On June 22, 2021 Innovent Biologics, Inc. ("Innovent") (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high quality medicines for the treatment of oncology, metabolic, autoimmune and other major diseases, reported that the Phase 3 ORIENT-15 study met the predefined overall survival primary endpoint. ORIENT-15 is a global randomized, double-blind, multi-center clinical study evaluating sintilimab in combination with chemotherapy (cisplatin plus paclitaxel or cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil [5-FU]) for the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable, locally advanced recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) (Press release, Innovent Biologics, JUN 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234584250]).

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Based on an interim analysis conducted by the Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC), sintilimab in combination with chemotherapy demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in the primary endpoint of overall survival (OS) compared to placebo in combination with chemotherapy regardless of PD-L1 expression status. The safety profile of sintilimab in this study was consistent with that observed in previously reported studies of sintilimab, and no additional safety signals were identified. These results will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting.

The principal investigator of the ORIENT-15 study, Prof. Shen Lin from Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute stated, "More than half of new and fatal cases of esophageal cancer in the world occur in China every year. In China, esophageal cancer is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of death from cancer, and squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the predominant histologic type. Treatment options for people with ESCC are limited. Chemotherapy is currently the main treatment for ESCC and, in recent years, immunotherapy has brought new hope in the treatment of this type of cancer, with some PD-1 inhibitors receiving approval as a second-line treatment for patients with ESCC in China. We are encouraged by these interim results of the ORIENT-15 study which demonstrated that sintilimab in combination with chemotherapy prolonged overall survival in the first-line treatment of patients with ESCC, regardless of PD-L1 status."

Dr. Zhou Hui, Senior Vice President of Clinical Development of Innovent, stated: "The treatment options for locally advanced or metastatic ESCC are limited and represent a significant unmet clinical need. ORIENT-15 is the largest clinical study of sintilimab conducted by Innovent to date. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the joint effort of the study’s investigators and broader team have enabled us to reach this milestone. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the patients who participated in the ORIENT-15 study. We hope these results can help to provide a new treatment option for patients with ESCC."

About the ORIENT-15 Study

ORIENT-15 is a global randomized, double-blind, multi-center Phase 3 clinical study evaluating sintilimab in combination with chemotherapy (cisplatin plus paclitaxel or cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil [5-FU]), compared to placebo in combination with chemotherapy, for the first-line treatment of unresectable, locally advanced recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03748134). At the time of interim analysis, a total of 659 eligible patients were enrolled and randomly assigned into the experimental group or control group in a 1:1 ratio. Patients were enrolled regardless of PD-L1 status. The primary endpoints included overall survival in all randomized patients and overall survival in PD-L1 positive (defined as CPS ≥10) patients.

About Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC)

Esophageal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide that begins in the inner layer (mucosa) of the esophagus, which connects the throat to the stomach. Based on GLOBOCAN 2020 estimates, approximately 600,000 new cases of esophageal cancer are diagnosed and approximately 540,000 deaths result from the disease globally. Esophageal cancer is the seventh most commonly diagnosed cancer and the sixth leading cause of death from cancer worldwide. More than half of new and fatal cases of esophageal cancer in the world occur in China. In China, it is estimated there were approximately 320,000 new cases of esophageal cancer diagnosed and approximately 300,000 deaths resulting from the disease in 2020. Esophageal cancer is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of death from cancer in China, which has a five-year survival rate of only 30 percent.

The two main types of esophageal cancer are squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma. In China, SCC is the predominant histologic type – accounting for more than 90 percent of all esophageal cancer. Currently, first-line standard systemic therapy in China is chemotherapy based on platinum drugs for unresectable, locally advanced recurrent or metastatic ESCC. There have been a few PD-1 inhibitors recently approved for the second-line treatment of patients with ESCC.

About Sintilimab

Sintilimab, marketed as TYVYT (sintilimab injection) in China, is an innovative PD-1 inhibitor with global quality standards jointly developed by Innovent and Eli Lilly and Company. Sintilimab is an immunoglobulin G4 monoclonal antibody, which binds to PD-1 molecules on the surface of T-cells, blocks the PD-1 / PD-Ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway, and reactivates T-cells to kill cancer cells. Innovent is currently conducting more than 20 clinical studies of sintilimab to evaluate its safety and efficacy in a wide variety of cancer indications, including more than 10 registrational or pivotal clinical trials.

In China, sintilimab has been approved for three indications, including:

The treatment of relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin’s lymphoma after two lines or later of systemic chemotherapy
In combination with pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy, for the first-line treatment of nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer
In combination with gemcitabine and platinum chemotherapy, for the first-line treatment of squamous non-small cell lung cancer
Additionally, Innovent currently has regulatory submissions under review in China for sintilimab:

In combination with BYVASDA (bevacizumab injection) for the first-line treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma
The second-line treatment of squamous non-small cell lung cancer
Innovent also has two clinical studies that have met primary endpoint for sintilimab:

in combination with cisplatin plus paclitaxel or cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil for the first-line treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
The second-line treatment for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
In May 2021, the U.S. FDA accepted for review the Biologics License Application (BLA) for sintilimab in combination with pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer.

Sintilimab was included in China’s National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) in 2019 as the first PD-1 inhibitor and the only PD-1 included in the list in that year.

On June 22, 2021 Innate Pharma SA (Euronext Paris: IPH – ISIN: FR0010331421; Nasdaq: IPHA) ("Innate" or the "Company") reported preliminary data from the mycosis fungoides (MF) cohort of the Phase 2 TELLOMAK clinical trial, evaluating lacutamab, an anti-KIR3DL2 cytotoxicity-inducing antibody, in an oral presentation at the 16th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma (16-ICML) (Press release, Innate Pharma, JUN 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234584215]).

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Lacutamab demonstrated clinical responses in patients with MF that express KIR3DL2 (cohort 2), reaching the pre-determined threshold to advance to stage 2.1

As of the May 10, 2021 data cutoff, in the KIR3DL2-expressing cohort (n=17), complete (n=1), partial (n=3) and unconfirmed partial (n=2) global responses were observed. Following the data cutoff, the two unconfirmed partial responses have been confirmed.

When evaluating responses in the skin, one patient had a complete response, eight patients had a partial response and two patients had an unconfirmed partial response. Out of seven patients with blood involvement, four had a complete response in the blood, and out of eight patients with lymph node involvement, one had a partial response. Following the data cutoff, the two unconfirmed partial responses in the skin have been confirmed.

All patients (n=19) in the KIR3DL2-non-expressing cohort (Cohort 3) have been recruited. The threshold of responses needed to advance to stage 2 has not been reached, and follow up is ongoing.

"We are pleased by the response demonstrated to date in patients with mycosis fungoides that express KIR3DL2, which has enabled us to advance this cohort earlier than expected," said Joyson Karakunnel, M.D., MSc, FACP, Chief Medical Officer of Innate Pharma. "These data confirm our initial hypothesis that lacutamab may benefit patients with KIR3DL2-expressing T-cell lymphomas, and support our data-driven approach in pursuit of a new standard of care in this population. Looking ahead, we continue to enroll patients in both the mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome cohorts of our TELLOMAK study. In addition, we plan to initiate our peripheral T-cell lymphoma program for lacutamab, with our Phase 1b monotherapy study expected to start mid-year and an investigator-sponsored combination study expected in the second half of this year."

In line with previous observations, lacutamab demonstrated a favorable safety profile in MF. Grades 1-2 treatment-related adverse events (AE) were observed, with one patient (out of 36) experiencing a grade 3 AE. No relevant skin toxicities were observed.

"Mycosis fungoides, and cutaneous T-cell lymphomas more broadly, are associated with poor clinical outcomes, particularly at advanced stages," said Pr. Martine Bagot, Head of the Dermatology Department, Saint Louis Hospital, Paris, and a study investigator. "The clinical responses and favorable safety profile observed in the TELLOMAK study are quite encouraging so far. I am particularly pleased by the preliminary skin responses, as relapsed/refractory patients are in need of new treatment options that can improve their quality of life, and slow disease progression. I look forward to seeing more data from lacutamab as this trial progresses with the enrollment of additional patients in this cohort."

Innate will provide additional information on these results tomorrow, June 23, 2021, in an investor event scheduled for 2:00 p.m. CEST / 8:00 a.m. EDT. Details to access the live event are available in the investors section of Innate’s website, where a replay of the webcast will also be archived for 90 days following the event.

About Lacutamab:

Lacutamab (IPH4102) is a first-in-class anti-KIR3DL2 humanized cytotoxicity-inducing antibody that is currently in clinical trials for treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), an orphan disease. This group of rare cutaneous lymphomas of T lymphocytes has a poor prognosis with few efficacious and safe therapeutic options at advanced stages.

KIR3DL2 is an inhibitory receptor of the KIR family, expressed by approximately 65% of patients across all CTCL subtypes and expressed by up 90% of patients with certain aggressive CTCL subtypes, in particular, Sézary syndrome. It is expressed by up to 50% of patients with mycosis fungoides and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). It has a restricted expression on normal tissues.

About TELLOMAK:

TELLOMAK is a global, open-label, multi-cohort Phase 2 clinical trial recruiting patients with Sézary syndrome and mycosis fungoides (MF) in the United States and Europe. Specifically:

Cohort 1: lacutamab being evaluated as a single agent in approximately 60 patients with Sézary syndrome who have received at least two prior systemic therapies, including mogamulizumab.
Cohort 2: lacutamab being evaluated as a single agent in up to approximately 50 patients with MF that express KIR3DL2, as determined at baseline.
Cohort 3: lacutamab being evaluated as a single agent in up to approximately 38 patients with MF that do not express KIR3DL2, as determined at baseline.
The MF cohorts follow a Simon 2-stage design that will terminate early if treatment is considered futile. The Sézary syndrome cohort of the study could enable the registration of lacutamab in this indication.

The primary endpoint of the trial is objective global response rate. Key secondary endpoints are progression-free survival, duration of response, quality of life and adverse events.

Global response in cutaneous lymphoma is measured by the guidelines published by Olsen et. al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2011.2

On June 22, 2021 Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) reported that it is scheduled to participate in a virtual fireside chat at the Guggenheim Biopharma Strategy Series – Biopharma’s Next Decade: Views from the Top on Global Strategy and Innovation – at 10:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, June 29, 2021 (Press release, Regeneron, JUN 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234584231]).

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A live audio webcast will be available on the ‘Investors and Media’ page of Regeneron’s website at View Source A replay of the conference call and webcast will be archived on the Company’s website for at least 30 days.

On June 22, 2021 Pionyr Immunotherapeutics, Inc., a company developing first-in-class antibody therapeutics that increase the body’s anti-tumor immunity and Abcam (AIM: ABC) (NASDAQ: ABCM), a global innovator in life science reagents and tools, reported the extension of their collaboration with a new commercial licensing agreement to support the progression of PY314, the first to the clinic of Pionyr’s compounds (Press release, Pionyr Immunotherapeutics, JUN 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234584252]).

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Currently in Phase 1 clinical study[1], PY314 is an anti-TREM2 (Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2) monoclonal antibody for the treatment of advanced solid tumors. PY314 is designed to tune the tumor microenvironment by selectively depleting immune suppressive TREM2-expressing tumor-associated macrophages to promote anti-tumor immunity.

Pionyr’s Phase 1 clinical study will recruit patients with predefined tumor types where macrophages expressing TREM2 in the tumor microenvironment are most likely implicated as a driver of resistant metastatic disease. Under the terms of the agreement, Pionyr will evaluate Abcam’s anti-TREM2 antibody to detect the presence of TREM2-expressing macrophages in tumor biopsy samples from patients enrolled in the first-in-human study. Pionyr will explore the potential for developing a companion diagnostic test leveraging Abcam’s high quality reagents and end-to end-expertise to facilitate and de-risk the diagnostics development journey.

Kevin Baker, SVP and Chief Development Officer at Pionyr, said: "We are excited to collaborate with Abcam to support the clinical development of our PY314 program for the treatment of solid tumors. Abcam’s in-depth knowledge and track record of successfully supporting diagnostic assay development is invaluable to anticipate late-stage development requirements, and to facilitate access to the right expertise at the right time."

John Baker, SVP Business Development at Abcam, said: "Pionyr’s Phase 1 PY314 is a promising therapy that has the potential to unlock durable benefits for cancer patients. Precise monitoring of the presence of TREM2 in tumor biopsy samples throughout the clinical development process, enabled by Pionyr’s use of Abcam’s EPR20243 clone, will provide vital support to the success of the trial. We are thrilled to be working with Pionyr and supporting their efforts to enhance the immune system’s anti-tumor response."

[1] Study of PY314 in Subjects With Advanced Solid Tumors – NCT04691375

On June 22, 2021 Tempest Therapeutics, Inc. ("Tempest"), a clinical-stage oncology company developing potentially first-in-class therapeutics that combine both targeted and immune-mediated mechanisms, and Millendo Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: MLND) ("Millendo"), reported the results for the proposals voted upon by Millendo stockholders at a Special Meeting on June 22, 2021 (Press release, Tempest Therapeutics, JUN 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234585165]). The stockholders voted in favor of all proposals at the Special Meeting, including to approve the proposed merger between the companies.

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The closing of the merger is anticipated to take place on or around Friday, June 25, 2021. Following the closing of the merger, the combined company will be renamed Tempest Therapeutics and shares will begin trading with the open of the market on Monday, June 28, 2021 under the ticker "TPST."