Heron Therapeutics Announces U.S. FDA Approval of CINVANTI™ (aprepitant) Injectable Emulsion for the Prevention of Acute and Delayed Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV)

On November 9, 2017 Heron Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: HRTX) (the Company or Heron), a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel, best-in-class treatments to address some of the most important unmet patient needs, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved CINVANTI (aprepitant) injectable emulsion, for intravenous infusion. CINVANTI is a substance P/neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor antagonist, indicated in adults, in combination with other antiemetic agents, for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy (HEC) including high-dose cisplatin and nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy (MEC) (Press release, Heron Therapeutics, NOV 9, 2017, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2316008 [SID1234521870]). With this approval, Heron now is the only company with approved injectable therapies that address the two primary mechanisms of CINV: SUSTOL, a serotonin-3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonist, and CINVANTI, an NK1 receptor antagonist.

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CINVANTI is the first and only polysorbate 80-free, intravenous formulation of an NK1 receptor antagonist indicated for the prevention of acute and delayed CINV. CINVANTI is the first intravenous formulation to directly deliver aprepitant, the active ingredient in EMEND capsules. Aprepitant (including its prodrug, fosaprepitant) is the only single-agent NK1 receptor antagonist to significantly reduce CINV in both the acute phase (0 – 24 hours after chemotherapy) and the delayed phase (24 – 120 hours after chemotherapy).i, ii CINVANTI does not contain polysorbate 80 or any other synthetic surfactant. Pharmaceutical formulations containing polysorbate 80 have been linked to hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis and irritation of blood vessels resulting in infusion-site pain.ii, iii, iv

CINVANTI was approved based on data demonstrating the bioequivalence of CINVANTI to EMEND IV (fosaprepitant), supporting its efficacy for the prevention of acute and delayed CINV following HEC and MEC.

Results from 2 pivotal randomized, cross-over bioequivalence studies of CINVANTI and EMEND IV showed subjects receiving CINVANTI reported fewer adverse events than those receiving EMEND IV, including substantially fewer infusion-site reactions.v

"CINV remains a high unmet medical need in the oncology community, and 5 full days of CINV coverage continues to be our goal. NK1 receptor antagonists are recommended for routine use with HEC and are a recommended option with MEC. Despite this, NK1 receptor antagonists are underutilized in CINV. This provides a large opportunity for CINVANTI to help more patients avoid CINV and adhere to their chemotherapy regimens," said Jeffrey F. Patton, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Tennessee Oncology.

"Aprepitant has long been the standard in the NK1 class and it remains the only single-agent NK1 with proven efficacy in preventing CINV in both the acute and delayed phases in HEC and MEC. Because CINVANTI is a novel, polysorbate 80-free IV formulation of aprepitant, it enables physicians to provide patients with standard-of-care efficacy without the potential risk of polysorbate 80-related adverse events, such as infusion-site reactions," said Rudolph M. Navari, M.D., Ph.D., University of Alabama, Birmingham School of Medicine, Director, Cancer Care Program, Division of Hematology Oncology.

"Since both CINVANTI and SUSTOL have been shown to significantly reduce CINV in both the acute and delayed phase, by complementary mechanisms, they are an excellent strategic and operational fit for the Heron commercial team. The commercial team is ready to launch CINVANTI in January of next year," said Barry D. Quart, Pharm.D., Chief Executive Officer of Heron. "To obtain FDA approval for a second product in just over a year is a significant achievement for Heron, and we remain on-track with our third important product, HTX-011, which we expect to file for FDA review in 2018."

Conference Call and Webcast

Heron will host a conference call and webcast on November 9, 2017 at 4:30 PM EST. The conference call can be accessed by dialing 877-311-5906 for domestic callers and 281-241-6150 for international callers. Please provide the operator with the passcode 3496939 to join the conference call. A slide presentation accompanying today’s press release and conference call may also be found on Heron’s website at www.herontx.com under the investor relations section. The conference call will also be available via webcast under the investor relations section of Heron’s website. Please connect to Heron’s website several minutes prior to the start of the broadcast to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be necessary. An archive of today’s teleconference and webcast will be available on Heron’s website for 60 days following the call.

About CINVANTI (aprepitant) injectable emulsion

CINVANTI is an intravenous formulation of aprepitant, an NK1 receptor antagonist for the prevention of CINV. CINVANTI is used in combination with a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and dexamethasone. Heron developed CINVANTI, a proprietary novel lipid emulsion formulation of aprepitant, to overcome the low water solubility of aprepitant without polysorbate 80 or other synthetic surfactants, with the goal to reduce the risk for infusion-site reactions and hypersensitivity reactions that are reported with EMEND IV.

Please see Full Prescribing Information at www.CINVANTI.com.

Important Safety Information for CINVANTI

CINVANTI is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to any of the components of CINVANTI. Serious hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis and anaphylactic shock, have been reported with fosaprepitant, a prodrug of aprepitant, and with oral aprepitant. Symptoms including flushing, erythema, dyspnea, hypotension and syncope have been reported. If symptoms occur, discontinue CINVANTI. Do not reinstate if symptoms occur with first-time use.

Use of pimozide with CINVANTI is contraindicated due to the risk of significantly increased plasma concentrations of pimozide, potentially resulting in prolongation of the QT interval, a known adverse reaction of pimozide.

Use of CINVANTI may result in clinically significant CYP3A4 Drug Interactions. Aprepitant is a substrate, weak-to-moderate (dose-dependent) inhibitor, and an inducer of CYP3A4. Use with other drugs that are CYP3A4 substrates may result in increased plasma concentration of the concomitant drug. Use of CINVANTI with strong or moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., ketoconazole, diltiazem) may increase plasma concentrations of aprepitant and result in an increased risk of adverse reactions related to CINVANTI. Use of CINVANTI with strong CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., rifampin) may result in a reduction in aprepitant plasma concentrations and decreased efficacy of aprepitant.

Co-administration of CINVANTI with warfarin, a CYP2C9 substrate, may result in a clinically significant decrease in the International Normalized Ratio (INR) of prothrombin time. Monitor the INR in patients on chronic warfarin therapy in the 2-week period, particularly at 7 to 10 days, following initiation of CINVANTI with each chemotherapy cycle.

The efficacy of hormonal contraceptives may be reduced during administration of and for 28 days following the last dose of CINVANTI. Advise patients to use effective alternative or back-up methods of non-hormonal contraception during treatment with CINVANTI and for 1 month following administration of CINVANTI or oral aprepitant, whichever is administered last.

Avoid use of CINVANTI in pregnant women as alcohol is an inactive ingredient for CINVANTI. There is no safe level of alcohol exposure in pregnancy.

No dosage adjustment is necessary for patients with mild to moderate hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh score 5 to 9). There are no clinical or pharmacokinetic data in patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh score greater than 9). Additional monitoring for adverse reactions in these patients may be warranted when CINVANTI is administered.

In general, use caution when dosing elderly patients as they have a greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal or cardiac function and concomitant disease or other drug therapy.

The most common adverse reactions with the 3-day oral aprepitant regimen in conjunction with MEC (≥1% and greater than standard therapy) were fatigue and eructation.

The most common adverse reactions with the single-dose intravenous fosaprepitant regimen in conjunction with HEC were generally similar to that seen in prior HEC studies with oral aprepitant. In addition, infusion site reactions (3%) occurred.

The most common adverse reactions with a single-dose of CINVANTI (≥2%) were headache and fatigue.

Please see Full Prescribing Information at www.CINVANTI.com.

About SUSTOL (granisetron) extended-release injection

SUSTOL is indicated in combination with other antiemetics in adults for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC) or anthracycline and cyclophosphamide (AC) combination chemotherapy regimens. SUSTOL is an extended-release, injectable 5-HT3 receptor antagonist that utilizes Heron’s Biochronomer polymer-based drug delivery technology to maintain therapeutic levels of granisetron for ≥5 days. The SUSTOL global Phase 3 development program was comprised of two, large, guideline-based clinical studies that evaluated SUSTOL’s efficacy and safety in more than 2,000 patients with cancer. SUSTOL’s efficacy in preventing nausea and vomiting was evaluated in both the acute phase (0 – 24 hours after chemotherapy) and delayed phase (24 – 120 hours after chemotherapy).

Please see Full Prescribing Information at www.SUSTOL.com.

About Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV)

While chemotherapy is one of the most effective and commonly used therapies to help patients fight cancer, it is accompanied by debilitating side effects, including varying degrees of nausea and vomiting, often attributed as a leading cause of premature discontinuation of cancer treatment. The goal of antiemetic therapy is to prevent CINV in both the acute phase (0 – 24 hours after chemotherapy) and delayed phase (24 – 120 hours after chemotherapy). The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) have categorized chemotherapy regimens based on the degree to which they cause nausea and vomiting: low emetogenic chemotherapy (LEC); moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC); and highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC).

About HTX-011 for Postoperative Pain

HTX-011, which utilizes Heron’s proprietary Biochronomer drug delivery technology, is an investigational, long-acting, extended-release formulation of the local anesthetic bupivacaine in a fixed-dose combination with the anti-inflammatory meloxicam for the prevention of postoperative pain. By delivering sustained levels of both a potent anesthetic and a local anti-inflammatory agent directly to the site of tissue injury, HTX-011 was designed to deliver superior pain relief while reducing the need for systemically administered pain medications such as opioids, which carry the risk of harmful side effects, abuse and addiction. The Phase 2 development program for HTX-011 was designed to target the many patients undergoing a wide range of surgeries who experience significant postoperative pain. Heron has recently initiated the HTX-011 Phase 3 program and expects to file an NDA in 2018.

NY-ESO Data Presented at the Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS) Annual Meeting Confirm Potential of Adaptimmune’s SPEAR T-Cell Therapy

On November 9, 2017 Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc (Nasdaq:ADAP), a leader in T-cell therapy to treat cancer, released updated data from the ongoing pilot study of NY‑ESO SPEAR T-cells in synovial sarcoma, as well as an overview of study design for the ongoing NY-ESO SPEAR T-cell trial in myxoid/ round cell liposarcoma (MRCLS) at the annual CTOS meeting at the Grand Wailea Resort in Hawaii (Press release, Adaptimmune, NOV 9, 2017, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2315812 [SID1234521851]).

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"The data from our ongoing pilot study in synovial sarcoma remain encouraging," said Rafael Amado, Adaptimmune’s Chief Medical Officer. "GSK exercised its option over our NY-ESO program and, as a result, these studies, including the pivotal registration trial in synovial sarcoma, will transition to GSK. The synovial sarcoma data, as well as results from other ongoing studies in the NY-ESO program, continue to inform development plans with our wholly owned pipeline of products. We believe the efficacy we have seen in synovial sarcoma is indicative of the potential of our SPEAR T-cell platform."

Data update from the ongoing pilot study of NY-ESO SPEAR T-cells in synovial sarcoma1
During an oral presentation, Dr. Sandra P. D’Angelo of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center presented an update on all cohorts from Adaptimmune’s ongoing pilot study of NY-ESO SPEAR T-cells in synovial sarcoma. The data cut-off for this oral presentation was September 5, 2017 and results are summarized below.

NY-ESO SPEAR T-cells continue to be generally well-tolerated with initial efficacy observed in all cohorts including low expressors of NY‑ESO (Cohort 2)
Of the twelve patients treated in Cohort 1 (non-modified fludarabine (Flu) / cyclophosphamide (Cy) lymphodepletion regimen), five remain alive with a median predicted overall survival of 120 weeks (~28 months)
Confirmed responses have been observed across all cohorts as follows:
Cohort 1 (follow-up only; High Flu/Cy, High NY-ESO): 6 /12 (50%) patients (unchanged from ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2017)2
Cohort 2 (ongoing; High Flu/Cy, Low NY-ESO): 3/10 (33%) patients (ASCO 2017: 2/5 [40%])
Cohort 3 (follow-up only): 1/5 (20%) patients (unchanged from ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2017)
Cohort 4 (ongoing): 4/11 (36%) patients (ASCO 2017: 3/6 [50%]). Overall survival is not mature in this cohort; progression free survival is 23 weeks.
Peak and long-term expansion of NY-ESO SPEAR T-cells appears to correlate with clinical efficacy
All reported events of cytokine release syndrome resolved with supportive care, the majority of events were Grade 1 or 2, and there were no events of seizure, cerebral edema or encephalopathy
1 Oral presentation entitled: "Open label, non-randomized, multi-cohort pilot study of genetically engineered NY-ESO-1 SPEAR T-cells in HLA-A2+ patients with synovial sarcoma (NCT01343043)"

2 Data cut-off for ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2017 was March 30, 2017

Overview of Study Design from the Trial in Progress Poster for NY-ESO SPEAR T-cells in MRCLS

Open-label, non-randomized pilot study evaluating the safety, tolerability, and antitumor activity of NY-ESO SPEAR T-cells in patients with MRCLS
Initially, 10 patients are planned to be enrolled, with potential to enroll an additional 5 patients
Patients who do not receive minimum cell dose or who do not receive T‑cell infusion may be replaced
Patients must be: ≥ 18 years old; HLA-A*02:01, *02:05, or *02:06 positive; have advanced (metastatic or inoperable) MRCLS expressing NY-ESO-1 at 2+/3+ intensity in ≥30% of tumor cells by IHC; measurable disease; prior systemic anthracycline therapy; have ECOG status 0 or 1; and adequate organ function.
Lymphodepletion regimen: Flu (30mg/m2/day) and Cy (600 mg/m2/day) for 3 days
Target dose of 1 – 8 × 109 transduced SPEAR T-cells
Efficacy assessed by overall response rate, time to response, duration of response, progression-free survival, and overall survival at weeks 4, 8, and 12, month 6, and then every 3 months until confirmation of disease progression
The study is open and enrolling
Ten patients have already been identified and enrolled

Shire Presentations at ASH 2017 Highlight Commitment to Furthering Research and Innovation in Hematology and Oncology

On November 9, 2017 Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPG), the leading biotechnology company focused on serving people with rare diseases, reported the broad range of research it will present at the 59th American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, taking place December 9-12, 2017, in Atlanta, Georgia (Press release, Shire, NOV 9, 2017, View Source [SID1234521927]). Shire’s presence at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) spans its hematology and oncology franchises with 2 oral presentations and 7 poster presentations.

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"Shire’s commitment to fighting rare disease, particularly in hematology and oncology, is reflected in the company’s strong presence at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper), one of the world’s premier medical conferences focused on blood disorders," said Howard B. Mayer, M.D., SVP and ad-interim Head, Global Research and Development, Shire. "We are committed to continuous and ambitious innovation that helps advance the standards of care and improves outcomes in these therapeutic categories where there remains significant unmet patient need."

HEMATOLOGY
The research presented at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) will showcase Shire’s broad hematology portfolio, which covers a wide range of rare bleeding indications and highlights real-world safety and efficacy data. In addition to presenting new research, Shire will share updates related to its ongoing innovation and promising pipeline of investigational treatments. Shire has provided a grant to support a satellite symposium at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) hosted by CMEology that is focused on the latest strategies and innovations to help advance best practices in the management of hemophilia:

Advancing Standards in the Management of Hemophilia A: Contemporary Strategies and Innovations. Friday, December 8, 2017, 6:00-10:00 p.m. EST. Hyatt Regency Atlanta, International Ballroom North. For more details or to register, visit: View Source
ONCOLOGY
Shire’s expertise in rare and difficult-to-treat cancers includes ongoing research into investigational pegylated asparaginase, as a component of antineoplastic combination therapy in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The company’s pipeline in oncology includes assets being developed for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer, ALL, lung cancer, as well as early stage checkpoint inhibitor and allogeneic CAR T targets. At ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) 2017, Shire is co-supporting an Independent Medical Education program organized by prIME-Oncology on:

Optimizing Management of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: From Adolescence to Adults. Friday, December 8, 2017, 12:30-4:30 p.m. EST. Hyatt Regency Atlanta, International Ballroom North. For more details or to register, visit: View Source
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Bristol-Myers Squibb and Five Prime Present Phase 1a/1b Data Evaluating Cabiralizumab (anti-CSF-1 receptor antibody) with Opdivo (nivolumab) in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors

On November 9, 2017 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) and Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:FPRX) reported preliminary results from a dose escalation and expansion study evaluating the safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of cabiralizumab in combination with Opdivo (nivolumab) in patients with advanced solid tumors (Press release, Five Prime Therapeutics, NOV 9, 2017, View Source [SID1234521866]). This is the first disclosure of a clinical experience evaluating an anti-CSF-1 receptor antibody, which depletes immunosuppressive tumor associated macrophages (TAMs), in combination with an anti-PD-1 antibody. Preliminary results show that the safety profile of cabiralizumab plus Opdivo was generally consistent with that of Opdivo monotherapy, and that the combination results in dose-related decreases in circulating monocytes. In a cohort of heavily pre-treated patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (n=31 evaluable patients), a patient population that is generally insensitive to immunotherapy, durable clinical benefit was observed in five patients (16%), including confirmed objective responses in three patients with microsatellite-stable (MSS) disease (objective response rate 10%). The data will be presented Saturday, November 11 at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper) 32nd Annual Meeting in a late-breaking oral presentation (abstract #O42) during Clinical Trials: Novel Combinations from 4:30 – 4:45 p.m. ET.

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More cancer patients are being treated with immunotherapy, but most patients with advanced pancreatic cancer remain resistant to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy and typically have poor outcomes, with an average one-year survival rate of only 16 percent and five-year survival of less than 3 percent.1-3 Pancreatic cancer is known to be associated with TAM infiltration and higher TAM infiltration is in turn associated with worse prognosis, suggesting that suppressed immune response contributes to tumor progression in this patient population. These data show for the first time that combining an anti-CSF-1 receptor antibody with Opdivo may help restore T cell function by a simultaneous reduction of TAMs and inhibition of PD-1 signaling.

"In our robust Immuno-Oncology clinical program, we are focused on discovering ways to leverage the complex tumor microenvironment to help restore the body’s natural ability to fight cancer," said Fouad Namouni, M.D., head of development, Oncology, Bristol-Myers Squibb. "These preliminary results support our additional evaluation of the combination of cabiralizumab and Opdivo in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer."

"Cabiralizumab depletes immunosuppressive TAMs that regulate T cells in the tumor microenvironment. TAM depletion may be synergistic to PD-1 blockade," said Helen Collins, chief medical officer, Five Prime Therapeutics. "While early, we are encouraged by these results, which are supportive of continued development of this combination in pancreatic cancer."

About the Study

NCT02526017 is a Phase 1a/1b open-label study to evaluate safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and clinical benefit of cabiralizumab in combination with Opdivo in patients with advanced cancers in single-arm cohorts. In the expansion cohorts, patients received cabiralizumab 4mg/kg plus Opdivo 3mg/kg intravenous (IV) once every two weeks in a 3+3+3 design.

As of data cut-off, 229 patients have been treated, including 205 patients in the combination dose expansion cohorts in advanced solid tumors, of which 33 were pancreatic cancer patients. Cabiralizumab PK activity appears similar as a monotherapy and in combination with Opdivo. The PK of cabiralizumab ≥ 4 mg/kg Q2W approaches the linear dose range, suggesting saturation of target-mediated clearance. Cabiralizumab alone or in combination with Opdivo results in dose-related decreases in circulating monocytes. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) of any grade occurred in 90 percent (n=184) of patients treated with cabiralizumab and Opdivo, with 49 percent (n=100) of patients experiencing Grade 3/4 adverse events. Of the 24 patients in the monotherapy group, 63 percent (n=15) experienced TRAEs of any grade, and 54 percent (n=13) experienced Grade 3/4 adverse events. The most common TRAEs were elevations in creatine kinase and serum liver enzymes.

The efficacy data reported at SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper) pertain to an expansion cohort in pancreatic cancer. The ongoing Phase 1a/1b trial has started to enroll and treat an additional 30 pancreatic cancer patients to further evaluate the combination in this patient population in a total of 60 patients. Further, Bristol-Myers Squibb is launching a new study of cabiralizumab plus Opdivo to provide additional insight into the potential benefit of the combination in pancreatic cancer. Additional details on this trial are available on clinicaltrials.gov.

About CSF1R and Cabiralizumab

Colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) is a cell-surface tyrosine kinase receptor expressed by macrophages and other cells of the myeloid lineage. The CSF1R tyrosine kinase is activated when bound by its ligands, CSF-1 and IL-34. High levels of CSF1 in tumors stimulate more M2-like macrophages, which further tumor progression through suppressing effector T cell functions. High levels of TAMs in tumors are associated with poor prognostic outcomes, and preclinical research suggests that a blockade of CSF1R or inhibition of kinase activity may reduce the tumor burden, with a net effect of promotion of antitumor immunologic effects. Preclinical studies suggest that targeting the CSF1R pathway in combination with other potentially complementary immune pathways, like PD-1, may be a key strategy to more effectively activate the antitumor immune response.

Bristol-Myers Squibb and Five Prime are evaluating cabiralizumab in combination with Opdivo in a variety of advanced solid tumors. In 2015, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Five Prime entered into an exclusive worldwide license and collaboration agreement for the development and commercialization of Five Prime’s CSF1R antibody program, which includes cabiralizumab. Five Prime will continue to conduct the current Phase 1a/1b trial evaluating the combination of Opdivo and cabiralizumab in six tumor types, which was announced as part of the Companies’ initial clinical collaboration in November 2014, through to completion. Bristol-Myers Squibb will be responsible for subsequent development studies and for global commercialization, and Five Prime will retain rights to a U.S. co-promotion option.

Bristol-Myers Squibb & Immuno-Oncology: Advancing Oncology Research

At Bristol-Myers Squibb, patients are at the center of everything we do. Our vision for the future of cancer care is focused on researching and developing transformational Immuno-Oncology (I-O) medicines for hard-to-treat cancers that could potentially improve outcomes for these patients.

We are leading the scientific understanding of I-O through our extensive portfolio of investigational compounds and approved agents. Our differentiated clinical development program is studying broad patient populations across more than 50 types of cancers with more than 15 clinical-stage programs designed to target different immune system pathways. Our deep expertise and innovative clinical trial designs position us to advance I-O/I-O, I-O/chemotherapy, I-O/targeted therapies and I-O/radiation therapies across multiple tumors and potentially deliver the next wave of therapies with a sense of urgency. We also continue to pioneer research that will help facilitate a deeper understanding of the role of immune biomarkers and how patients’ tumor biology can be used as a guide for treatment decisions throughout their journey.

We understand making the promise of I-O a reality for the many patients who may benefit from these therapies requires not only innovation on our part but also close collaboration with leading experts in the field. Our partnerships with academia, government, advocacy and biotech companies support our collective goal of providing new treatment options to advance the standards of clinical practice.

About Opdivo

Opdivo is a programmed death-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitor that is designed to uniquely harness the body’s own immune system to help restore anti-tumor immune response. By harnessing the body’s own immune system to fight cancer, Opdivo has become an important treatment option across multiple cancers.

Opdivo’s leading global development program is based on Bristol-Myers Squibb’s scientific expertise in the field of Immuno-Oncology and includes a broad range of clinical trials across all phases, including Phase 3, in a variety of tumor types. To date, the Opdivo clinical development program has enrolled more than 25,000 patients. The Opdivo trials have contributed to gaining a deeper understanding of the potential role of biomarkers in patient care, particularly regarding how patients may benefit from Opdivo across the continuum of PD-L1 expression.

In July 2014, Opdivo was the first PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor to receive regulatory approval anywhere in the world. Opdivo is currently approved in more than 60 countries, including the United States, the European Union and Japan. In October 2015, the company’s Opdivo and Yervoy combination regimen was the first Immuno-Oncology combination to receive regulatory approval for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and is currently approved in more than 50 countries, including the United States and the European Union.

U.S. FDA-APPROVED INDICATIONS FOR OPDIVO

OPDIVO (nivolumab) as a single agent is indicated for the treatment of patients with BRAF V600 mutation-positive unresectable or metastatic melanoma. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on progression-free survival. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials. OPDIVO (nivolumab) as a single agent is indicated for the treatment of patients with BRAF V600 wild-type unresectable or metastatic melanoma.

OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab), is indicated for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on progression-free survival. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.

OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients with EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations should have disease progression on FDA-approved therapy for these aberrations prior to receiving OPDIVO.

OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who have received prior anti-angiogenic therapy.

OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) that has relapsed or progressed after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and brentuximab vedotin or after 3 or more lines of systemic therapy that includes autologous HSCT. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.

OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) with disease progression on or after platinum-based therapy.

OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy or have disease progression within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.

OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric (12 years and older) patients with microsatellite instability high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) that has progressed following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.

OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have been previously treated with sorafenib. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and durability of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: IMMUNE-MEDIATED ADVERSE REACTIONS

YERVOY can result in severe and fatal immune-mediated adverse reactions. These immune-mediated reactions may involve any organ system; however, the most common severe immune-mediated adverse reactions are enterocolitis, hepatitis, dermatitis (including toxic epidermal necrolysis), neuropathy, and endocrinopathy. The majority of these immune-mediated reactions initially manifested during treatment; however, a minority occurred weeks to months after discontinuation of YERVOY.

Assess patients for signs and symptoms of enterocolitis, dermatitis, neuropathy, and endocrinopathy and evaluate clinical chemistries including liver function tests (LFTs), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) level, and thyroid function tests at baseline and before each dose.

Permanently discontinue YERVOY and initiate systemic high-dose corticosteroid therapy for severe immune-mediated reactions.

Immune-Mediated Pneumonitis

OPDIVO can cause immune-mediated pneumonitis. Fatal cases have been reported. Monitor patients for signs with radiographic imaging and for symptoms of pneumonitis. Administer corticosteroids for Grade 2 or more severe pneumonitis. Permanently discontinue for Grade 3 or 4 and withhold until resolution for Grade 2. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, fatal cases of immune-mediated pneumonitis have occurred. Immune-mediated pneumonitis occurred in 3.1% (61/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, immune-mediated pneumonitis occurred in 6% (25/407) of patients.

In Checkmate 205 and 039, pneumonitis, including interstitial lung disease, occurred in 6.0% (16/266) of patients receiving OPDIVO. Immune-mediated pneumonitis occurred in 4.9% (13/266) of patients receiving OPDIVO: Grade 3 (n=1) and Grade 2 (n=12).

Immune-Mediated Colitis

OPDIVO can cause immune-mediated colitis. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of colitis. Administer corticosteroids for Grade 2 (of more than 5 days duration), 3, or 4 colitis. Withhold OPDIVO monotherapy for Grade 2 or 3 and permanently discontinue for Grade 4 or recurrent colitis upon re-initiation of OPDIVO. When administered with YERVOY, withhold OPDIVO and YERVOY for Grade 2 and permanently discontinue for Grade 3 or 4 or recurrent colitis. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated colitis occurred in 2.9% (58/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, immune-mediated colitis occurred in 26% (107/407) of patients including three fatal cases.

In a separate Phase 3 study of YERVOY 3 mg/kg, severe, life-threatening, or fatal (diarrhea of ≥7 stools above baseline, fever, ileus, peritoneal signs; Grade 3-5) immune-mediated enterocolitis occurred in 34 (7%) patients. Across all YERVOY-treated patients in that study (n=511), 5 (1%) developed intestinal perforation, 4 (0.8%) died as a result of complications, and 26 (5%) were hospitalized for severe enterocolitis.

Immune-Mediated Hepatitis

OPDIVO can cause immune-mediated hepatitis. Monitor patients for abnormal liver tests prior to and periodically during treatment. Administer corticosteroids for Grade 2 or greater transaminase elevations. For patients without HCC, withhold OPDIVO for Grade 2 and permanently discontinue OPDIVO for Grade 3 or 4. For patients with HCC, withhold OPDIVO and administer corticosteroids if AST/ALT is within normal limits at baseline and increases to > 3 and up to 5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN), if AST/ALT is > 1 and up to 3 times ULN at baseline and increases to > 5 and up to 10 times the ULN, and if AST/ALT is > 3 and up to 5 times ULN at baseline and increases to > 8 and up to 10 times the ULN. Permanently discontinue OPDIVO and administer corticosteroids if AST or ALT increases to > 10 times the ULN or total bilirubin increases > 3 times the ULN. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated hepatitis occurred in 1.8% (35/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, immune-mediated hepatitis occurred in 13% (51/407) of patients.

In Checkmate 040, immune-mediated hepatitis requiring systemic corticosteroids occurred in 5% (8/154) of patients receiving OPDIVO.

In a separate Phase 3 study of YERVOY 3 mg/kg, severe, life-threatening, or fatal hepatotoxicity (AST or ALT elevations > 5x the ULN or total bilirubin elevations > 3x the ULN; Grade 3-5) occurred in 8 (2%) patients, with fatal hepatic failure in 0.2% and hospitalization in 0.4%.

Immune-Mediated Neuropathies

In a separate Phase 3 study of YERVOY 3 mg/kg, 1 case of fatal Guillain-Barré syndrome and 1 case of severe (Grade 3) peripheral motor neuropathy were reported.

Immune-Mediated Endocrinopathies

OPDIVO can cause immune-mediated hypophysitis, immune-mediated adrenal insufficiency, autoimmune thyroid disorders, and Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of hypophysitis, signs and symptoms of adrenal insufficiency, thyroid function prior to and periodically during treatment, and hyperglycemia. Administer hormone replacement as clinically indicated and corticosteroids for Grade 2 or greater hypophysitis. Withhold for Grade 2 or 3 and permanently discontinue for Grade 4 hypophysitis. Administer corticosteroids for Grade 3 or 4 adrenal insufficiency. Withhold for Grade 2 and permanently discontinue for Grade 3 or 4 adrenal insufficiency. Administer hormone-replacement therapy for hypothyroidism. Initiate medical management for control of hyperthyroidism. Withhold OPDIVO for Grade 3 and permanently discontinue for Grade 4 hyperglycemia.

In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, hypophysitis occurred in 0.6% (12/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, hypophysitis occurred in 9% (36/407) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, adrenal insufficiency occurred in 1% (20/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, adrenal insufficiency occurred in 5% (21/407) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, hypothyroidism or thyroiditis resulting in hypothyroidism occurred in 9% (171/1994) of patients. Hyperthyroidism occurred in 2.7% (54/1994) of patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, hypothyroidism or thyroiditis resulting in hypothyroidism occurred in 22% (89/407) of patients. Hyperthyroidism occurred in 8% (34/407) of patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, diabetes occurred in 0.9% (17/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, diabetes occurred in 1.5% (6/407) of patients.

In a separate Phase 3 study of YERVOY 3 mg/kg, severe to life-threatening immune-mediated endocrinopathies (requiring hospitalization, urgent medical intervention, or interfering with activities of daily living; Grade 3-4) occurred in 9 (1.8%) patients. All 9 patients had hypopituitarism, and some had additional concomitant endocrinopathies such as adrenal insufficiency, hypogonadism, and hypothyroidism. 6 of the 9 patients were hospitalized for severe endocrinopathies.

Immune-Mediated Nephritis and Renal Dysfunction

OPDIVO can cause immune-mediated nephritis. Monitor patients for elevated serum creatinine prior to and periodically during treatment. Administer corticosteroids for Grades 2-4 increased serum creatinine. Withhold OPDIVO for Grade 2 or 3 and permanently discontinue for Grade 4 increased serum creatinine. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated nephritis and renal dysfunction occurred in 1.2% (23/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, immune-mediated nephritis and renal dysfunction occurred in 2.2% (9/407) of patients.

Immune-Mediated Skin Adverse Reactions and Dermatitis

OPDIVO can cause immune-mediated rash, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), some cases with fatal outcome. Administer corticosteroids for Grade 3 or 4 rash. Withhold for Grade 3 and permanently discontinue for Grade 4 rash. For symptoms or signs of SJS or TEN, withhold OPDIVO and refer the patient for specialized care for assessment and treatment; if confirmed, permanently discontinue. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated rash occurred in 9% (171/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, immune-mediated rash occurred in 22.6% (92/407) of patients.

In a separate Phase 3 study of YERVOY 3 mg/kg, severe, life-threatening, or fatal immune-mediated dermatitis (eg, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, or rash complicated by full thickness dermal ulceration, or necrotic, bullous, or hemorrhagic manifestations; Grade 3-5) occurred in 13 (2.5%) patients. 1 (0.2%) patient died as a result of toxic epidermal necrolysis. 1 additional patient required hospitalization for severe dermatitis.

Immune-Mediated Encephalitis

OPDIVO can cause immune-mediated encephalitis. Evaluation of patients with neurologic symptoms may include, but not be limited to, consultation with a neurologist, brain MRI, and lumbar puncture. Withhold OPDIVO in patients with new-onset moderate to severe neurologic signs or symptoms and evaluate to rule out other causes. If other etiologies are ruled out, administer corticosteroids and permanently discontinue OPDIVO for immune-mediated encephalitis. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, encephalitis occurred in 0.2% (3/1994) of patients. Fatal limbic encephalitis occurred in one patient after 7.2 months of exposure despite discontinuation of OPDIVO and administration of corticosteroids. Encephalitis occurred in one patient receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY (0.2%) after 1.7 months of exposure.

Other Immune-Mediated Adverse Reactions

Based on the severity of the adverse reaction, permanently discontinue or withhold OPDIVO, administer high-dose corticosteroids, and, if appropriate, initiate hormone-replacement therapy. Across clinical trials of OPDIVO monotherapy or in combination with YERVOY, the following clinically significant immune-mediated adverse reactions, some with fatal outcome, occurred in < 1.0% of patients receiving OPDIVO: myocarditis, rhabdomyolysis, myositis, uveitis, iritis, pancreatitis, facial and abducens nerve paresis, demyelination, polymyalgia rheumatica, autoimmune neuropathy, Guillain-Barré syndrome, hypopituitarism, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, gastritis, duodenitis, sarcoidosis, histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (Kikuchi lymphadenitis), motor dysfunction, vasculitis, and myasthenic syndrome.

Infusion Reactions

OPDIVO can cause severe infusion reactions, which have been reported in < 1.0% of patients in clinical trials. Discontinue OPDIVO in patients with Grade 3 or 4 infusion reactions. Interrupt or slow the rate of infusion in patients with Grade 1 or 2. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, infusion-related reactions occurred in 6.4% (127/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, infusion-related reactions occurred in 2.5% (10/407) of patients.

Complications of Allogeneic HSCT after OPDIVO

Complications, including fatal events, occurred in patients who received allogeneic HSCT after OPDIVO. Outcomes were evaluated in 17 patients from Checkmate 205 and 039, who underwent allogeneic HSCT after discontinuing OPDIVO (15 with reduced-intensity conditioning, 2 with myeloablative conditioning). Thirty-five percent (6/17) of patients died from complications of allogeneic HSCT after OPDIVO. Five deaths occurred in the setting of severe or refractory GVHD. Grade 3 or higher acute GVHD was reported in 29% (5/17) of patients. Hyperacute GVHD was reported in 20% (n=2) of patients. A steroid-requiring febrile syndrome, without an identified infectious cause, was reported in 35% (n=6) of patients. Two cases of encephalitis were reported: Grade 3 (n=1) lymphocytic encephalitis without an identified infectious cause, and Grade 3 (n=1) suspected viral encephalitis. Hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) occurred in one patient, who received reduced-intensity conditioned allogeneic HSCT and died of GVHD and multi-organ failure. Other cases of hepatic VOD after reduced-intensity conditioned allogeneic HSCT have also been reported in patients with lymphoma who received a PD-1 receptor blocking antibody before transplantation. Cases of fatal hyperacute GVHD have also been reported. These complications may occur despite intervening therapy between PD-1 blockade and allogeneic HSCT.

Follow patients closely for early evidence of transplant-related complications such as hyperacute GVHD, severe (Grade 3 to 4) acute GVHD, steroid-requiring febrile syndrome, hepatic VOD, and other immune-mediated adverse reactions, and intervene promptly.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity

Based on their mechanisms of action, OPDIVO and YERVOY can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with an OPDIVO- or YERVOY- containing regimen and for at least 5 months after the last dose of OPDIVO.

Lactation

It is not known whether OPDIVO or YERVOY is present in human milk. Because many drugs, including antibodies, are excreted in human milk and because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from an OPDIVO-containing regimen, advise women to discontinue breastfeeding during treatment. Advise women to discontinue nursing during treatment with YERVOY and for 3 months following the final dose.

Serious Adverse Reactions

In Checkmate 037, serious adverse reactions occurred in 41% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=268). Grade 3 and 4 adverse reactions occurred in 42% of patients receiving OPDIVO . The most frequent Grade 3 and 4 adverse drug reactions reported in 2% to < 5% of patients receiving OPDIVO were abdominal pain, hyponatremia, increased aspartate aminotransferase, and increased lipase. In Checkmate 066, serious adverse reactions occurred in 36% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=206). Grade 3 and 4 adverse reactions occurred in 41% of patients receiving OPDIVO. The most frequent Grade 3 and 4 adverse reactions reported in ≥2% of patients receiving OPDIVO were gamma-glutamyltransferase increase (3.9%) and diarrhea (3.4%). In Checkmate 067, serious adverse reactions (73% and 37%), adverse reactions leading to permanent discontinuation (43% and 14%) or to dosing delays (55% and 28%), and Grade 3 or 4 adverse reactions (72% and 44%) all occurred more frequently in the OPDIVO plus YERVOY arm (n=313) relative to the OPDIVO arm (n=313). The most frequent (≥10%) serious adverse reactions in the OPDIVO plus YERVOY arm and the OPDIVO arm, respectively, were diarrhea (13% and 2.6%), colitis (10% and 1.6%), and pyrexia (10% and 0.6%). In Checkmate 017 and 057, serious adverse reactions occurred in 46% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=418). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in at least 2% of patients receiving OPDIVO were pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, dyspnea, pyrexia, pleural effusion, pneumonitis, and respiratory failure. In Checkmate 025, serious adverse reactions occurred in 47% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=406). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in ≥2% of patients were acute kidney injury, pleural effusion, pneumonia, diarrhea, and hypercalcemia. In Checkmate 205 and 039, adverse reactions leading to discontinuation occurred in 7% and dose delays due to adverse reactions occurred in 34% of patients (n=266). Serious adverse reactions occurred in 26% of patients. The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in ≥1% of patients were pneumonia, infusion-related reaction, pyrexia, colitis or diarrhea, pleural effusion, pneumonitis, and rash. Eleven patients died from causes other than disease progression: 3 from adverse reactions within 30 days of the last OPDIVO dose, 2 from infection 8 to 9 months after completing OPDIVO, and 6 from complications of allogeneic HSCT. In Checkmate 141, serious adverse reactions occurred in 49% of patients receiving OPDIVO. The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in at least 2% of patients receiving OPDIVO were pneumonia, dyspnea, respiratory failure, respiratory tract infection, and sepsis. In Checkmate 275, serious adverse reactions occurred in 54% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=270). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in at least 2% of patients receiving OPDIVO were urinary tract infection, sepsis, diarrhea, small intestine obstruction, and general physical health deterioration. In Checkmate 040, serious adverse reactions occurred in 49% of patients (n=154). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in at least 2% of patients were pyrexia, ascites, back pain, general physical health deterioration, abdominal pain, and pneumonia.

Common Adverse Reactions

In Checkmate 037, the most common adverse reaction (≥20%) reported with OPDIVO (n=268) was rash (21%). In Checkmate 066, the most common adverse reactions (≥20%) reported with OPDIVO (n=206) vs dacarbazine (n=205) were fatigue (49% vs 39%), musculoskeletal pain (32% vs 25%), rash (28% vs 12%), and pruritus (23% vs 12%). In Checkmate 067, the most common (≥20%) adverse reactions in the OPDIVO plus YERVOY arm (n=313) were fatigue (59%), rash (53%), diarrhea (52%), nausea (40%), pyrexia (37%), vomiting (28%), and dyspnea (20%). The most common (≥20%) adverse reactions in the OPDIVO (n=313) arm were fatigue (53%), rash (40%), diarrhea (31%), and nausea (28%). In Checkmate 017 and 057, the most common adverse reactions (≥20%) in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=418) were fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, cough, dyspnea, and decreased appetite. In Checkmate 025, the most common adverse reactions (≥20%) reported in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=406) vs everolimus (n=397) were asthenic conditions (56% vs 57%), cough (34% vs 38%), nausea (28% vs 29%), rash (28% vs 36%), dyspnea (27% vs 31%), diarrhea (25% vs 32%), constipation (23% vs 18%), decreased appetite (23% vs 30%), back pain (21% vs 16%), and arthralgia (20% vs 14%). In Checkmate 205 and 039, the most common adverse reactions (≥20%) reported in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=266) were upper respiratory tract infection (44%), fatigue (39%), cough (36%), diarrhea (33%), pyrexia (29%), musculoskeletal pain (26%), rash (24%), nausea (20%) and pruritus (20%). In Checkmate 141, the most common adverse reactions (≥10%) in patients receiving OPDIVO were cough and dyspnea at a higher incidence than investigator’s choice. In Checkmate 275, the most common adverse reactions (≥ 20%) reported in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=270) were fatigue (46%), musculoskeletal pain (30%), nausea (22%), and decreased appetite (22%).. In Checkmate 040, the most common adverse reactions (≥20%) in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=154) were fatigue (38%), musculoskeletal pain (36%), abdominal pain (34%), pruritus (27%), diarrhea (27%), rash (26%), cough (23%), and decreased appetite (22%). The most common adverse reactions (≥20%) in patients who received OPDIVO as a single agent were fatigue, rash, musculoskeletal pain, pruritus, diarrhea, nausea, asthenia, cough, dyspnea, constipation, decreased appetite, back pain, arthralgia, upper respiratory tract infection, and pyrexia.

In a separate Phase 3 study of YERVOY 3 mg/kg, the most common adverse reactions (≥5%) in patients who received YERVOY at 3 mg/kg were fatigue (41%), diarrhea (32%), pruritus (31%), rash (29%), and colitis (8%).

Please see U.S. Full Prescribing Information for OPDIVO and YERVOY, including Boxed WARNING regarding immune-mediated adverse reactions for YERVOY.

Checkmate 067 – advanced melanoma alone or in combination with YERVOY; Checkmate 037 and 066 – advanced melanoma; Checkmate 017 – squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); Checkmate 057 – non-squamous NSCLC; Checkmate 025 – renal cell carcinoma; Checkmate 205/039 – classical Hodgkin lymphoma; Checkmate 141 – squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck; Checkmate 275 – urothelial carcinoma; Checkmate 040 – hepatocellular carcinoma.

About the Bristol-Myers Squibb and Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Collaboration

In 2011, through a collaboration agreement with Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Ono), Bristol-Myers Squibb expanded its territorial rights to develop and commercialize Opdivo globally except in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, where Ono had retained all rights to the compound at the time. On July 23, 2014, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Ono further expanded the companies’ strategic collaboration agreement to jointly develop and commercialize multiple immunotherapies – as single agents and combination regimens – for patients with cancer in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

Iovance Biotherapeutics Announces New LN-144 Phase 2 Clinical Data from Metastatic Melanoma Trial to be Presented at SITC Meeting

On November 9, 2017 Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:IOVA), a biotechnology company developing novel cancer immunotherapies based on tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) technology, reported early efficacy and safety data from Cohort 2 of the ongoing Phase 2 LN-144 metastatic melanoma trial (C-144-01) (Press release, Iovance Biotherapeutics, NOV 9, 2017, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2315820 [SID1234521876]). These data, being presented as a late-breaking poster (Poster #515) on Friday, November 10, 2017 at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper) 32nd Annual Meeting in National Harbor, Maryland, show that administration of the company’s Generation 2 (Gen 2) manufacturing process in nine efficacy-evaluable metastatic melanoma patients resulted in a disease control rate (DCR) of 78%, which includes 3 confirmed partial responders (PRs) and a fourth PR awaiting confirmation. These patients had four median prior therapies. The Gen 2 manufacturing process reduces the process time to 22 days and the cell product is cryopreserved for ease of administration and handling.

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"The new study findings presented at SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper) indicate encouraging preliminary efficacy from patients in Cohort 2 with advanced metastatic melanoma disease, who were treated with our cryopreserved TIL product LN-144," said Maria Fardis, PhD, MBA, Iovance Biotherapeutics President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are excited to be able to offer patients a TIL product manufactured with a significantly shorter process, minimizing the time a patient has to wait to receive their TIL. The cryopreservation of the product further offers the clinical sites flexibility of scheduling the patient dosing. The reduction in duration of manufacturing will reduce our manufacturing costs as well. We intend to make the decision regarding which manufacturing process to utilize for our ongoing and future clinical trials by year-end and in advance of initiation of our regulatory interactions."

In addition to the late-breaking poster, a poster will be presented on the new Gen 2 manufacturing protocol, highlighting key improvements around the current high throughput commercial manufacturing method (Poster #203). A third poster will demonstrate utility of a new reagent used for TIL expansion and effector function (Poster #357), and a fourth poster will provide data regarding investigation of key quality attributes of TIL product (Poster #194). The company will also present two posters in the Clinical Trials in Progress session that include the design of LN-145 in head and neck and cervical cancer. The details of the poster presentations are as follows:

Cellular Therapy Approaches Late-Breaking Abstract

Title: Novel Cryopreserved Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (LN-144) Administered to Patients with Metastatic Melanoma Demonstrates Efficacy and Tolerability in a Multicenter Phase 2 Clinical Trial
Authors: Sarnaik, et al.
Poster #: 515
Presentation date: Friday, November 10, 2017

Key Takeaways:

Preliminary efficacy data from nine patients in Cohort 2 shows a DCR of 78% including three partial responses and a fourth awaiting confirmation.
Preliminary data to date show that the safety profile of Gen 2 LN-144 therapy is similar to Gen 1 LN-144 therapy previously presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2017. The most common adverse events reported were pyrexia, anaemia and nausea.
Cellular Therapy Approaches Abstracts

Title: A Cryopreserved TIL Product, LN-144, Generated with an Abbreviated Method Suitable for High Throughput Commercial Manufacturing Exhibits Favorable Quality Attributes for Adoptive Cell Transfer
Authors: Wardell, et al.
Poster #: 203
Presentation date: Friday, November 10, 2017

Key Takeaways:

The Iovance Generation 2 manufacturing process produces a potentially potent TIL product with comparable quality attributes to the Generation 1 manufacturing process.
The abbreviated 22-day expansion platform allows for the rapid generation of TIL product for patients in urgent need of therapy. The cryopreserved product also offers flexibility of patient dosing.
The cryopreserved drug product introduces critical logistical efficiencies allowing flexibility in distribution, and overcomes traditional barriers to the wider application of TIL therapy.
Title: Studies of Key Quality Attributes for TIL Product, LN-144
Authors: Ritthipichai, et al.
Poster #: 194
Presentation date: Saturday, November 11, 2017

Key Takeaways:

Commercial manufacturing of TIL products will require a robust analytical platform to ensure consistent delivery of products meeting the critical quality attributes of cellular therapeutics.
Study shows TIL products manufactured by Iovance are composed of greater than 99% CD45+CD3+ T cells.
Residual melanoma cells in TIL products were below the limit of detection using a specialized assay developed for this assessment.
Immune Modulation, Cytokines, and Antibodies Abstract

Title: The T-cell Growth Factor Cocktail IL-2/IL-15/IL-21 Enhances Expansion and Effector Function of
Tumor-Infiltrating T cells in a Novel Process Developed by Iovance
Authors: Simpson-Abelson, et al.
Poster #: 357
Presentation date: Friday, November 10, 2017

Key Takeaways:

This study demonstrates the positive effects of adding IL-15 and IL-21 to the standard IL-2-containing cell culture in an ex vivo TIL generation protocol.
Clinical Trials (In Progress) Abstracts

Title: A Phase 2 Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy Using Autologous Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (LN-145) in Patients with Recurrent and/or Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck
Authors: Leidner, et al.
Poster #: 221
Presentation date: Friday, November 10, 2017

Title: A Phase 2, Multicenter Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety Using Autologous Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (LN-145) in Patients with Recurrent, Metastatic, or Persistent Cervical Carcinoma
Authors: Jazaeri, et al.
Poster #: 220
Presentation date: Saturday, November 11, 2017

Additional information including the presentation schedule and full abstracts can be found on the conference website: View Source

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain matters discussed in this press release are "forward-looking statements". The Company may, in some cases, use terms such as "predicts," "believes," "potential," "continue," "estimates," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," "intends," "may," "could," "might," "will," "should" or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. In particular, the Company’s statements regarding trends and potential future results are examples of such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the efficacy, safety, tolerability and cost of the Gen 2 manufacturing process, the success, timing and cost of the Company’s ongoing clinical trials and anticipated clinical trials for its current product candidates, including statements regarding the timing of initiation and completion of the trials; the timing of and its ability to obtain and maintain U.S. Food and Drug Administration or other regulatory authority approval of, or other action with respect to, its product candidates; the strength of Company’s product pipeline; the successful implementation of the Company’s research and development programs and collaborations; the success of the Company’s license or development agreements; the acceptance by the market of the Company’s product candidates, if approved; and other factors, including general economic conditions and regulatory developments, not within the Company’s control. The factors discussed herein could cause actual results and developments to be materially different from those expressed in or implied by such statements. A further list and description of the Company’s risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Company’s subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov or www.iovance.com. The forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstance.