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Epizyme Earns $8 Million Milestone Payment from GlaxoSmithKline for Initiation of Clinical Development for First-in-Class PRMT1 Inhibitor

On December 18, 2018 Epizyme, Inc. (Nasdaq: EPZM), a clinical-stage company developing novel epigenetic therapies, reported it has earned an $8 million milestone payment from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) (Press release, Epizyme, DEC 18, 2018, View Source [SID1234532125]). The milestone payment follows GSK’s initiation of patient dosing in a Phase 1 clinical trial of GSK3368715, a first-in-class protein arginine methyltransferase1 (PRMT1) inhibitor discovered by Epizyme and licensed to GSK. PRMT1 has been implicated in a number of human cancers.

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"We are very pleased to see the progress that GSK has made with its PRMT1 inhibitor program, which marks the second program under our collaboration agreement to enter the clinic," said Robert Bazemore, president and chief executive officer of Epizyme. "This milestone reinforces the promising role that epigenetic medicines may play in treating a variety of diseases, and our leadership in the discovery of novel epigenetic targets. It also validates our strategic business model of establishing collaborations that allow us to focus our internal resources on our lead programs, while facilitating the advancement of novel treatments for people with cancer. We look forward to GSK’s continued progress with this clinical program."

This Phase 1 study by GSK will assess the safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and preliminary clinical activity of GSK33368715 in patients with relapsed and/or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and selected solid tumors with frequent methyl-thioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP)-deficiency.

About the Epizyme-GSK Collaboration
Under the terms of its collaboration and license agreement with GSK, Epizyme granted GSK exclusive worldwide license rights to methyltransferase inhibitors directed to three targets. Using its proprietary drug discovery platform, Epizyme discovered and optimized compounds targeting three methyltransferases. During the research term of the collaboration, which has been completed, Epizyme was primarily responsible for preclinical research on such compounds. GSK is responsible for subsequent research, development and commercialization of each program. Epizyme has earned an aggregate of $89 million in up-front, research and milestone payments to date, and may receive up to an additional $375 million from GSK if all remaining milestones are met. Epizyme is eligible to receive up to double-digit royalties on worldwide net sales of collaboration products

Celgene Corporation to Present at the 37th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

On December 18, 2018 Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ:CELG) reported that it will present a business update and provide 2019 financial guidance at the 37th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on January 7, 2019 at 7:30 a.m. PT/ 10:30 a.m. ET (Press release, Celgene, DEC 18, 2018, View Source [SID1234532124]). The presentation and breakout session can be accessed live by webcast and will be made available in the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.celgene.com.

OncoSec Announces Publication of New Research in the Journal Immunity Highlighting the Role of IL-12 in Anti-PD-1 Therapies with TAVO™ Directly Activating TILs in Patients

On December 18, 2018 OncoSec Medical Incorporated (OncoSec) (NASDAQ:ONCS), reported a company developing novel cancer immunotherapies, reported the publication of new research in the journal Immunity that finds that IL-12 producing dendritic cells play an essential role in enabling tumor responses to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy (Press release, OncoSec Medical, DEC 18, 2018, View Source [SID1234532123]). The study was conducted by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and OncoSec, among others. As noted in the study, OncoSec’s lead compound, TAVO (tavokinogene telseplasmid; plasmid plasmid IL-12), which delivers IL-12 directly into tumors, was found to play in important role in enhancing the expression of cytolytic genes within tumors that are associated with anti-tumor responses. The paper, titled "Successful Anti-PD-1 Cancer Immunotherapy Requires T Cell-Dendritic Cell Crosstalk Involving the Cytokines IFN-γ and IL-12" appears in the December 18, 2018 issue of Immunity.

"The evidence continues to build that IL-12 plays an important role in eliciting anti-tumor responses with anti-PD-1 immunotherapies. We’ve seen this in our own pre-clinical data and in our clinical programs to date," said Christopher G. Twitty, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of OncoSec. "This study elegantly demonstrated that a critical subset of IL-12-producing dendritic cells in concert with IFN-g+ T cells are necessary for an effective anti-PD-1 therapy. Additionally, it was reported that intratumoral delivery of IL-12 with our TAVO system dramatically enhanced the tumor’s immunogenicity as well as cytolytic signature, further supporting this important mechanism of action."

The study explored the transcriptional effects of TAVO monotherapy in melanoma patients and found that IL-12 activates a cytolytic gene signature in tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL). Furthermore, this TAVO-related anti-tumor immune signature was more pronounced in patients with better clinical responses compared to those patients with progressive disease. This publication continues to elucidate the power of IL-12 to activate CD8+ TIL in patient’s tumor.

Genomic Health to Present at the 37th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

On December 18, 2018 Genomic Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: GHDX) reported that Kim Popovits, chairman of the board, chief executive officer and president, will present at the 37th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco on Monday, January 7, 2019 at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time (Press release, Genomic Health, DEC 18, 2018, View Source [SID1234532122]).

To access the live and subsequently archived webcast of the presentation, go to the Investor Relations section of the company’s web site at View Source Please connect to the web site at least 15 minutes prior to the presentation to allow for any software download that may be necessary. An archived replay will be available for three months beginning 24 hours after the live presentation.

West Announces Quarterly Dividend and Participation in Upcoming Investor Conference

On December 18, 2018 West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE: WST) reported that the Company’s Board of Directors has approved a first-quarter 2019 dividend of $0.15 per share (Press release, West Pharmaceutical Services, DEC 18, 2018, View Source [SID1234532121]). The dividend will be paid on February 6, 2019, to shareholders of record as of January 23, 2019.

The Company also announced that management will be presenting an overview of the business at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, California, at 4:30 p.m. PST on Wednesday, January 9, 2019.

A live audio webcast of the presentation, as well as the presentation materials, will be accessible from the Company’s website: investor.westpharma.com.