New funding of $2 million for research bringing us one step closer to a cure for Follicular Lymphoma

On November 29, 2022 The Follicular Lymphoma Foundation (FLF) reported it has awarded four research grants of up to $500 thousand each, a total of $2 million over the next two years, to support targeted and innovative research projects into Follicular Lymphoma (FL) – an incurable form of blood cancer and the second most common type of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (Press release, The Follicular Lymphoma Foundation, NOV 29, 2022, View Source [SID1234624571]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The grants have been made through the Foundation’s "CURE FL Awards" programme to support targeted and innovative research projects. Each offers a clear path to clinical trial to immediately benefit the more than one 1 million FL patients living with Follicular Lymphoma around the globe, and which will deliver on the Foundation’s mission of finding a cure and finding it fast.

In January 2022 the CURE FL Awards programme issued a call for transformative projects in areas of treatment that the Foundation’s team has identified as being the most likely to deliver rapid progress towards a cure to be made available to patients as soon as possible.

The recipients of the 2022 CURE FL Awards research grants are:

Hans-Guido Wendel, MD, PhD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Joshua Brody, MD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Wendy Béguelin, PhD, Weill Cornell Medicine
Patricia Pérez-Galán, PhD, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi I Sunyer
Commenting on the awarding of the grants, Dr Mitchell Smith, Chief Medical Officer of the Follicular Lymphoma Foundation (FLF) said: "Previously, Follicular Lymphoma has rarely been a central focus for drug development, and we want to change this. With this funding programme, we are putting this disease front and centre in Lymphoma research, and catalysing the development of therapies for the underserved patient populations. By awarding $2 million of funding over the next two years to these four highly skilled investigator teams, we believe we will rapidly move one step closer to finding better treatments."

Nicky Greenhalgh, Founder of the Living with Follicular Lymphoma community and Patient Representative on the Awards review panel) said: "The CURE FL Awards mean real progress towards a cure. In speaking on behalf of our members; we feel supported – it helps us to worry less and look forward to a positive future. Wheels are in motion to find cures for us all, so thank you."

The FLF worked closely with its partners, the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy (CSP) at the Milken Institute, to develop the CURE FL Awards programme. The recipients of the grants were chosen with the input and support of a wide range of experts in the global FL field together with patients, to ensure their views and experiences are a part of the development process for new treatments.

Genomic Vision’s Cutting-Edge TeloSizer® Application to be Used in Cancer Research

On November 29, 2022 Genomic Vision (Paris:GV) (FR0011799907 – GV, the "Company"), a Euronext-listed biotechnology company that develops tools and services for the highly accurate characterization of DNA sequences, reported a collaboration with the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), the French state research organization, to launch a four-year core scientific program with the Cancer Research Center of Marseille (CRCM) for the development of companion diagnostic tests using Genomic Vision’s TeloSizer application (Press release, Genomic Vision, NOV 29, 2022, View Source [SID1234624570]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Telomeres are repetitive nucleotide sequences that form the ends of linear chromosomes. TeloSizer allows for high precision measurement of telomere length and distribution to uncover links between telomere length and the onset and severity of diseases such as cancer and age-associated diseases.

Learn more about TeloSizer by visualizing the video: View Source
"Genomic Vision continues to apply its innovative technologies for the benefit of patients and this collaboration with CNRS is an important milestone. We are pioneering the use of telomere length as a disease biomarker and this will contribute to cancer research." said Thierry Huet, Ph.D., Research and Development Director of Genomic Vision. "Telomere instability is a well-known hallmark of cancer. With TeloSizer, we can accurately visualize and measure telomeres length."

Christophe Lachaud, Group Leader at CRCM, commented: "We are very excited to utilize Genomic Vision’s TeloSizer application to develop highly accurate companion tests that will benefit patients. TeloSizer offers greater accuracy and more information compared to other telomere measurement methods."

Vincent Geli, Deputy Director of CRCM expert in telomeres added: "TeloSizer will provide new information on individual telomere length and their distribution."

New tests will be developed as part of a four-year core scientific program collaboration set up between Genomic Vision and the CRCM and will utilize Genomic Vision’s DNA combing technology and TeloSizer application. The program will employ scientific teams across the institute and will examine telomere length heterogeneity across different samples to uncover novel leukemia-specific telomere characteristics. Actionable insights from the project will be used for the development of personalize medicine approaches based on telomere morphology.

This project is part of the CRCM/IPC project supported by the OPALE Carnot Institute, a preferred partner to the healthcare Industry for research and development of innovative solutions aimed at diagnostic, treatment and follow-up of patients with leukemia, the blood cancer with the highest mortality rate, but also the leading cancer in children.

Emplicure AB and Quotient Sciences Announce an Integrated Manufacturing and Clinical Testing Partnership for Emplicure’s First Clinical Pharmacokinetic Study for EMPLI03

On November 29, 2022 Quotient Sciences, a global drug development and manufacturing accelerator, reported a partnership with Emplicure, a Swedish pharmaceutical company focused on chronic pain and abuse-deterrent formulations (Press release, Quotient Sciences, NOV 29, 2022, View Source [SID1234624569]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The partnership will see Quotient Sciences support the GMP manufacture and first clinical pharmacokinetic (PK) study for EMPLI03 using its unique Translational Pharmaceutics platform.

Emplicure is developing EMPLI03 as an oral buccal tablet with extended-release properties intended for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. The formulation is also designed to limit the potential for manipulation of the tablet for abuse.

Quotient Sciences’ integrated Translational Pharmaceutics platform has been used to establish the GMP manufacturing process for EMPLI03 and to perform the first clinical PK study. Dosing in the PK study has been successfully completed, and top-line data will be available at the beginning of 2023.

"We have achieved one of our milestones in the development of a Buprenorphine product for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. With properties that limit abuse, EMPLI03 may contribute to a safer medical treatment", said Håkan Engqvist, CEO of Emplicure.

Mark Egerton, PhD, CEO of Quotient Sciences, added, "We are delighted to partner with Emplicure on the development of a potential treatment for moderate to severe pain. Using our unique Translational Pharmaceutics platform, the GMP manufacturing and first PK study for EMPLI03 has been fully integrated, which is a proven approach to accelerate development timelines."

Quotient Sciences introduced its Translational Pharmaceutics platform in 2008 as a fully integrated drug development and clinical testing platform.

The platform integrates drug substance, drug product, and clinical testing activities under one organization to break down industry silos and accelerate molecules through development.

Tyra Biosciences Initiates SURF301 Phase 1/2 Clinical Study and Doses First Patient with TYRA-300

On November 29, 2022 Tyra Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: TYRA), a precision oncology company focused on developing purpose-built therapies to overcome tumor resistance and improve outcomes for patients with cancer, reported the initiation of its SURF301 Phase 1/2 clinical study, with first patient dosed with TYRA-300 (Press release, Tyra Biosciences, NOV 29, 2022, View Source [SID1234624568]). TYRA-300, the Company’s lead product candidate stemming from its SNÅP platform, is an oral, FGFR3-selective inhibitor for the treatment of metastatic urothelial carcinoma of the bladder and urinary tract.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"We are pleased to dose our first patient with TYRA-300 in the SURF301 study, which represents an important milestone for TYRA and marks our transition into a clinical-stage company," said Todd Harris, CEO of TYRA. "The SURF301 study was designed to enable a potential path for rapid development of TYRA-300. Importantly, we believe that TYRA-300 represents an outsized opportunity in bladder cancer with the potential to address important unmet needs in FGFR resistant and FGFR naïve populations, and the desire for a tolerable, targeted oral drug is very high."

The Phase 1/2 clinical study of TYRA-300, SURF301 (Study in Untreated and Resistant FGFR3+ Advanced Solid Tumors), is a multi-center, open label study designed to determine the optimal and maximum tolerated doses (MTD) and the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) of TYRA-300, as well as to evaluate the preliminary antitumor activity of TYRA-300.

Hiroomi Tada, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer of TYRA, added, "We are excited to initiate SURF301 and evaluate the therapeutic potential of TYRA-300, which we thoughtfully designed to overcome tumor resistance and improve clinical outcomes. We intend to report progress from SURF301, including initial efficacy, PK/PD and biomarker results as mature data becomes available."

The SURF301 study is currently enrolling adults with advanced urothelial carcinoma and other solid tumors with FGFR3 gene alterations. For more information on the SURF301 study, please visit the Patients page of our website or visit www.clinicaltrials.gov and search for NCT05544552.

"The treatment paradigm for patients with bladder cancer remains complex. First-line therapeutic options have initial efficacy, but significant gaps remain to treat the thousands of patients whose cancer recurs due to intrinsic and acquired resistance," commented Jonathan E. Rosenberg, MD, Chief of the Genitourinary Medical Oncology Service, Division of Solid Tumor Oncology and the Enno W. Ercklentz Chair at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK).

Dr. Rosenberg has a consulting relationship with TYRA.

Conference Call & Webcast Information

TYRA will host a conference call and webcast today, November 29, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. ET. The conference call can be accessed by dialing 1-888-317-6003 for domestic callers and 1-412-317-6061 for international callers. Please provide the operator with the passcode 8739737 to join the conference call. The conference call will also be available via webcast under the "For Investors" section of TYRA’s website at www.tyra.bio. An archive of the teleconference and webcast will also be made available on TYRA’s website following the call.

Foresight Diagnostics Announces Three Presentations Highlighting Clinical Studies Using Patented PhasED-Seq® MRD Platform at the 64th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition

On November 29, 2022 Foresight Diagnostics, a leader in minimal residual disease (MRD) detection technology, reported that three studies utilizing their patented PhasED-Seq technology will be presented at the 64th American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting and Exposition (ASH 2022) taking place December 10-13, 2022, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA (Press release, Foresight Diagnostics, NOV 29, 2022, View Source [SID1234624566]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The Foresight Diagnostics MRD platform is based on the sequencing of phased variants (PVs) for ultrasensitive and highly specific tumor-derived cell free DNA (ctDNA) detection from solid tumors and B-cell malignancies. PhasED-Seq enhances specificity by requiring the concordant detection of two or more distinct mutations within a single DNA molecule. This enables PhasED-Seq to more accurately distinguish ctDNA from healthy cell free DNA. PhasED-Seq detects ctDNA at levels below one part-per-million (<.0001%), which enables the detection of cancer relapse up to 200 days earlier than other commercial ctDNA detection methods*. The PhasED-Seq platform has been validated in hundreds of real-world patient samples.

"Results show that PhasED-Seq used for EOT detection of ctDNA MRD is more sensitive than PET/CT and highly prognostic for DLBCL outcomes."

Mark Roschewski, MD, of the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, will present data, generated in collaboration with MorphoSys AG, demonstrating that PhasED-Seq’s sensitivity exceeded that of PET/CT scans and was highly prognostic for outcomes when used to measure MRD at the end of treatment in five clinical trials of patients with DLBCL.

David M. Kurtz, MD PhD, of Stanford University School of Medicine, has authored a poster presenting data, generated in collaboration with MorphoSys AG, on the use of PhasED-Seq to accurately track therapeutic response and predict clinical outcomes of first line therapy combinations in de novo DLBCL.

Dr. Kurtz will also give an oral presentation of data, generated in collaboration with Tessa Therapeutics, from the CHARIOT phase 2 clinical trial that supports PhasED-Seq ctDNA detection as a viable biomarker to assess risk, monitor response, and predict outcomes in patients with recurrent classic Hodgkin Lymphoma treated with CD30.CAR-T therapy.

"We are very pleased to have been selected by the ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) Program Committee to share these impactful clinical studies utilizing Foresight’s PhasED-Seq MRD technology for guiding lymphoma treatments and furthering clinical trials," said Jake Chabon, PhD, CEO and co-founder of Foresight Diagnostics. "Our goal is to provide industry leading MRD sensitivity that can provide actionable information to physicians and pharmaceutical companies to enhance a personalized approach to cancer treatment. We are very grateful to our partners at MorphoSys AG and Tessa Therapeutics for including our PhasED-Seq technology in their clinical trials and demonstrating its superior MRD sensitivity and utility for predicting clinical outcomes. We are also grateful to Dr. Roschewski, Dr. Kurtz, and their teams for presenting this important work at the 2022 ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting."

Podium Presentations:
Abstract Number: 322
Abstract Title: MRD-Negativity as a Potential Surrogate Endpoint after Frontline DLBCL Therapy: Pooled Analysis of Trials & Implications for Clinical Trial Design
Presenting Author: Mark Roschewski, MD, Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
Session Date: Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, at 4:45 PM CT; session 627, Theater AB
Abstract Summary: Studies were conducted to compare the predictive value of ctDNA MRD detection to radiographic response and ultimate outcomes including progression free survival (PFS) in patients with DLBCL. Cell-free DNA was profiled using Foresight Diagnostics’ PhasED-Seq to identify tumor-associated phased variants (PVs) and these PVs were used to monitor MRD at various interim timepoints and at end of treatment (EOT) in 5 prospective studies including investigational combinations of CHOP or EP[O]CH with acalabrutinib, lenalidomide, obinutuzumab, polatuzumab, and tafasitamab. Results show that detection of ctDNA MRD at EOT using PhasED-Seq is more sensitive than PET/CT and highly prognostic for outcomes in DLBCL. Studies suggest that PhasED-Seq’s ultrasensitive 1ppm limit of detection may serve as a surrogate clinical endpoint at EOT and should be routinely used in the analysis of MRD in clinical trials for DLBCL.

Abstract Number: 984
Abstract Title: Ultrasensitive Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA) Dynamics after Autologous CD30.CAR-T Cell Therapy for Relapsed or Refractory (r/r) Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (CHARIOT Trial)
Presenting Author: David M. Kurtz, MD Ph.D., Division of Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
Session Date: Monday, Dec. 12, 2022, 5:45 PM CT; session 704, Hall E
Abstract Summary: The Phase 2 multicenter study, CHARIOT, is investigating the use of CD30.CAR-T cells in cHL patients with progression following 3 lines of therapy. Foresight Diagnostics’ PhasED-Seq MRD assay was used to measure ctDNA levels as a possible biomarker at multiple timepoints, including at baseline (pre-treatment), at day 42 post-CD30.CAR-T infusion (D42), and upon progressive disease (PD). Data showed that ctDNA responses correlated with radiographic responses, suggesting that pre-treatment ctDNA levels could be predictive of patient response to CAR-T therapy. Researchers also determined that PhasED-Seq ctDNA analysis is a viable biomarker to assess risk, monitor responses, and predict outcomes in patients with r/r cHL treated with CD30.CAR-T therapy.

Poster Presentations:
Abstract Number: 1519
Abstract Title: Ultrasensitive MRD Profiling Predicts Outcomes in DLBCL after Frontline Therapy with tafasitamab in Combination with lenalidomide and R-CHOP
Presenting Author: David M. Kurtz, MD PhD, Division of Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
Session Date: Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, 5:30 PM-7:30 PM CT; session 621, Hall D
Abstract Summary: Studies were conducted to determine if ultrasensitive detection of ctDNA MRD levels could accurately track response and predict curative outcomes following experimental first line (1L) therapy. Serial blood specimens were evaluated from patients enrolled in a randomized Phase Ib study in de novo DLBCL treated with tafasitamab in combination with lenalidomide & R-CHOP (T/LR-CHOP). Cell-free DNA was profiled using Foresight Diagnostics’ PhasED-Seq assay, prior to treatment, to genotype each patient’s tumor for phased variants (PVs). PV detection was used to monitor MRD in blood specimens collected following 1 cycle, 3 cycles, 6 cycles/end-of-treatment (EOT), and 6-months post-treatment. MRD positivity at each timepoint was associated with likelihood of future progression or death. The results showed that the absence of ctDNA MRD as measured by PhasED-Seq, strongly correlated with durable responses to T/LR-CHOP in DLBCL.

*Kurtz, D.M., Soo, J., Co Ting Keh, L. et al. Enhanced detection of minimal residual disease by targeted sequencing of phased variants in circulating tumor DNA. Nat Biotechnol 39, 1537–1547 (2021)