology department, is the principal investigator for this trial. She introduced at the conference, "Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant tumor, and current patients lack effective standardized treatment methods, with a five-year overall survival rate of only 5%. Every year in China, nearly 1-2% of pancreatic cancer patients carry a KRAS G12C mutation, and the mutation rate in other solid tumors is also around 1%. The clinical data of glecirasib have preliminarily confirmed the efficacy in patients with pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors. Compared with the standard chemotherapy treatment, the ORR of glecirasib is higher, and the safety and tolerance is better. It is expected that glecirasib will accelerate the clinical development in pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors, bringing a better treatment option beyond chemotherapy for patients."

Jacobio continues to explore the application of glecirasib in pancreatic cancer. Glecirasib’s registrational pivotal study for pancreatic cancer was approved by CDE in July 2023, which became the first global pancreatic cancer KRAS G12C registrational clinical study. The study results will be used to submit NDA (New Drug Application) for pancreatic cancer.

Based on the clinical efficacy and safety data from ongoing clinical trials, glecirasib was granted breakthrough therapy designation (BTD) by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for the pancreatic cancer patients with a KRAS G12C mutation who have progressed after frontline standard care treatment. Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor and there is a lack of effective treatment currently. The five-year overall survival rate is only 5%-10%. The BTD will expedite the clinical development of glecirasib and accelerate its early access to the patients.

For more information, please visit the official website of the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) GI: View Source

Conference Call Information

Jacobio will host a live conference call on Jan. 23, 2024, at 9:30-10:30 (UTC+8). Participants must register in advance of the conference call.
Registration Link: View Source

About Glecirasib
Glecirasib is a KRAS G12C inhibitor developed by Jacobio. A number of Phase I/II clinical trials of glecirasib are currently ongoing in China, the United States and Europe for patients with advanced solid tumors harboring KRAS G12C mutation. This includes a pivotal clinical trial in NSCLC in China (patients enrollment has been completed); a monotherapy study for STK11 co-mutated NSCLC in the front-line setting, combination therapy trials with SHP2 inhibitor JAB-3312 in NSCLC and with Cetuximab in colorectal cancer, and a registrational pivotal clinical trial in pancreatic cancer.