On September 3, 2025 enGene Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: ENGN, "enGene" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage, non-viral gene therapy company, reported it has achieved its target enrollment milestone of 100 patients for the pivotal cohort of its ongoing, open-label, multi-cohort Phase 2 LEGEND trial of detalimogene voraplasmid ("detalimogene" and previously EG-70) in patients with high-risk, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) (Press release, enGene, SEP 3, 2025, View Source [SID1234655749]). LEGEND’s pivotal Cohort 1 is studying detalimogene in patients with high-risk NMIBC with carcinoma in-situ (CIS) with or without concomitant papillary disease. Patients in the screening process remain eligible for potential enrollment in the trial. The Company expects to overenroll in its pivotal cohort resulting in an adjustment in guidance for a BLA submission to 2H 2026.
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"Achieving our target enrollment goal for detalimogene in LEGEND’s pivotal cohort represents an important milestone for enGene. It brings us a step closer to our goal of providing patients and physicians with the first non-viral gene therapy that offers a unique balance of efficacy, safety, and ease-of-use," said Ron Cooper, Chief Executive Officer of enGene. "We are grateful to study participants, investigators, and our clinical organization for their contributions to advancing the development of detalimogene."
About Detalimogene Voraplasmid
Detalimogene is a novel, investigational, non-viral gene therapy for patients with high-risk, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), including Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-unresponsive disease. It is designed to be instilled in the bladder and elicit a powerful yet localized anti-tumor immune response.
Detalimogene was developed using the Company’s Dually Derivatized Oligochitosan (DDX) platform, a technology designed to transform how gene therapies are accessed by patients and utilized by clinicians. Medicines developed with the DDX platform can potentially overcome the limitations of viral-based gene therapies, reduce complexities related to safe handling and cold storage, and streamline both manufacturing processes and administration paradigms.
Detalimogene has received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) and Fast Track designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) based on its potential to address the high unmet medical need for patients with BCG-unresponsive carcinoma in situ (CIS) NMIBC with or without resected papillary tumors who are unable to undergo cystectomy. The RMAT program is intended to expedite the development and review of regenerative medicine therapies for serious or life-threatening conditions, where preliminary clinical evidence suggests potential to address unmet medical needs. Similarly, Fast Track designation is a process designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of drugs to treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need.
About the LEGEND Trial
Detalimogene is being evaluated in the ongoing, open-label, multi-cohort, Phase 2 LEGEND trial to establish its safety and efficacy in high-risk NMIBC. LEGEND’s pivotal cohort (Cohort 1) consists of approximately 100 patients with high-risk, BCG-unresponsive NMIBC with CIS (with or without papillary disease) and is designed to serve as the basis of the Company’s planned Biologics License Application (BLA) filing. In addition to this pivotal cohort, LEGEND includes three additional cohorts, including NMIBC patients with CIS who are naïve to treatment with BCG (Cohort 2a); NMIBC patients with CIS who have been exposed to BCG but have not received adequate BCG treatment (Cohort 2b); and BCG-unresponsive high-risk NMIBC patients with papillary-only disease (Cohort 3). The LEGEND trial is actively enrolling patients with sites participating in the USA, Canada, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.