Lunit to Present AI-Analyzed Immune Phenotype Study as Immunotherapy Response Predictor for Advanced Gastric Cancer at ESMO Congress 2024

On September 10, 2024 Lunit (KRX:328130.KQ), a leading provider of AI-powered solutions for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, reported the presentation of a significant study at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Congress 2024 in Barcelona, Spain, from September 13-17 (Press release, Lunit, SEP 10, 2024, View Source [SID1234646486]).

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While Nivolumab plus chemotherapy has recently been approved as a standard first-line treatment for advanced gastric cancer (AGC), its efficacy varies among patients. This variability underscores the critical need for reliable biomarkers to predict treatment response. Lunit’s study addresses this pressing need, potentially offering a new tool to optimize patient care and treatment decisions.

Conducted in collaboration with leading Korean medical institutions, the research showcases the potential of Lunit’s AI-powered histopathology analyzer, Lunit SCOPE IO, in predicting treatment response and guiding treatment decisions for AGC via assessment of immune phenotype.

The study analyzed H&E images from 585 AGC patients, with Lunit SCOPE IO classifying tumors into two immune phenotypes—inflamed (IIP) and non-inflamed—based on the presence and distribution of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) from hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) slides that are readily available from a standard clinical workup. This classification provided valuable insights into the tumor microenvironment and helped predict treatment response, particularly in cases where traditional biomarkers like PD-L1 may not provide a complete picture.

Key findings include:

1. Patients treated with Nivolumab+Chemotherapy showed significantly longer median progression-free survival (mPFS) compared to Chemotherapy alone (8.2 vs. 5.9 months).
2. The inflamed immune phenotype group, classified by Lunit SCOPE IO, was associated with more pronounced PFS benefits from Nivolumab+Chemotherapy:

IIP: 5.2 months longer PFS for Niv+Chemo (mPFS of 11.0 vs 5.8 months)
Non-IIP: only 1.4 months longer PFS for Niv+Chemo (mPFS of 7.3 vs 5.9 months)
3. The predictive value of IIP was consistent across different PD-L1 expression levels.
4. Multivariate analysis confirmed IIP as an independent factor for PFS in patients treated with Nivolumab+Chemotherapy.

"By demonstrating that our AI-powered immune phenotype analysis can predict treatment response independently of PD-L1 status, we’re opening new possibilities for tailoring treatments in AGC," said Brandon Suh, CEO of Lunit. "This is particularly significant because gastric cancer continues to be a leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, representing 7.7% of all cancer cases. Our AI technology has the potential to enhance the precision of treatment decisions, potentially leading to more effective therapies and better quality of life for patients with AGC."

Please visit Lunit’s poster session at 1411P to discover more about our findings and the innovative capabilities of Lunit SCOPE IO.

Poster presentation featuring Lunit SCOPE IO at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Congress 2024:

"AI-powered immune phenotype predicts favorable outcomes of nivolumab (niv) plus chemotherapy (chemo) in advanced gastric cancer (AGC): A multi-center real-world data analysis" (1411P, September 16, 12:00~13:00 PM)

Curium Announces Pylclari® – an Innovative 18F-PSMA PET Tracer Indicated in Patients With Prostate Cancer – is now available in Spain

On September 10, 2024 Curium, a world leader in nuclear medicine, reported that in Spain, PYLCLARI is now available for patients with prostate cancer (Press release, Curium Pharma, SEP 10, 2024, View Source [SID1234646470]). PYLCLARI (INN: Piflufolastat (18F) also known as (18F)-DCFPyL) is indicated for the detection of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positive lesions with positron emission tomography (PET) in patients with prostate cancer in the following clinical settings:

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Primary staging of patients with high-risk prostate cancer prior to initial curative therapy
To localize recurrence of prostate cancer in patients with a suspected recurrence based on increasing serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels after primary treatment with curative intent
Benoit Woessmer, PET Europe CEO at Curium commented, "The availability of PYLCLARI in Spain is an important milestone for patients with prostate cancer and underscores our dedication to improving the choice of diagnostic PET radiopharmaceuticals. As we continue to redefine the experience of cancer through our trusted legacy in nuclear medicine, we are proud that the availability of PYLCLARI continues to grow and now covers seven countries including Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain."

In Spain, prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men with around 30,000 new cases diagnosed nationwide every year. PYLCLARI is being produced by Curium at two sites in Madrid and one site in Sevilla, ensuring timely and efficient distribution across the country.

Carisma and Moderna Expand Collaboration to Develop Two In Vivo CAR-M Therapies for Autoimmune Diseases

On September 10, 2024 Carisma Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: CARM) ("Carisma" or the "Company"), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing innovative immunotherapies, reported the expansion of its in vivo chimeric antigen receptor macrophage and monocyte (together, "CAR-M") collaboration with Moderna, Inc. (Nasdaq: MRNA) to include the nomination of two targets for the treatment of autoimmune diseases (Press release, Carisma Therapeutics, SEP 10, 2024, View Source [SID1234646487]). Carisma retains all rights in autoimmune disease beyond the two nominated targets, which will be exclusively partnered with Moderna.

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Under this expanded collaboration, Carisma and Moderna will leverage Carisma’s proprietary CAR-M technology and Moderna’s mRNA/LNP platform to develop novel in vivo macrophage engineering approaches in the nominated autoimmune disease targets. Carisma will receive research funding and is eligible to receive development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, plus royalties on net sales of any products that are commercialized under the collaboration agreement. Carisma will be responsible for the discovery and optimization of development candidates, while Moderna will lead the clinical development and commercialization of therapeutics resulting from the agreement.

"We are excited to expand our collaboration with Moderna into the realm of autoimmune diseases," said Steven Kelly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Carisma. "The nomination of the two autoimmune targets is a significant milestone in our mission to harness the power of macrophages to treat a broader range of diseases. Our innovative CAR-M technology has the potential to revolutionize the treatment landscape for patients suffering from these debilitating conditions."

"We are excited to build on the progress of advancing in vivo CAR-M therapies with Carisma by expanding beyond oncology," said Lin Guey, PhD, CSO of Therapeutic Research Ventures, Moderna. "We continue to believe that the combination of our platform and Carisma’s deep myeloid biology expertise could lead to innovative treatments for patients."

The expanded collaboration between Carisma and Moderna underscores the potential of CAR-M technology to impact a diverse range of disease areas. The expansion will aim to bring transformative therapies to patients with cancer and autoimmune diseases, advancing the frontier of immunotherapy.

IGM Biosciences to Present at the Stifel 2024 Virtual Immunology and Inflammation Summit

On September 10, 2024 IGM Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: IGMS), a clinical-stage biotechnology company creating and developing engineered IgM antibodies, reported that Fred Schwarzer, Chief Executive Officer, and Mary Beth Harler, M.D., Head, Research & Autoimmunity, will participate in a fireside chat at the Stifel 2024 Virtual Immunology and Inflammation Summit on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. EDT (Press release, IGM Biosciences, SEP 10, 2024, View Source [SID1234646471]).

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A live webcast of the event will be available on the "Events and Presentations" page in the "Investors" section of the Company’s website at View Source A replay of the webcast will be archived on the Company’s website for 90 days following the presentation.

Innovent Delivers Oral Presentation on Phase 1 Clinical Data of IBI363 (First-in-class PD-1/IL-2α-bias Bispecific Antibody Fusion Protein) in Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer at the 2024 WCLC

On September 10, 2024 Innovent Biologics, Inc. ("Innovent") (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high-quality medicines for the treatment of oncology, autoimmune, cardiovascular and metabolic, ophthalmology and other major diseases, reported the presentation of Phase 1 clinical data (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04085185) for IBI363 (first-in-class PD-1/IL-2α-bias bispecific antibody fusion protein) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer at the 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) (Press release, Innovent Biologics, SEP 10, 2024, View Source [SID1234646488]). Currently, Innovent is conducting Phase 1/2 clinical trials in China, U.S. and Australia to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of IBI363 in subjects with advanced solid tumors.

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First-in-class PD-1/IL-2α-bias bispecific antibody IBI363 in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer in a Phase 1 study

This update on previously reported Phase 1 results focuses on the safety and efficacy of IBI363 in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). As of the follow-up data cutoff date of August 2, 2024, 134 patients were enrolled and received IBI363 monotherapy (up to 3 mg/kg Q3W), with 95.5% having received prior PD-(L)1 immunotherapy. The median duration of IBI363 exposure was 10 weeks, and 77.6% remained on treatment. In the group of 125 patients having at least one post-baseline tumor assessment, the overall ORR was 20.8% and DCR was 74.4%.
IBI363 demonstrated encouraging efficacy signals in IO-treated squamous NSCLC, with a trend toward relatively higher ORR and DCR in the 3 mg/kg Q3W group (n=29)compared to the 1/1.5 mg/kg Q2W/Q3W group (n=27) (see table below). Despite relatively short follow-up time for the 3mg/kg Q3W subgroup, among the 18 patients who had at least 12 weeks of follow-up or end of study, the ORR and DCR were 50% and 88.9%, respectively.
Patients with at least 1
tumor assessment

sqNSCLC

1/1.5 mg/kg
(N=27)

3 mg/kg
(N=29)

3 mg/kg

with at least 12 weeks of follow-up
(N=18)

Best overall response, n (%)

Partial Response (PR)

6*

10**

9***

Stable Disease (SD)

13

16

7

Progressive Disease (PD)

8

2

2

Not Evaluable (NE)

0

1

0

ORR, % (95% CI)

22.2% (8.6, 42.3)

34.5% (17.9, 54.3)

50.0% (26.0, 74.0)

DCR, % (95% CI)

70.4% (49.8, 86.2)

89.7% (72.6, 97.8)

88.9% (65.3, 98.6)

*6 patients had confirmed PR; **9 out 10 patients had confirmed PR; ***8 of 9 patients had confirmed PR.

As of the data cutoff date, for patients with squamous NSCLC who were treated with IBI363 at 1/1.5 mg/kg, the median follow up time was 7.5 months, and the median PFS was 5.5 months (95% CI, 1.5-8.3); currently, the 12-month PFS rate is 30.7%, showing a long-term benefit advantage of immunotherapy. The median PFS was not reached for subjects who received 3mg/kg Q3W.
Similar responses were observed among squamous NSCLC patients with PD-L1 TPS<1% (n=22) and TPS≥1% (n=22) treated across the 1/1.5 mg/kg and 3 mg/kg doses, with ORRs of 36.4% and 31.8% respectively, suggesting IBI363 has efficacy regardless of PD-L1 expression.
IBI363 has a manageable safety profile. The most common treatment related adverse events (TRAEs) included arthralgia, anemia, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and rash. Overall, 20.1% of patients experienced TRAEs ≥ grade 3 and 6.0% experienced TRAE leading to treatment discontinuation. In the 3 mg/kg Q3W subgroup (n=57), 17.5% experienced TRAEs ≥ grade 3 and 5.3% experienced TRAEs leading to treatment discontinuation. The safety profile was consistent with the overall population. No new safety signals were identified.
Given that IBI363 has shown encouraging efficacy signals and good tolerability, this study continues to investigate the long-term efficacy and safety and to determine the RP2D in NSCLC. Additional studies are also underway to evaluate IBI363 in combination with other therapies and in other solid tumors. Relevant data and analyses will be shared in future academic conferences or publications.

Professor Jianya Zhou, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, stated: "Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, with non-small cell lung cancer accounting for approximately 80% of cases[1]. While PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors have shown promising efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer, most patients eventually develop primary or secondary resistance to these immune checkpoint inhibitors. For NSCLC patients who fail IO therapy, effective treatment options are limited, with chemotherapy, such as docetaxel, achieving only about an ORR of 10% and a median PFS of under 4 months[2]. As a key cytokine that activates tumor-specific CD8+T cells, IL-2 complements immune checkpoint inhibitors in its MOA. Combining PD-1 with IL-2 may reverse the exhaustion of tumor-specific CD8+ T cells and help overcome immune resistance. As a PD-1/IL-2α-bias bispecific molecule, IBI363 has demonstrated promising antitumor activity in IO-resistant, driver gene wild-type NSCLC, with clinical benefits shown in both ORR and PFS. Additionally, its manageable safety profile, even at higher doses, provides confidence in its therapeutic potential."

Dr. Hui Zhou, Senior Vice President of Innovent, stated: "We are pleased to present the latest data on IBI363 in lung cancer at WCLC. The data highlights the promising trend of IBI363 showing better ORR and DCR at higher doses, alongside a manageable safety profile. Although the follow-up period for the 3 mg/kg dose group is still relatively short, we anticipate more mature data from longer-term follow-up and expect to see its potential as an immunotherapy for long-term survival benefits to patients. Meanwhile, in non-small cell lung cancer, particularly in IO-treated squamous NSCLC, IBI363 has demonstrated potent anti-tumor effects regardless of PD-L1 expression levels. This indicates that IBI363 could potentially offer breakthroughs in treating cold tumors with low or absent PD-L1 expression. We will continue to advance the clinical exploration of IBI363 in squamous NSCLC and other tumor types."

About IBI363 (First-in-class PD-1/IL-2α-bias bispecific antibody fusion protein)

IBI363 is a first-in-class PD-1/IL-2α-bias bispecific antibody fusion protein developed independently by Innovent Biologics. It functions by both blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway and activating the IL-2 pathway. The IL-2 arm of IBI363 is designed to maintain its affinity for IL-2Rα while reducing binding to IL-2Rβ and IL-2Rγ, thereby minimizing toxicity. The PD-1 binding arm not only blocks PD-1 but also selectively delivers IL-2. This approach targets and activates tumor-specific T cells that express both PD-1 and IL-2Rα, leading to more precise and effective activation of this T cell subpopulation. IBI363 has demonstrated robust antitumor activity in various tumor-bearing pharmacological models, including those resistant to PD-1 resistance and models of metastasis. In response to urgent clinical needs, Innovent is conducting clinical studies in China, the United States and Australia to further explore the efficacy and safety of IBI363 in advanced tumors.