On October 13, 2025 BeOne Medicines Ltd. (Nasdaq: ONC; HKEX: 06160; SSE: 688235), a global oncology company, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) for sonrotoclax, a next-generation and potentially best-in-class investigational BCL2 inhibitor, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) (Press release, BeOne Medicines, OCT 13, 2025, View Source [SID1234656592]). Additionally, the FDA has accepted BeOne’s request for participation in Project Orbis, an initiative that provides a framework for concurrent submission and review of oncology products among participating global health authorities.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"Breakthrough Therapy Designation is reserved for medicines with the potential to transform outcomes for patients with serious diseases. This recognition affirms the strength of the emerging data for sonrotoclax and its potential to become a new standard of care for people with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma," said Julie Lepin, Senior Vice President, Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer at BeOne. "Additionally, by participating in Project Orbis, we may be able to accelerate access to sonrotoclax, potentially helping patients faster than previously imagined."

The decision by the FDA to grant sonrotoclax BTD and participation in Project Orbis was based on data from the BGB-11417-201 study, a Phase 1/2 study evaluating sonrotoclax in adult patients with R/R MCL, following treatment with a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) and anti-CD20 therapy. The recently announced positive topline results for sonrotoclax underscore its potential to deliver deep and durable responses, giving it the potential to be the first and only BCL2 inhibitor approved for use in R/R MCL in the U.S. BeOne plans to present the full data at an upcoming medical meeting. The Phase 3 confirmatory CELESTIAL-RRMCL study (BGB-11417-302; NCT06742996) is underway.

The FDA grants BTD to medicines with early data suggesting they may offer significant advances for patients with serious diseases. Project Orbis, established by the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence in 2019, facilitates collaboration across regulatory bodies on the review of oncology medicines with the goal of making promising cancer therapies available to patients more quickly across participating countries.

This is the first BTD for sonrotoclax and the second for BeOne’s hematology program. The FDA has also granted sonrotoclax Fast Track Designation for MCL and Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM), as well as Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of adult patients with MCL, WM, multiple myeloma (MM), and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). These designations help reinforce sonrotoclax’s position as the next major advancement in BeOne’s commitment to redefining care in B-cell malignancies.

About Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare subtype of aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)1 that develops in B-cells located in the mantle zone of the lymph nodes. MCL accounts for approximately 5% of all NHL cases globally2, affecting an estimated 28,000 people3. MCL is often diagnosed at advanced stages4 and nearly all MCL patients will eventually develop refractory or relapsed (R/R) disease.5 The five-year survival rate for MCL is approximately 50%, reflecting the urgent need for new therapeutic options.6

About BGB-11417-201 Study

The BGB-11417-201 (NCT05471843) study is a global, multicenter, single-arm, open-label, Phase 1/2 study, which enrolled 125 adult patients with R/R MCL post-treatment with anti-CD20 therapy and a BTK inhibitor. In Part 1, 22 patients received daily treatment with either 160 mg or 320 mg of sonrotoclax to assess the safety and tolerability of sonrotoclax and identify the recommended dose for Part 2. In Part 2, 103 patients were enrolled to receive the recommended daily dose of sonrotoclax (320 mg), following ramp-up, to assess the efficacy of sonrotoclax. The primary endpoint is overall response rate (ORR), as assessed by an independent review committee (IRC). Secondary endpoints include complete response (CR) rate, duration of response (DOR) and progression-free survival (PFS).

About Sonrotoclax (BGB-11417)

Sonrotoclax is a next-generation and potentially best-in-class investigational inhibitor of B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2), which is one of several proteins that help cancer cells survive. It is part of a group of drugs called BH3 mimetics, which mimic natural cell death signals. Studies in the lab and during early drug development have shown that sonrotoclax is a highly potent and specific inhibitor of BCL2 with a short half-life and no drug accumulation. Sonrotoclax has shown promising clinical activity across a range of B-cell malignancies, and nearly 2,000 patients have been enrolled to date across the broad global development program.

On October 13, 2025 Immutep Limited (ASX: IMM; NASDAQ: IMMP) ("Immutep" or "the Company"), a late-stage immunotherapy company targeting cancer and autoimmune diseases, reported that positive and straightforward feedback has been received from the US Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") regarding the successful completion of Project Optimus requirements and agreement on 30mg as the optimal biological dose for eftilagimod alfa (efti).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Immutep’s Chief Development Officer, Christian Mueller, said, "We are very thankful for the FDA’s positive feedback and productive discussions over the past few years. The alignment on efti’s optimal biologic dose has strategic relevance to our efti oncology programs and is a major de-risking event and building block towards future BLA filings. We are excited to successfully conclude this chapter of efti’s clinical development and are intently focused on bringing this novel immunotherapy to market to help address the needs of cancer patients worldwide."

The agreement with the FDA on efti’s optimal biological dosing carries strategic importance in the ongoing and future clinical development of this first-in-class immunotherapy, including the global TACTI-004 (KEYNOTE-F91) Phase III trial evaluating efti in combination with MSD’s (Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA) anti-PD-1 therapy KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), and chemotherapy as first-line treatment for advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (1L NSCLC), regardless of PD-L1 expression. With the conclusion of Project Optimus, this registrational study is now in process of opening sites in the United States.

About Eftilagimod Alfa (Efti)

Efti is a novel immunotherapy that directly activates antigen-presenting cells or APCs (e.g. dendritic cells, monocytes) via the MHC Class II pathway to fight cancer. As an MHC Class II agonist, its activation of APCs engages the adaptive and innate immune system to initiate a broad anti-cancer immune response. This includes priming and activating cytotoxic T cells as well as generating important co-stimulatory signals & cytokines that further boost the immune system’s ability to combat cancer.

Efti is under evaluation for a variety of solid tumours including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a pivotal Phase III trial called TACTI-004 (KEYNOTE-F91), as well as head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), soft tissue sarcoma, and breast cancer. Its favourable safety profile enables various combinations like with anti-PD-[L]1 immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy. Efti has received Fast Track designation in first line HNSCC and in first line NSCLC from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

(Press release, Immutep, OCT 13, 2025, View Source [SID1234656640])

On October 13, 2025 Artios Pharma Limited ("Artios"), a biopharmaceutical company committed to realizing the therapeutic power of targeting the DNA damage response ("DDR") in cancer, reported an upcoming oral presentation highlighting the company’s DNA polymerase Theta (Polθ) inhibitor, ART6043, at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Congress 2025, taking place between October 17-21, 2025, in Berlin, Germany (Press release, Artios Pharma, OCT 13, 2025, View Source [SID1234656576]). ART6043 is a potential first-in-class, selective DNA polymerase domain inhibitor being developed in combination with the PARP inhibitor, olaparib, in patients with cancers that harbor DDR defects.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The presentation will feature the first clinical results for ART6043 from the Phase 1/2a study (NCT05898399), including safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary efficacy in patients with advanced solid tumors. This will be the first time that clinical activity for a therapeutic candidate targeting Polθ in humans will be presented.

Details of the oral presentation:

Abstract Title: First data disclosure of the first-in-class DNA polymerase theta inhibitor, ART6043, as monotherapy and in combination with olaparib, in patients with molecularly-selected advanced solid tumors

Session Category and Title: Mini oral session: Developmental therapeutics

Date: Friday, October 17, 2025

Time: 4:30 – 4:35 PM CEST

Presenter: Dr. Timothy A. Yap, VP and Head of Clinical Development in the Therapeutics Discovery Division at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Location: Heidelberg Auditorium, Hall 6.2

The abstract is available on the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Congress website.

Artios will issue a press release detailing the data presented at the conference following the oral presentation at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper).

About ART6043

ART6043 is a potential first-in-class, selective, orally bioavailable, small‑molecule inhibitor of the polymerase domain of DNA polymerase Theta (Polθ), a DNA repair enzyme that is preferentially expressed in cancer cells but is virtually absent in most healthy tissues. By inhibiting Polθ, ART6043 targets microhomology mediated end joining (MMEJ) to exploit tumor dependence on error-prone DNA repair, with broad rationale for use as monotherapy and in combination with PARP inhibition and other DNA-damaging modalities. Artios’ differentiated approach is evaluating ART6043 with olaparib in molecularly defined solid tumors, including settings of BRCA variants and PARP inhibitor resistance, to enhance target engagement and anti-tumor activity while maintaining tolerability.

On October 13, 2025 Theriva Biologics (NYSE American: TOVX), ("Theriva" or the "Company"), a diversified clinical-stage company developing therapeutics designed to treat cancer and related diseases in areas of high unmet need, reported upcoming presentations at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO 2025) Annual Congress and at Infectious Diseases Week (IDWeek) 2025 Annual Meeting (Press release, Theriva Biologics, OCT 13, 2025, View Source [SID1234656593]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

VCN-01 upcoming mini-oral presentation at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) 2025
Expanded data from the VIRAGE trial investigating VCN-01 (zabilugene almadenorepvec) are to be presented at a mini oral session at the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) 2025 Congress:

Presenting author: Dr. Rocío Garcia-Carbonero, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
Title: VIRAGE trial: randomized Phase IIb, open-label, study of Nab-Paclitaxel and Gemcitabine with/without intravenous VCN-01 in Patients with Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer (mPDAC)
Abstract #: 2216MO
Date and time: Monday, October 20, 2025, 09:28 a.m. CEST
Session: Mini oral session 2, GI Tumors Upper digestive
Location: Bonn Auditorium – Hall 7.1c, Messe Berlin, Berlin, Germany
SYN-004 upcoming poster presentation at IDWeek 2025
Previously disclosed blinded safety and pharmacokinetic (PK) data from the ongoing Phase 1b/2a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial of SYN-004 (ribaxamase) in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients for the prevention of acute graft-versus-host-disease (aGVHD). These data will be presented at ID Week 2025:

Presenting Author: Erik R. Dubberke, MD, Professor of Medicine, Clinical Director, Transplant Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Title: Safety and tolerability of SYN-004 in allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients receiving meropenem (MER) or piperacillin/tazobactam (P/T)
Abstract #: P-104
Date and time: Monday, October 20, 2025 from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m US EDT
Location: Poster Hall B4-5, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia
About VCN-01

VCN-01 (zabilugene almadenorepvec) is a systemically administered oncolytic adenovirus designed to selectively and aggressively replicate within tumor cells and degrade the tumor stroma that serves as a significant physical and immunosuppressive barrier to cancer treatment. This unique mode-of-action enables VCN-01 to exert multiple antitumor effects by (i) selectively infecting and lysing tumor cells; (ii) enhancing the access and perfusion of co-administered chemotherapy products; and (iii) increasing tumor immunogenicity and exposing the tumor to the patient’s immune system and co-administered immunotherapy products. Systemic administration enables VCN-01 to exert its actions on both the primary tumor and metastases. VCN-01 has been administered to 142 patients to date in clinical trials of different cancers, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (in combination with chemotherapy), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (with an immune checkpoint inhibitor), ovarian cancer (with CAR-T cell therapy), colorectal cancer, and retinoblastoma (by intravitreal injection). More information on these clinical trials is available at Clinicaltrials.gov.

About SYN-004 (ribaxamase)

SYN-004 (ribaxamase) is an oral prophylactic therapy designed to degrade certain IV beta-lactam antibiotics within the GI tract and maintain the natural balance of the gut microbiome for the prevention of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), overgrowth of pathogenic organisms, the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and acute graft-versus-host-disease (aGVHD) in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients. Allogeneic HCT recipients routinely receive long courses of IV beta-lactam antibiotics to treat infection following conditioning therapy. Antibiotic-mediated damage of the gut microbiome in allogeneic HCT recipients may lead to adverse outcomes including CDI, VRE colonization and potentially fatal bacteremia and aGVHD. A previously completed placebo-controlled Phase 2b clinical trial of 412 patients demonstrated SYN-004 protected the gut microbiome from antibiotic-mediated dysbiosis. Patients who received SYN-004 also demonstrated significantly better maintenance and recovery of the gut microbiome as well as lower incidences of new colonization by opportunistic and potentially pathogenic microorganisms such as VRE.

On October 13, 2025 Arvinas, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARVN) reported that new data for vepdegestrant will be presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Congress to be held October 17 through 21, 2025, in Berlin, Germany (Press release, Arvinas, OCT 13, 2025, View Source [SID1234656578]). Vepdegestrant is a novel investigational PROTAC estrogen receptor (ER) degrader which is being developed with Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) as a potential monotherapy for ER+/HER2- advanced or metastatic breast cancer with estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) mutations in the second line-plus setting. Ongoing studies are also evaluating vepdegestrant as a monotherapy and as part of combination therapy for ER+/HER2- breast cancer.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The presentation details are as follows:

Title: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) with vepdegestrant (VEP) vs fulvestrant (FUL) in patients (pts) with estrogen receptor (ER) 1 gene mutated (ESR1m) ER+/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)− advanced breast cancer (aBC) in the phase 3 VERITAC-2 trial
Presenting Author: Dr. Mario Campone
Presentation Number: 489MO
Presentation Type: Mini oral session
Session: Breast cancer, metastatic
Date: Monday, October 20, 2025
Time: 11:25-11:30 CEST

Title: TACTIVE-N: phase 2 study of neoadjuvant vepdegestrant, a PROteolysis TArgeting Chimera (PROTAC) estrogen receptor (ER) degrader, or anastrozole in postmenopausal ER+/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)- localized breast cancer (BC)
Presenting Author: Dr. Peter A. Fasching
Presentation Number: 293MO
Presentation Type: Mini oral session
Session: Breast cancer, early stage
Date: Sunday, October 19, 2025
Time: 10:40-10:45 AM CEST

The full abstracts can be accessed via the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) online program.

About Vepdegestrant
Vepdegestrant is an investigational, orally bioavailable PROteolysis TArgeting Chimera (PROTAC) estrogen receptor degrader. Vepdegestrant is being developed as a potential monotherapy for ER+/HER2- advanced or metastatic breast cancer with estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) mutations in the second line-plus setting. Ongoing studies are also evaluating vepdegestrant as a monotherapy and as part of combination therapy for ER+/HER2- breast cancer.

In July 2021, Arvinas announced a global collaboration with Pfizer for the co-development and co-commercialization of vepdegestrant. In September 2025, Arvinas and Pfizer announced their plan to jointly select a third party for the out-licensing and commercialization of vepdegestrant.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the New Drug Application (NDA) for vepdegestrant for its use as a monotherapy in the treatment of adults with estrogen receptor–positive (ER+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative (HER2-), ESR1-mutated advanced or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with endocrine-based therapy. Vepdegestrant has also been granted Fast Track designation by the FDA, supporting the potential for vepdegestrant to offer a meaningful new treatment option for patients with ER+, HER2-, ESR1-mutated advanced or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with endocrine-based therapy.