Bristol Myers Squibb to Participate in Guggenheim’s Virtual Healthcare Talks | 2021 Oncology Day

On February 5, 2021 Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) reported that the company will take part in a fireside chat at Guggenheim’s Virtual Healthcare Talks | 2021 Oncology Day, which will be webcast on Friday, February 12, 2021 (Press release, Bristol-Myers Squibb, FEB 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234574695]). Chris Boerner, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer will answer questions about the company at 12 p.m. ET.

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Investors and the general public are invited to listen to a live webcast of the session at View Source Material related to the company’s presentation will be available at the same website at the start of the live webcast. An archived edition of the session will be available later that day.

PureTech Founded Entity Vor Biopharma Announces Pricing of Initial Public Offering

On February 5, 2021 PureTech Health plc (LSE: PRTC, NASDAQ: PRTC) ("PureTech" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biotherapeutics company dedicated to discovering, developing and commercializing highly differentiated medicines for devastating diseases, reported that its Founded Entity, Vor Biopharma, has announced the pricing of its initial public offering (IPO) of 9,828,017 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $18.00 per share resulting in gross proceeds to Vor of approximately $176.9 million, before underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses to be paid by Vor (Press release, PureTech Health, FEB 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234574694]). The shares are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol "VOR" on Friday, February 5, 2021. The offering is expected to close on Tuesday, February 9, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions.

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Following the offering, PureTech holds 3,207,200 shares of Vor common stock.

Vor was co-founded by PureTech and Siddhartha Mukherjee, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Medicine at Columbia University and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer.

Pfizer Confirms U.S. Patent Term Extension for IBRANCE® (palbociclib) Until March 2027

On February 5, 2021 Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) reported that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently issued a U.S. Patent Term Extension (PTE) certificate for IBRANCE (palbociclib) (Press release, Pfizer, FEB 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234574693]). The certificate extends the term of U.S. Patent No. RE47,739 (‘739) by more than four years until March 5, 2027. The PTE certificate was granted under the patent restoration provisions of the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984.

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This PTE will be listed in Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations (commonly known as the Orange Book), published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This extension does not include potential pediatric exclusivity.

About IBRANCE (palbociclib) 125 mg tablets and capsules

IBRANCE is an oral inhibitor of CDKs 4 and 6,1 which are key regulators of the cell cycle that trigger cellular progression.2,3 In the U.S., IBRANCE is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with HR+, HER2- advanced or metastatic breast cancer in combination with an aromatase inhibitor as initial endocrine based therapy in postmenopausal women or in men; or with fulvestrant in patients with disease progression following endocrine therapy.

IBRANCE is currently approved in more than 100 countries and has been prescribed to more than 350,000 patients globally.

The full U.S. Prescribing Information for the IBRANCE tablets and the IBRANCE capsules can be found here and here.

IMPORTANT IBRANCE (palbociclib) SAFETY INFORMATION FROM THE U.S. PRESCRIBING INFORMATION

Neutropenia was the most frequently reported adverse reaction in PALOMA-2 (80%) and PALOMA-3 (83%). In PALOMA-2, Grade 3 (56%) or 4 (10%) decreased neutrophil counts were reported in patients receiving IBRANCE plus letrozole. In PALOMA-3, Grade 3 (55%) or Grade 4 (11%) decreased neutrophil counts were reported in patients receiving IBRANCE plus fulvestrant. Febrile neutropenia has been reported in 1.8% of patients exposed to IBRANCE across PALOMA-2 and PALOMA-3. One death due to neutropenic sepsis was observed in PALOMA-3. Inform patients to promptly report any fever.

Monitor complete blood count prior to starting IBRANCE, at the beginning of each cycle, on Day 15 of first 2 cycles and as clinically indicated. Dose interruption, dose reduction, or delay in starting treatment cycles is recommended for patients who develop Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia.

Severe, life-threatening, or fatal interstitial lung disease (ILD) and/or pneumonitis can occur in patients treated with CDK4/6 inhibitors, including IBRANCE when taken in combination with endocrine therapy. Across clinical trials (PALOMA-1, PALOMA-2, PALOMA-3), 1.0% of IBRANCE-treated patients had ILD/pneumonitis of any grade, 0.1% had Grade 3 or 4, and no fatal cases were reported. Additional cases of ILD/pneumonitis have been observed in the post-marketing setting, with fatalities reported.

Monitor patients for pulmonary symptoms indicative of ILD/pneumonitis (e.g. hypoxia, cough, dyspnea). In patients who have new or worsening respiratory symptoms and are suspected to have developed pneumonitis, interrupt IBRANCE immediately and evaluate the patient. Permanently discontinue IBRANCE in patients with severe ILD or pneumonitis.

Based on the mechanism of action, IBRANCE can cause fetal harm. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during IBRANCE treatment and for at least 3 weeks after the last dose. IBRANCE may impair fertility in males and has the potential to cause genotoxicity. Advise male patients to consider sperm preservation before taking IBRANCE. Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during IBRANCE treatment and for 3 months after the last dose. Advise females to inform their healthcare provider of a known or suspected pregnancy. Advise women not to breastfeed during IBRANCE treatment and for 3 weeks after the last dose because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants.

The most common adverse reactions (≥10%) of any grade reported in PALOMA-2 for IBRANCE plus letrozole vs placebo plus letrozole were neutropenia (80% vs 6%), infections (60% vs 42%), leukopenia (39% vs 2%), fatigue (37% vs 28%), nausea (35% vs 26%), alopecia (33% vs 16%), stomatitis (30% vs 14%), diarrhea (26% vs 19%), anemia (24% vs 9%), rash (18% vs 12%), asthenia (17% vs 12%), thrombocytopenia (16% vs 1%), vomiting (16% vs 17%), decreased appetite (15% vs 9%), dry skin (12% vs 6%), pyrexia (12% vs 9%), and dysgeusia (10% vs 5%).

The most frequently reported Grade ≥3 adverse reactions (≥5%) in PALOMA-2 for IBRANCE plus letrozole vs placebo plus letrozole were neutropenia (66% vs 2%), leukopenia (25% vs 0%), infections (7% vs 3%), and anemia (5% vs 2%).

Lab abnormalities of any grade occurring in PALOMA-2 for IBRANCE plus letrozole vs placebo plus letrozole were decreased WBC (97% vs 25%), decreased neutrophils (95% vs 20%), anemia (78% vs 42%), decreased platelets (63% vs 14%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (52% vs 34%), and increased alanine aminotransferase (43% vs 30%).

The most common adverse reactions (≥10%) of any grade reported in PALOMA-3 for IBRANCE plus fulvestrant vs placebo plus fulvestrant were neutropenia (83% vs 4%), leukopenia (53% vs 5%), infections (47% vs 31%), fatigue (41% vs 29%), nausea (34% vs 28%), anemia (30% vs 13%), stomatitis (28% vs 13%), diarrhea (24% vs 19%), thrombocytopenia (23% vs 0%), vomiting (19% vs 15%), alopecia (18% vs 6%), rash (17% vs 6%), decreased appetite (16% vs 8%), and pyrexia (13% vs 5%).

The most frequently reported Grade ≥3 adverse reactions (≥5%) in PALOMA-3 for IBRANCE plus fulvestrant vs placebo plus fulvestrant were neutropenia (66% vs 1%) and leukopenia (31% vs 2%).

Lab abnormalities of any grade occurring in PALOMA-3 for IBRANCE plus fulvestrant vs placebo plus fulvestrant were decreased WBC (99% vs 26%), decreased neutrophils (96% vs 14%), anemia (78% vs 40%), decreased platelets (62% vs 10%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (43% vs 48%), and increased alanine aminotransferase (36% vs 34%).

Avoid concurrent use of strong CYP3A inhibitors. If patients must be administered a strong CYP3A inhibitor, reduce the IBRANCE dose to 75 mg. If the strong inhibitor is discontinued, increase the IBRANCE dose (after 3-5 half-lives of the inhibitor) to the dose used prior to the initiation of the strong CYP3A inhibitor. Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may increase plasma concentrations of IBRANCE and should be avoided. Avoid concomitant use of strong CYP3A inducers. The dose of sensitive CYP3A substrates with a narrow therapeutic index may need to be reduced as IBRANCE may increase their exposure.

For patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh class C), the recommended dose of IBRANCE is 75 mg. The pharmacokinetics of IBRANCE have not been studied in patients requiring hemodialysis.

InnoCare Announces Approval of Orelabrutinib in Combination with R-CHOP as First-Line Therapy for Mantle Cell Lymphoma in China

On February 5, 2021 InnoCare Pharma (HKEX: 09969), a leading biopharmaceutical company, reported that China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved the clinical trial of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor orelabrutinib in combination with R-CHOP for previously untreated patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) (Press release, InnoCare Pharma, FEB 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234574692]).

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This is a phase 3 multicenter, randomized trial of orelabrutinib in combination with R-CHOP versus placebo plus R-CHOP in previously untreated MCL patients. The primary endpoint of the study is progression-free survival (PFS), and secondary endpoints include overall response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR), and overall survival (OS). In addition, orelabrutinib combined with R-CHOP will also be used to treat patients with other B-cell malignant lymphomas.

Orelabrutinib is a highly selective BTK inhibitor targeting both B-cell lymphomas and autoimmune indications. On December 25, 2020, orelabrutinib received approval from the NMPA in two indications: the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) /small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), and the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory MCL. On Dec. 31, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Orphan Drug Designation to orelabrutinib for treatment of MCL.

MCL is typically an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) that arises from B-cells originating in the "mantle zone." Last December, clinical data presented at the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting demonstrated that the treatment of relapsed or refractory MCL with orelabrutinib resulted in an 87.9% ORR and a 93.9% disease control rate. The CR rate, by conventional CT method, reached 34.3%.

Dr. Jasmine Cui, the co-founder, Chairwoman and CEO of InnoCare said, "Orelabrutinib is the focus of multi-center and multi-indication clinical trials in China and the U.S. In addition to CLL/SLL and MCL, we are actively exploring other tumors and autoimmune disease. It has always been our top priority to target diseases with urgent, unmet needs."

TLC Reports Fiscal Year End 2020 Financial Results and Provides Business Update

On February 5, 2021 TLC (Nasdaq: TLC, TWO: 4152), a clinical-stage specialty pharmaceutical company developing novel nanomedicines to target areas of unmet medical need, reported financial results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 and provided a business update (Press release, Taiwan Liposome Company, FEB 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234574690]).

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"In the tumultuous year that was 2020, we were fortunate enough to have achieved early patient enrollment in the Phase II clinical trial of our postsurgical pain program before COVID-19 began its spread to the United States," commented George Yeh, President of TLC. "And in the midst of the pandemic, we managed to complete full patient enrollment in the pivotal trial of our osteoarthritis pain program and continue the global expansion of Ampholipad, all while initiating a clinical trial for inhalable liposomal hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment for severe lung diseases such as COVID-19. We hope the application of our proprietary technologies can help to put an end to the pandemic. To resonate with the name of our pivotal trial for our osteoarthritis pain program, EXCELLENCE, we will continue to strive for excellence in this very important year to provide the most benefits for patients, physicians and stakeholders alike."

Clinical Pipeline Update and Upcoming Milestones

Following the completion of patient enrollment, 500 patients have received their first injection of TLC599, dexamethasone sodium phosphate or normal saline in EXCELLENCE, the Phase III pivotal clinical trial of TLC599 for symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. Majority of the patients who are due for Week 24 have received a second injection of either TLC599 or placebo. The multi-center, randomized, double-blind, active comparator- and placebo-controlled pivotal study is evaluating the efficacy and safety of a single, as well as a repeat, dose of TLC599 in patients with knee OA across 41 sites in the United States and five sites in Australia.
Preparations for pivotal studies of TLC590 for postsurgical pain management are underway, with planned End-of-Phase-2 meetings to occur in 2021 with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the design of the clinical trials and production preparations.
Published peer-reviewed manuscript in Clinical and Translational Science Journal, presenting the feasibility of applying TLC’s inhalable liposome technology to drugs for direct delivery to – and extended release in – the lungs, as endorsed by key opinion leaders in respiratory therapies. A Phase I randomized, vehicle-controlled, blinded study evaluating the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of TLC19 (inhalable liposomal hydroxychloroquine) in healthy volunteers is ongoing.
Corporate Highlights

Completed US$15 million financing for InspirMed Inc., a newly established subsidiary that specializes in the development of inhalable liposome formulation programs, such as TLC19, for severe acute and chronic pulmonary diseases. The strategic move to partition lung disease programs from TLC will allow TLC to maintain focus on its current pipeline of liposomal injectable formulation programs, including TLC599 and TLC590.
Commercialization of Ampholipad advancing smoothly, with a non-binding term sheet for commercialization in a specified territory in Latin America recently signed and review of the formal agreement underway. In Asia, China’s National Medical Products Administration is reviewing the Marketing Authorization Application of the generic liposomal amphotericin B drug. Worldwide discussions for partnership opportunities are ongoing.
Held investor conference and attended JP Morgan Healthcare Conference. The management team of TLC presented the latest company updates during the virtual investor conference hosted by KGI Securities, as well as at JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, the largest annual biotech event in the world, which was also conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Expanded global intellectual property protection to 257 patents, with 160 patents granted and 97 applications worldwide as of December 31, 2020.
Fiscal Year End 2020 Financial Results

Operating revenue for the fiscal year 2020 was NT$101.9 million (US$3.6 million), a 51.3% decrease compared to NT$209.1 million (US$7.0 million) in the fiscal year 2019. Operating expenses for the fiscal year 2020 was NT$1,113.3 million (US$39.6 million), an 8.4% increase compared to NT$1,026.8 million (US$34.3 million) in the fiscal year 2019. Net loss for the fiscal year 2020 was NT$983.3 million (US$35.0 million), compared to a loss of NT$807.5 million (US$27.0 million) in the fiscal year 2019, or a net loss of NT$12.42 (US$0.44) per share for the fiscal year 2020, compared to a net loss of NT$12.32 (US$0.41) per share for the fiscal year 2019.

The Company’s cash and cash equivalents were NT$1,342.7 million (US$47.8 million) as of December 31, 2020, compared to NT$1,023.9 million (US$34.2 million) as of December 31, 2019.