On November 1, 2018 Constellation Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company using its expertise in epigenetics to discover and develop novel therapeutics, reported that it has received Fast Track designation from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for CPI-0610 in treatment of myelofibrosis (MF) based on preliminary results from the Company’s Phase 2 study, MANIFEST (Press release, Constellation Pharmaceuticals, NOV 1, 2018, View Source [SID1234530508]).
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Constellation is developing CPI-0610 with the goal of providing a new treatment option for patients with MF who have progressed after treatment with Jakafi (ruxolitinib), the only approved therapy for MF. Enrollment is ongoing in the Phase 2 portion of the open-label Phase 1/2 MANIFEST clinical trial, which is exploring CPI-0610’s potential both as a monotherapy and as a combination therapy with Jakafi. As previously reported, preliminary data demonstrated clinical activity, such as spleen volume reduction, symptom improvement, increase in hemoglobin levels, and conversion to transfusion independent status in a patient who was transfusion dependent. Constellation recently expanded the MANIFEST study to include a third cohort, designed to evaluate CPI-0610 as a first-line therapy in combination with ruxolitinib in JAK 1/2-inhibitor-naïve MF patients.
"We believe there is an opportunity to improve the standard of care for MF patients with agents that modify the underlying disease," said Adrian Senderowicz, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Constellation Pharmaceuticals. "This Fast Track designation highlights CPI-0610’s potential to address a significant unmet need. Based on promising early data and our progress with site initiation and patient enrollment, we continue to expect to determine proof of concept in mid-2019."
The FDA grants Fast Track designation to facilitate the development and expedite the review of drugs to treat serious or life-threatening diseases and fill unmet medical needs. A drug that receives Fast Track designation is
eligible for more frequent meetings with the FDA to discuss the drug’s development plan and ensure collection of appropriate data needed to support drug approval, more frequent written communication about the design of the proposed clinical trials and use of biomarkers, eligibility for accelerated approval and priority review, and rolling review.
About Myelofibrosis
MF is part of a collection of progressive blood cancers known as myeloproliferative neoplasms and is associated with significantly reduced quality of life and shortened survival. As the disease progresses, the bone marrow produces fewer red blood cells. Within one year of diagnosis, the incidence of thrombocytopenia (a condition characterized by low platelet counts in the blood) and severe anemia (a condition characterized by low red blood cell counts) and the need for red blood cell transfusion increase significantly. Among other complications, most patients with MF have enlarged spleens, as well as many other physical symptoms, including abdominal discomfort, bone pain, and extreme fatigue.
About CPI-0610
CPI-0610 is a potent and selective small molecule designed to promote anti-tumor activity by selectively inhibiting the function of BET proteins to decrease the expression of abnormally expressed genes in cancer. Constellation’s epigenetics platform includes a deep understanding of the biological contexts in which BET proteins operate, including cancer pathways that are highly sensitive to CPI-0610. The results from preclinical studies, as well as translational insights from the successful first-in-human study of CPI-0610, led to prioritizing the clinical development of CPI-0610 in myelofibrosis (MF). Enrollment is ongoing in the Phase 2 portion of the open-label Phase 1/2 MANIFEST clinical trial of CPI-0610, either as a monotherapy or in combination with ruxolitinib, in patients with MF who are refractory or intolerant or have relapsed or lost response to the standard of care. MANIFEST also includes a third cohort designed to evaluate treatment with CPI-0610 in combination with ruxolitinib as a first-line therapy in JAK 1/2-inhibitor-naïve MF patients. The company expects to determine proof of concept for CPI-0610 in MF in mid-2019.