On October 1, 2024 Kiromic BioPharma, Inc. (OTCQB: KRBP) ("Kiromic" or the "Company") reported good safety and favorable ongoing efficacy results from the 10-month follow-up visit of the first patient treated in its Deltacel-01 Phase 1 clinical trial (Press release, Kiromic, OCT 1, 2024, View Source [SID1234646980]). This trial is evaluating Deltacel (KB-GDT-01), the Company’s allogeneic, off-the-shelf, Gamma Delta T-cell (GDT) therapy, in patients with stage 4 metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have failed to respond to standard therapies.

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In this patient, the tumor size was reduced by approximately 27% compared with the pre-treatment size, and no new sites of disease were identified. As a result, the progression-free survival (PFS) has reached 10 months with no reported adverse events. These results follow an approximate 20% reduction in tumor size detected at eight months post-treatment and an approximate 13% reduction at six months post-treatment. This patient is being treated at the Beverly Hills Cancer Center (BHCC).

"As this patient is the most advanced in our ongoing Deltacel-01 clinical trial, we are particularly encouraged by these latest follow-up results that continue to validate the potential of Deltacel as a safe and effective treatment for patients with later-stage cancers," said Pietro Bersani, Chief Executive Officer of Kiromic BioPharma. "We believe these findings underscore the promise of our allogeneic GDT therapy in providing durable clinical benefit."

"The latest results from this patient are highly promising, particularly given the durable progression-free survival and tumor reduction we observed," said Afshin Eli Gabayan, M.D., Medical Oncologist, Medical Director and Deltacel-01 Principal Investigator at BHCC. "This patient’s response to Gama Delta T-Cell Treatment continues to provide optimism as we evaluate Deltacel’s therapeutic potential. Continued meaningful results could represent a significant breakthrough for these late-stage cancer patients with limited treatment options."

Kiromic expects to report additional follow-up results from the fourth patient enrolled in this study in October.

About Deltacel-01

In Kiromic’s open-label Phase 1 clinical trial, titled "Phase 1 Trial Evaluating the Safety and Tolerability of Gamma Delta T Cell Infusions in Combination With Low Dose Radiotherapy in Subjects With Stage 4 Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer" (NCT06069570), patients with stage 4 NSCLC will receive two intravenous infusions of Deltacel with four courses of low-dose, localized radiation over a 10-day period. The primary objective of the Deltacel-01 trial is to evaluate safety, while secondary measurements include objective response, progression-free survival, overall survival, time to progression, time to treatment response and disease control rates.

On October 1, 2024 Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, reported the completion of the acquisition of CN201 from Curon Biopharmaceutical (Curon), a novel investigational clinical-stage bispecific antibody for the treatment of B-cell associated diseases (Press release, Merck & Co, OCT 1, 2024, View Source [SID1234646981]).

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"By actively depleting B-cells, CN201 offers applications spanning both B-cell malignancies and autoimmune diseases. We look forward to building upon the foundational work started by the Curon team," said Dr. Dean Y. Li, president, Merck Research Laboratories.

CN201 is currently being investigated in Phase 1 and Phase 1b/2 clinical trials for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), respectively. Preliminary data suggest CN201 has activity in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell hematologic malignancies and is well tolerated, potentially leading to significant and sustained reductions in B-cell populations.

Transaction details

Under the agreement, Merck, through a subsidiary, has acquired full global rights to CN201. As previously disclosed, the transaction is being accounted for as an asset acquisition. Merck is recording a pre-tax charge of approximately $750 million (reflecting the upfront payment and other related costs), or approximately $0.28 per share, which will be included in third-quarter non-GAAP results and was not included in Merck’s full-year financial outlook issued on July 30. As a matter of policy, Merck provides updates to its financial outlook once each quarter and will provide an update to its full-year financial outlook when it reports third-quarter 2024 results on October 31.

About CN201

CN201 is a novel CD3xCD19-targeting T-cell-engager bispecific antibody, designed to target B cells for elimination by T cells. CN201 is currently being evaluated in Phase 1 and Phase 1b/2 clinical trials for the treatment of relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and relapsed or refractory acute lymphocytic leukemia, respectively.

On September 30, 2024 QIAGEN N.V. (NYSE: QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard: QIA) reported the launch of the QIAcuityDx Digital PCR System, a pivotal addition to its digital PCR portfolio now expanding into clinical diagnostics (Press release, Qiagen, SEP 30, 2024, View Source [SID1234646931]). The instrument and accessories are 510(k) exempt in the U.S. and IVDR-certified for diagnostic use in Europe.

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QIAcuityDx streamlines clinical testing by providing highly precise, absolute quantitation of target DNA and RNA, supporting applications with less invasive liquid biopsies. These capabilities make it an ideal tool for monitoring cancer progression, complementing routine cancer diagnoses, which are typically performed using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS).

QIAGEN is rapidly expanding the application menu available on QIAcuityDx-System, with a new BCR::ABL assay for oncohematology planned for FDA submission in 2025. The platform also provides immediate access to QIAGEN’s full portfolio of research-use products and applications via its GeneGlobe platform. QIAGEN has already signed three partnerships with pharmaceutical companies to develop companion diagnostics on the QIAcuityDx, moving digital PCR into precision medicine. In addition, QIAGEN plans to further enhance the future assay portfolio by collaborating with third parties, who will develop their own assays for the platform.

"With the QIAcuityDx, we are bringing our precise and efficient digital PCR platform into the clinical space, reflecting our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of clinical labs in monitoring and minimal residual disease testing during patient treatment," said Fernando Beils, Senior Vice President and Head of the Molecular Diagnostics Business Area at QIAGEN. "By integrating all necessary functions into a single device, we are simplifying workflows and reducing operational costs for clinical labs, while instilling confidence in highly accurate and reliable diagnostic results."

"The QIAcuityDx is a compact benchtop technology that doesn’t take up much space and is very easy to use. The run is short, so you get results really fast. It provides a report that is digestible, translatable, and meaningful, and makes it easy to make decisions," said Dr. Kate Brown, translational research manager at The Christie NHS Trust in Manchester, United Kingdom, when asked about the clinical implications of QIAcuityDx for patients. Dr. Brown has used QIAcuityDx as part of a collaborative lung cancer study with QIAGEN.

"It enables us to improve the testing workflow. It allows us to quantify what’s happening, to gain true insight into how the tumor is changing, how the molecular basis of that tumor is responding to treatment. And that is something that other existing technologies are unable to offer," she added.

The QIAcuityDx platform is an IVD medical device that integrates partitioning, thermocycling, and imaging into a streamlined 5-plex workflow within a single instrument, eliminating the need for additional equipment. Capable of processing up to four nanoplates simultaneously, it reduces lab space requirements, servicing needs, and operator time. Labs familiar with QIAcuity can expect the same easy and fast nanoplate-based workflow, which disperses a sample into thousands of tiny partitions and then reads reactions simultaneously to quantify even the faintest signals from DNA and RNA.

QIAcuityDx’s technology enables higher throughput, allows for imaging of partitions, improves precision and sensitivity, cuts processing times to just two hours, and reduces the risk of cross-contamination – crucial factors for applications like oncology and infectious diseases.

QIAcuityDx software is designed for diagnostic use, featuring a user-friendly interface and comprehensive audit trail compliant with modern lab requirements. It includes two modes:

An IVD mode offering validated assay plug-ins and automated analysis.
A Utility Mode, providing flexibility to laboratories for their laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) and research applications.
The QIAcuity-DX platform supports continuous sample loading and flexible scheduling, accommodating urgent testing needs without compromising patient results. To ensure diagnostic compliance and meet clinical customer needs, QIAcuityDx will include:

A bi-directional LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) interface for seamless integration with electronic patient records.
QIAcuityDx-optimized universal master mix and nanoplates manufactured under strict regulatory standards.
A validated installation process supporting lab compliance with an audit-ready report.
5-channel calibration enhancing image processing and reproducibility.
The adoption of QIAcuity digital PCR research instrument is strong, with more than 2,000 cumulative placements at the end of 2023 and citations in over 450 publications. Key customers include pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic and research organizations and forensic laboratories. QIAcuityDx will now address additional customer segments, further strengthening the footprint of the QIAcuity family.

For more information on QIAcuityDx and to enhance your lab’s diagnostic capabilities, visit View Source

On September 30, 2024 Sana Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ: SANA), a company focused on changing the possible for patients through engineered cells, reported that it will webcast its panel at the Goldman Sachs Cell Therapy Day Conference at 1:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 (Press release, Sana Biotechnology, SEP 30, 2024, View Source [SID1234646932]). The presentation will feature a business overview and update by Steve Harr, Sana’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

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The webcast will be accessible on the Investor Relations page of Sana’s website at View Source A replay of the presentation will be available at the same location for 30
days following the conference.

On September, 30 2024 VAR2 Pharmaceuticals ApS (‘VAR2 Pharma’) reported the company has received regulatory approval for their first-in-human Phase 0 clinical trial (Press release, Var2 Pharmaceuticals, SEP 30, 2024, View Source [SID1234646933]). In this study, the safety, tolerability, and biodistribution of two zirconium-89 labeled single-chain variable Fragments (scFvs) will be evaluated using PET/CT molecular imaging. The Danish company VAR2 Pharma is collaborating with TRACER, a CRO specialized in molecular imaging trials. The study will be conducted in the Netherlands and patient recruitment will start next month.

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VAR2 Pharma’s antibodies ("Vartumabs") were shown to selectively bind tumors in preclinical studies and will now be tested for the first time in patients with various types of solid cancers. By including multiple cancer indications, this study aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and biodistribution of two Vartumabs.

The study, designed by TRACER CRO, will include 16 patients per compound. Each participant will be administered a microdose which has no therapeutic intent but is sufficient for PET imaging. An important secondary objective of this study is to identify which tumor indications show the best uptake to inform subsequent clinical studies. Showing tumor-specific binding in humans is expected to pave the way for the development of oncology therapeutics and diagnostics based on Vartumabs.

About oncofetal chondroitin sulfate

Oncofetal chondroitin sulfate is an unusually long sugar chain with a heavy sulfation pattern presenting as a secondary modification in several cancer-associated proteoglycans. VAR2 Pharmaceuticals has since 2015 shown in several peer-reviewed publications that oncofetal chondroitin sulfate is expressed in 95% of cancers with little to no expression detected in healthy tissues beyond the placenta. Read more about oncofetal chondroitin sulfate in our seminal publication: Salanti et al. 2015.

About Vartumabs

Vartumabs are a novel class of antibodies that bind specifically to oncofetal chondroitin sulfate. VAR2 Pharmaceuticals has shown that Vartumabs are efficacious and safe as cancer therapies in a range of preclinical models and as different therapeutic modalities, including antibody-drug conjugates, bispecifics, and T-cell therapies. Read more about Vartumabs in our seminal publication: Vidal-Calvo et al. 2024.