On February 25, 2022 Clovis Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLVS) reported a Trial-in-Progress poster detailing the Phase 1 portion of the LuMIERE clinical study for its targeted radiotherapy candidate FAP-2286 and a presentation titled "Initial Experience with FAP-2286 Imaging" related to an ongoing investigator-initiated trial (IIT) evaluating the ability of imaging agent gallium-68 (68Ga)-FAP-2286 to detect metastatic cancer in patients with solid tumors (Press release, Clovis Oncology, FEB 25, 2022, View Source [SID1234609060]). These data will be presented by Thomas A. Hope, M.D., Director of Molecular Therapy in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and principal investigator of the LuMIERE trial and the IIT at the Society of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) Mid-Winter and American College of Nuclear Medicine (ACNM) Annual Meeting being held virtually, Feb. 25-27, 2022.

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FAP-2286 is the first peptide-targeted radionuclide therapy (PTRT) and imaging agent targeting fibroblast activation protein (FAP) to enter clinical development and the lead candidate in Clovis Oncology’s targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT) development program.

Approximately 50 patients will be enrolled in the Phase 1 portion of the multicenter, open-label LuMIERE trial, which is currently enrolling patients with advanced solid tumors (NCT04939610). The Phase 1 portion of the study is evaluating the safety of the investigational therapeutic agent lutetium-177 (177Lu)-FAP-2286 and will identify the recommended Phase 2 dose and schedule. The safety and tumor uptake of the imaging agent gallium-68 (68Ga)-FAP-2286 is also being evaluated. Once the Phase 2 therapeutic dose is determined, Phase 2 expansion cohorts in multiple tumor types are planned for later in 2022.

"We believe the ongoing LuMIERE trial will underscore the valuable role of targeted radiotherapy in cancer treatment and the potential of FAP-2286 to treat a variety of solid tumor types," said Patrick J. Mahaffy, President and CEO of Clovis Oncology. "We remain committed to advancing targeted radiotherapies in oncology and look forward to presenting initial data from the Phase 1 portion of the trial later this year."

After 10 a.m. Eastern time today, February 25, the LuMIERE Trial-in-Progress poster can be found at View Source with other recent Clovis-sponsored presentations, posters, and supplemental information.

Presentation of data from the IIT (NCT04621435) evaluating the ability of imaging agent 68Ga-FAP-2286 to detect metastatic cancer in patients with solid tumors is scheduled for Saturday, February 26.

For more information about FAP-2286, targeted radionuclide therapy, or Clovis’ TRT development program, please visit targetedradiotherapy.com.

About the LuMIERE Clinical Study

LuMIERE is a Phase 1/2 study evaluating FAP-2286 as a peptide-targeted radionuclide therapy (PTRT) targeting fibroblast activation protein, or FAP, in patients with advanced solid tumors. The Phase 1 portion of the LuMIERE study is evaluating the safety of the investigational therapeutic agent and will identify the recommended Phase 2 dose and schedule of lutetium-177 labeled FAP-2286 (177Lu-FAP-2286). FAP-2286 labeled with gallium-68 (68Ga-FAP-2286) will be utilized as an investigational imaging agent to identify patients with FAP-positive tumors appropriate for treatment with the therapeutic agent. Once the Phase 2 dose is determined, Phase 2 expansion cohorts are planned in multiple tumor types.

About FAP-2286

FAP-2286 is a clinical candidate under investigation as a peptide-targeted radionuclide therapy (PTRT) and imaging agent targeting fibroblast activation protein (FAP). FAP-2286 consists of two functional elements; a targeting peptide that binds to FAP and a site that can be used to attach radioactive isotopes for imaging and therapeutic use. High FAP expression has been shown in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, salivary gland, mesothelioma, colon, bladder, sarcoma, squamous non–small cell lung, squamous head and neck cancers, and cancer of unknown primary. High FAP expression was detected in both primary and metastatic tumor samples and was independent of tumor stage or grade.

Clovis holds US and global rights for FAP-2286 excluding Europe, Russia, Turkey, and Israel.

FAP-2286 is an unlicensed medical product.

About Targeted Radionuclide Therapy

Targeted radionuclide therapy is an emerging class of cancer therapeutics, which seeks to deliver radiation directly to the tumor while minimizing delivery of radiation to normal tissue. Targeted radionuclides are created by linking radioactive isotopes, also known as radionuclides, to targeting molecules (e.g., peptides, antibodies, small molecules) that can bind specifically to tumor cells or other cells in the tumor environment. Based on the radioactive isotope selected, the resulting agent can be used to image and/or treat certain types of cancer. Agents that can be adapted for both therapeutic and imaging use are known as "theranostics." Clovis, together with licensing partner 3B Pharmaceuticals, is developing a pipeline of novel, targeted radiotherapies for cancer treatment and imaging, including its lead candidate, FAP-2286, an investigational peptide-targeted radionuclide therapeutic (PTRT) and imaging agent, as well as three additional discovery-stage compounds.

On February 25, 2022 Clarity Pharmaceuticals (ASX: CU6) ("Clarity"), a clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company developing next-generation products to address the growing needs in oncology, reported that it has successfully treated its first participant in cohort 2 of the 64Cu/67Cu SARTATE neuroblastoma therapy trial (CL04) at the increased dose level of 175MBq/kg body weight (Press release, Clarity Pharmaceuticals, FEB 25, 2022, https://www.claritypharmaceuticals.com/news/1patient_cohort2/ [SID1234608956]).

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Clarity has recently progressed to cohort 2 of the CL04 trial following the completion of cohort 1 where three participants received therapy with 67Cu SARTATE at a dose of 75MBq/kg body weight. The Safety Review Committee assessed the data from cohort 1 where no dose limiting toxicities have occurred and recommended to progress the trial to cohort 2, without modification, increasing the dose to 175MBq/kg body weight.

Clarity’s Executive Chairman, Dr Alan Taylor, commented, "We are very excited to dose the first patient in cohort 2 in our neuroblastoma therapy trial in the US, having successfully completed cohort 1 in January 2022. The increase in administered activity between cohorts 1 and 2 is significant in radiation-sensitive disease, such as neuroblastoma, and cohort 2 will see administered activities more than double in comparison to cohort 1. We look forward to continuing recruitment in cohort 2 at all five clinical sites in the US, building upon the encouraging initial data from cohort 1 and further gathering evidence of diagnostic and therapeutic benefits of the SARTATE product for the treatment of children with neuroblastoma."

The CL04 trial is a theranostic (diagnosis and therapy) trial in paediatric patients with high-risk neuroblastoma (NCT04023331)1. It is a multi-centre, dose-escalation, open label, non-randomised, Phase 1/2a clinical trial with up to 34 participants conducted at five clinical sites in the US.

Neuroblastoma most often occurs in children younger than 5 years of age and presents when the tumour grows and causes symptoms. It is the most common type of cancer to be diagnosed in the first year of life and accounts for around 15% of paediatric cancer mortality.2 High-risk neuroblastoma accounts for approximately 45% of all neuroblastoma cases. Patients with high-risk neuroblastoma have the lowest 5-year survival rates at 40%-50%.3

In 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) awarded Clarity two Orphan Drug Designations (ODDs), one for 64Cu SARTATE as a diagnostic agent for the clinical management of neuroblastoma and one for 67Cu SARTATE as a therapy of neuroblastoma, as well as two Rare Paediatric Disease Designations (RPDDs) for these products. Should Clarity be successful in achieving US FDA New Drug Applications for these two products, RPDDs may potentially allow the Company to access a total of two tradeable Priority Review Vouchers (PRVs) which most recently traded at USD110M per voucher.4

Dr Taylor said, "Our team, clinicians and collaborators have all shown strong dedication to progressing the neuroblastoma trial at some of the best cancer centres in the US, driven by our mutual goal of improving the treatment paradigm for children with this insidious disease. In the times when the pandemic was having a significant impact on clinical site operations and recruitment, this support is indicative of the importance and urgency of improving the prognosis of children with high-risk neuroblastoma, where current treatment strategies are limited. We continue working closely with the clinical sites and the US FDA to progress this trial swiftly, building upon the mounting evidence of the advantages of the SARTATE treatment paradigm over current treatment regiments, in pursuit of Clarity’s ultimate goal of improving treatment outcomes for children and adults with cancer."

This announcement has been authorised for release by the Executive Chairman.

On February 25, 2022 Chimeric Therapeutics (ASX:CHM, "Chimeric"), a clinical-stage cell therapy company and an Australian leader in cell therapy, reported that the first patient in dose level 3 of the phase 1 CHM 1101 (CLTX CAR T) clinical trial in recurrent/ progressive glioblastoma has now initiated therapy at City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States (Press release, Chimeric Therapeutics, FEB 25, 2022, View Source [SID1234609034]).

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Patients in this dose level will receive a total dose of 240 X 106 CHM 1101 (CLTX CAR T) cells through dual routes of intratumoral and intraventricular administration. Advancement to this dose level has come about rapidly following on the completion of the 2nd dose cohort without any dose limiting toxicities in December 2021.

"We are very pleased with the continued progress of the trial," said Jennifer Chow, Chimeric Therapeutics Chief Executive Officer. "With the encouraging safety and activity signs shown in the lower two dose levels we are excited to be advancing to the higher dose levels that may provide more therapeutic benefit to patients with progressive or recurrent glioblastoma."

Authorised on behalf of the Chimeric Therapeutics board of directors by Chairman Paul Hopper.

ABOUT CHLOROTOXIN CAR T
Chlorotoxin CAR T (CLTX CAR T) cell therapy is a first and best in class CAR T cell therapy that has the potential to address the high unmet medical need of patients with recurrent/ progressive glioblastoma. Research to develop the intellectual property covering this CAR T cell therapy took place at City of Hope.

CLTX CAR T cell therapy uniquely utilizes chlorotoxin (CLTX), a peptide derived from scorpion toxin, as the tumour-targeting component of the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). CLTX and CLTX CAR T cells have been shown in preclinical models to bind more broadly and specifically to GBM cells than other targeting domains like EGFR, HER-2 or IL-13.

In preclinical models, CLTX CAR T cells also demonstrated potent antitumor activity against glioblastoma while not exhibiting any off-tumor recognition of normal human cells and tissues, indicating a potentially optimal safety and efficacy profile.

On February 25, 2022 Myovant Sciences (NYSE: MYOV), a healthcare company focused on redefining care for women and for men, reported that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency has adopted a positive opinion recommending the approval of ORGOVYX (relugolix, 120 mg) for the treatment of adult patients with advanced hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (Press release, Myovant Sciences, FEB 25, 2022, https://investors.myovant.com/news-releases/news-release-details/myovant-sciences-receives-positive-chmp-opinion-orgovyxr [SID1234609062]). The European Commission (EC) will review the CHMP recommendation, and a final decision on the Marketing Authorization Application is expected to be available in approximately two months. The decision will be applicable to all 27 European Union member states plus Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein.

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"This positive CHMP opinion represents another step toward positioning ORGOVYX as a new standard of care for men with advanced prostate cancer," said David Marek, Chief Executive Officer of Myovant Sciences, Inc. "We look forward to providing patients and physicians in Europe with the first oral, androgen deprivation therapy treatment to further advance our mission to redefine care for men with prostate cancer."

The CHMP positive opinion recommending approval is supported by efficacy and safety data from the Phase 3 HERO study, a randomized, open-label, parallel-group, multinational clinical study designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of relugolix compared to leuprolide in over 1,000 men with androgen-sensitive advanced prostate cancer who required at least one year of continuous androgen deprivation therapy. ORGOVYX received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the treatment of adult patients with advanced prostate cancer in December 2020.

Myovant continues to assess partnership opportunities with multiple interested parties for international commercialization and development rights (excluding Canada and certain Asian countries) to relugolix in prostate cancer. Myovant remains on track to reach an agreement with a partner by the anticipated EC approval of relugolix for advanced prostate cancer.

ABOUT PROSTATE CANCER
Prostate cancer is a leading cause of death in the European Union with about 65,200 men having died from the disease in 2016. The standardized death rate from prostate cancer stood at 38 deaths per 100,000 male inhabitants according to Eurostat.

Prostate cancer is considered advanced when it has spread or come back after initial treatment and may include biochemical recurrence (rising prostate-specific antigen in the absence of metastatic disease on imaging), locally advanced disease, or metastatic disease. Front-line medical therapy for advanced prostate cancer typically involves androgen deprivation therapy, which reduces testosterone to very low levels, commonly referred to as castrate levels (< 50 ng/dL). Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) receptor agonists, such as leuprolide acetate, are depot injections and the current standard of care for androgen deprivation therapy. However, LHRH receptor agonists may be associated with mechanism-of-action limitations, including the potentially detrimental initial surge in testosterone levels that can exacerbate clinical symptoms, which is known as clinical or hormonal flare, and delayed testosterone recovery after the drug is discontinued.

On February 25, 2022 Eisai (Headquarters: Tokyo, CEO: Haruo Naito) and Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A. (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada) reported that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has approved the combination of LENVIMA, the orally available multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor discovered by Eisai, plus KEYTRUDA, the anti-PD-1 therapy from Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A., for radically unresectable or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (Press release, Eisai, FEB 25, 2022, View Source [SID1234609035]). LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA is also approved in the U.S. and Europe for the first-line treatment of adult patients with advanced RCC. This marks the second approval of this combination in Japan; in December 2021, LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA was approved for unresectable, advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma that progressed after chemotherapy.

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The approval is based on results from the pivotal Phase 3 CLEAR (Study 307)/KEYNOTE-581 trial, in which LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA demonstrated statistically significant improvements versus sunitinib in the primary efficacy outcome measure of progression-free survival (PFS). Results showed LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA (n=355) reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 61% (HR=0.39 [95% CI, 0.32-0.49]; p<0.0001), with a median PFS of 23.9 months versus 9.2 months for sunitinib (n=357).

"Nearly one in three cases of renal cell carcinoma are diagnosed at an advanced stage,1 and patients are in need of new treatment options that may improve survival outcomes, 2" said Dr. Gregory Lubiniecki, Vice President, Oncology Clinical Research, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A. Research Laboratories. "In the CLEAR/KEYNOTE-581 trial, KEYTRUDA plus LENVIMA reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 61% versus sunitinib, a current standard of care. We are encouraged that patients with certain types of advanced renal cell carcinoma may have the opportunity to benefit from this combination."

"Today’s milestone for LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA as a treatment for radically unresectable or metastatic renal cell carcinoma is particularly exciting as it marks the second approval for the combination in Japan," said Terushige Iike, President of Eisai Japan, Senior Vice President, Eisai. "We are thrilled to be able to provide Japanese patients with a new treatment option, illustrating our shared commitment with Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A. to develop therapies with the aim of addressing the unmet needs of those living with difficult-to-treat cancers. We would like to thank the patients, families and healthcare providers who made this approval possible."

The Japanese package inserts for LENVIMA and KEYTRUDA note that in the CLEAR /KEYNOTE-581 trial, adverse reactions were observed in 341 (96.9%) of 352 patients (including 42 of 42 Japanese patients) in the safety analysis set. The most common adverse reactions included diarrhea in 192 patients (54.5%), hypertension in 184 patients (52.3%), hypothyroidism in 150 patients (42.6%), decreased appetite in 123 patients (34.9%), fatigue in 113 patients (32.1%), stomatitis in 113 patients (32.1%), palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome in 99 patients (28.1%), proteinuria in 97 patients (27.6%), nausea in 94 patients (26.7%), dysphonia in 87 patients (24.7%), rash in 77 patients (21.9%), and asthenia in 71 patients (20.2%).

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer worldwide; about nine out of 10 kidney cancer diagnoses are RCC.3 In Japan, there were more than 25,000 new cases of kidney cancer diagnosed and more than 8,000 deaths from the disease in 2020.4　Approximately 30% of patients with RCC will have metastatic disease at diagnosis.5 Survival is highly dependent on the stage at diagnosis, and with a five-year survival rate of 14% for patients diagnosed with metastatic disease, the prognosis for these patients is poor.6

Eisai and Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A. continue to study the LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA combination across several types of cancer with more than 20 clinical trials.

The approval is based on data from CLEAR (Study 307)/KEYNOTE-581 (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02811861(New Window)), a Phase 3, multicenter, open-label, randomized trial conducted in 1,069 patients with advanced RCC in the first-line setting. The primary efficacy outcome was PFS as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR) according to RECIST v1.1. Key secondary efficacy outcome measures were overall survival and objective response rate.

Patients were randomized 1:1:1 to receive LENVIMA (20 mg orally once daily) plus KEYTRUDA (200 mg intravenously every three weeks for up to 24 months), or LENVIMA (18 mg orally once daily) plus everolimus (5 mg orally once daily), or sunitinib (50 mg orally once daily for four weeks on treatment, followed by two weeks off treatment). Treatment continued until unacceptable toxicity or disease progression as determined by investigator and confirmed by BICR using RECIST v1.1. If disease progression was observed by imaging evaluation, clinically stable patients with no symptoms indicating disease progression were allowed to continue on study treatment until disease progression was observed in a subsequent imaging evaluation.

About LENVIMA (lenvatinib) Capsules

LENVIMA, discovered and developed by Eisai, is an orally available kinase inhibitor that inhibits the kinase activities of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors VEGFR1 (FLT1), VEGFR2 (KDR), and VEGFR3 (FLT4). LENVIMA inhibits other kinases that have been implicated in pathogenic angiogenesis, tumor growth, and cancer progression in addition to their normal cellular functions, including fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors FGFR1-4, the platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα), KIT, and RET. In syngeneic mouse tumor models, LENVIMA decreased tumor-associated macrophages, increased activated cytotoxic T cells, and demonstrated greater antitumor activity in combination with an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody compared to either treatment alone.

Currently, LENVIMA has been approved for monotherapy as a treatment for thyroid cancer in over 75 countries including Japan, in Europe, China and elsewhere in Asia, and in the United States for locally recurrent or metastatic, progressive, radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer. In addition, LENVIMA has been approved for monotherapy as a treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma in over 70 countries including Japan, in Europe, China and in Asia, and in the United States for first-line unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. LENVIMA has been approved for monotherapy as a treatment for unresectable thymic carcinoma in Japan. It is also approved in combination with everolimus as a treatment for renal cell carcinoma following prior antiangiogenic therapy in over 60 countries, including in Europe and Asia, and in the United States the treatment of adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma following one prior anti-angiogenic therapy. In Europe, the agent was launched under the brand name Kisplyx for renal cell carcinoma. LENVIMA has been approved in combination with KEYTRUDA (generic name: pembrolizumab), for the first-line treatment of adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in United States and in Europe. LENVIMA has been approved in combination with KEYTRUDA as a treatment for advanced endometrial carcinoma that is not microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) who have disease progression following prior systemic therapy in any setting and are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation in the United States, and has been approved for the similar indication (including conditional approval) in over 10 countries such as Canada and Australia. In some regions, continued approval for this indication is contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials. In Europe, it has been approved in combination with KEYTRUDA (generic name: pembrolizumab) as the treatment of advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma in adults who have disease progression on or following prior treatment with a platinum-containing therapy in any setting and who are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation. In Japan, it has been approved in combination with KEYTRUDA (generic name: pembrolizumab) for the treatment of patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma that progressed after cancer chemotherapy and with radically unresectable or metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

About KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) Injection, 100mg

KEYTRUDA is an anti-programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) therapy that works by increasing the ability of the body’s immune system to help detect and fight tumor cells. KEYTRUDA is a humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks the interaction between PD-1 and its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, thereby activating T lymphocytes which may affect both tumor cells and healthy cells.

Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A. has the industry’s largest immuno-oncology clinical research program. There are currently more than 1,700 trials studying KEYTRUDA across a wide variety of cancers and treatment settings. The KEYTRUDA clinical program seeks to understand the role of KEYTRUDA across cancers and the factors that may predict a patient’s likelihood of benefitting from treatment with KEYTRUDA, including exploring several different biomarkers.

About the Eisai and Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A. Strategic Collaboration

In March 2018, Eisai and Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A., known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, through an affiliate, entered into a strategic collaboration for the worldwide co-development and co-commercialization of LENVIMA. Under the agreement, the companies will jointly develop, manufacture and commercialize LENVIMA, both as monotherapy and in combination with KEYTRUDA, the anti-PD-1 therapy from Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A.

In addition to ongoing clinical studies evaluating the LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA combination across several different tumor types, the companies have jointly initiated new clinical studies through the LEAP (LEnvatinib And Pembrolizumab) clinical program and are evaluating the combination in more than 10 different tumor types across more than 20 clinical trials.

Eisai’s Focus on Cancer

Eisai focuses on the development of anticancer drugs, targeting the tumor microenvironment (with experience and knowledge from existing in-house discovered compounds) and the driver gene mutation and aberrant splicing (leveraging RNA Splicing Platform) as areas (Ricchi) where real patient needs are still unmet, and where Eisai can aim to become a frontrunner in oncology. Eisai aspires to discover innovative new drugs with new targets and mechanisms of action from these Ricchi, with the aim of contributing to the cure of cancers.