On October 8, 2018 ImmunoGen, Inc., (Nasdaq: IMGN), a leader in the expanding field of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for the treatment of cancer, reported that initial findings from the FORWARD II expansion cohort of mirvetuximab soravtansine in combination with Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), will be presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Congress from October 19-23, 2018 in Munich, Germany (Press release, ImmunoGen, OCT 8, 2018, View Source [SID1234529805]). The poster will include initial safety and preliminary anti-tumor activity for 46 patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC), of whom 35 have medium or high folate receptor alpha (FRα) expression.
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Encouraging activity and favorable tolerability data from the FORWARD II dose-escalation cohort assessing mirvetuximab soravtansine in combination with KEYTRUDA in 14 heavily pre-treated patients with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) were presented in March at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) Annual Meeting. These findings supported enrollment of additional patients in an expansion cohort with full doses of both agents to further evaluate this combination in PROC.
"Based on the data presented at SGO, we advanced mirvetuximab soravtansine plus pembrolizumab into an expansion cohort focusing on PROC patients with medium and high FRα expression," said Anna Berkenblit, M.D., Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of ImmunoGen. "We look forward to presenting initial findings at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper), as we evaluate several combinations that may ultimately enable us to treat more women with ovarian cancer."
Details of ImmunoGen’s poster presentation are as follows:
Title: "Mirvetuximab soravtansine, a folate receptor alpha (FRα)-targeting antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), with pembrolizumab in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC): Initial results of an expansion cohort from FORWARD II, a Phase Ib study" (presentation number 949P)
Date: October 20, 2018
Time: 12:30 CEST
Lead author: Ursula Matulonis, M.D., Director and Program Leader, Gynecologic Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
Mirvetuximab soravtansine is an ADC comprised of a FRα-binding humanized antibody linked to the tubulin-disrupting maytansinoid DM4. This agent activates monocytes and upregulates immunogenic cell death markers on ovarian tumor cells, providing a rationale for combining with immune checkpoint blockade. Mirvetuximab soravtansine is being evaluated in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with PROC