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Genmab Announces that Janssen has Received European Marketing Authorizations for DARZALEX® (daratumumab) Subcutaneous Formulation, Including for the Treatment of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Light-chain (AL) Amyloidosis

On June 22, 2021 Genmab A/S (Nasdaq: GMAB) reported that the European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorization for the daratumumab subcutaneous (SC) formulation (daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj), known as DARZALEX SC in the European Union, in combination with bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone (VCd) for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed systemic light-chain (AL) amyloidosis (Press release, Genmab, JUN 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234584224]). The EC also approved DARZALEX SC in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone (Pd) for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received one prior therapy containing a proteasome inhibitor (PI) and lenalidomide and were lenalidomide refractory, or who have received at least two prior therapies that included lenalidomide and a PI and have demonstrated disease progression on or after the last therapy. The approvals follow Positive Opinions by the CHMP of the European Medicines Agency in May 2021. In August 2012, Genmab granted Janssen Biotech, Inc. (Janssen) an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize daratumumab.

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"AL amyloidosis is a potentially fatal blood disorder for which there is no cure, so we are extremely pleased that patients with AL amyloidosis in Europe may soon have a regimen including DARZALEX SC as a treatment option," said Jan van de Winkel, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Genmab. "We are also pleased that, with the approval based on the APOLLO study, the combination of daratumumab with pomalidomide and dexamethasone will now be a treatment option for certain patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in Europe."

About the ANDROMEDA (AMY3001) study
The Phase 3 study (NCT03201965) included 416 patients newly diagnosed with AL amyloidosis. Patients were randomized to receive treatment with either daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj in combination with bortezomib (a proteasome inhibitor), cyclophosphamide (a chemotherapy), and dexamethasone (a corticosteroid) or treatment with VCd alone. The primary endpoint of the study was the percentage of patients who achieve hematologic complete response.

About the APOLLO (MMY3013) study
The Phase 3 (NCT03180736), randomized, open-label, multicenter study included 304 patients with multiple myeloma who have previously been treated with lenalidomide and a PI. Patients were randomized 1:1 to either receive daratumumab in combination with Pd or Pd alone. In the original design of the study, patients in the daratumumab plus Pd arm were treated with the intravenous (IV) formulation of daratumumab. As of Amendment 1 to the study protocol, all new subjects in the experimental arm were dosed with the SC formulation of daratumumab and patients who had already begun treatment with IV daratumumab had the option to switch to the SC formulation. The primary endpoint of the study was progression free survival (PFS). The study was conducted in Europe under an agreement between Janssen, the European Myeloma Network (EMN) and Stichting Hemato-Oncologie voor Volwassenen Nederland (HOVON).

About AL Amyloidosis
Amyloidosis is a disease that occurs when amyloid proteins, which are abnormal proteins, accumulate in tissues and organs. When the amyloid proteins cluster together, they form deposits that damage the tissues and organs. AL amyloidosis most frequently affects the heart, kidneys, liver, nervous system and digestive tract. There is currently no cure for AL amyloidosis or existing approved therapies for AL amyloidosis patients in Europe, though it can be treated with chemotherapy, dexamethasone, stem cell transplants and supportive therapies.1 It is estimated that in 2019 there were 4,388 diagnosed incident cases of AL amyloidosis in the five major European markets.2

About Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is an incurable blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow and is characterized by an excess proliferation of plasma cells.3 Approximately 18,114 new patients were diagnosed with multiple myeloma and approximately 11,063 people died from the disease in the Western Europe in 2020.4 Globally, it was estimated that 176,404 people were diagnosed and 117,077 died from the disease in 2020.5 While some patients with multiple myeloma have no symptoms at all, most patients are diagnosed due to symptoms which can include bone problems, low blood counts, calcium elevation, kidney problems or infections.6

About DARZALEXSC (daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj)
Daratumumab is being developed by Janssen Biotech, Inc. under an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize daratumumab from Genmab. DARZALEX SC (daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj) is the first subcutaneous CD38 antibody approved in the Europe for the treatment of both multiple myeloma and AL amyloidosis. Daratumumab is a human IgG1k monoclonal antibody (mAb) that binds with high affinity to the CD38 molecule, which is highly expressed on the surface of multiple myeloma cells. Daratumumab triggers a person’s own immune system to attack the cancer cells, resulting in rapid tumor cell death through multiple immune-mediated mechanisms of action and through immunomodulatory effects, in addition to direct tumor cell death, via apoptosis (programmed cell death). 7,8, 9, 10, 11

Sun Pharma Announces Settlement of Patent Litigation for Generic Revlimid® (lenalidomide) in US

On June 22, 2021 Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (Reuters: SUN.BO, Bloomberg: SUNP IN, NSE: SUNPHARMA, BSE: 524715, "Sun Pharma" and includes its subsidiaries and/or associate companies) along with one of its wholly owned subsidiaries reported that they have reached an agreement with Celgene Corporation (Celgene), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bristol Myers Squibb, to resolve the patent litigation regarding submission of an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for a generic version of Revlimid (lenalidomide capsules) in the US (Press release, Sun Pharma, JUN 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234584223]).

Pursuant to the terms of the settlement, Celgene will grant Sun Pharma a license to Celgene’s patents required to manufacture and sell (subject to USFDA approval) certain limited quantity of generic lenalidomide capsules in the US beginning on a confidential date that is sometime after March 2022. In addition, the license will also allow Sun Pharma to manufacture and sell an unlimited quantity of generic lenalidomide capsules in the US beginning January 31, 2026.

As a result of the settlement, all Hatch-Waxman litigation between Sun Pharma and Celgene, regarding the Revlimid patents, will be dismissed. Additional details regarding the settlement are confidential. The agreement is subject to customary regulatory approvals. -All brand names and trademarks are the property of respective owners

FENNEC PHARMACEUTICALS ANNOUNCES FDA ACCEPTANCE OF NEW DRUG APPLICATION RESUBMISSION FOR PEDMARKTM

On June 22, 2021 Fennec Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: FENC; TSX: FRX), a specialty pharmaceutical company, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing the resubmission of its New Drug Application (NDA) for PEDMARKTM (a unique formulation of sodium thiosulfate) for the prevention of ototoxicity induced by cisplatin chemotherapy in patients one month to < 18 years of age with localized, non-metastatic, solid tumors (Press release, Fennec Pharmaceuticals, JUN 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234584222]). The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date has been set for November 27, 2021.

"We are pleased that the FDA has accepted our PEDMARKTM resubmission," said Rosty Raykov, chief executive officer of Fennec Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "We look forward to working closely with the FDA through the review process. We are committed to bringing this treatment to children receiving cisplatin chemotherapy, an area of high unmet medical need. If approved, PEDMARKTM stands to be the first FDA approved therapy to reduce the risk of cisplatin induced ototoxicity in pediatric patients."

PEDMARK has been granted both Fast Track Designation and Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the FDA. The Complete Response Letter (CRL) received on August 10, 2020, referred to deficiencies with the facility of the drug product manufacturer; no clinical safety or efficacy issues were identified and there was no requirement for further clinical data.

About PEDMARK

Cisplatin and other platinum compounds are essential chemotherapeutic agents for many pediatric malignancies. Unfortunately, platinum-based therapies cause ototoxicity, or hearing loss, which is permanent, irreversible, and particularly harmful to the survivors of pediatric cancer.

In the U.S. and Europe, it is estimated that, annually, over 10,000 children may receive platinum-based chemotherapy. The incidence of ototoxicity depends upon the dose and duration of chemotherapy, and many of these children require lifelong hearing aids. There is currently no established preventive agent for this hearing loss and only expensive, technically difficult, and sub-optimal cochlear (inner ear) implants have been shown to provide some benefit. Infants and young children that suffer ototoxicity at critical stages of development lack speech language development and literacy, and older children and adolescents lack social-emotional development and educational achievement.

PEDMARK has been studied by co-operative groups in two Phase 3 clinical studies of survival and reduction of ototoxicity, The Clinical Oncology Group Protocol ACCL0431 and SIOPEL 6. Both studies have been completed. The COG ACCL0431 protocol enrolled childhood cancers typically treated with intensive cisplatin therapy for localized and disseminated disease, including newly diagnosed hepatoblastoma, germ cell tumor, osteosarcoma, neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, and other solid tumors. SIOPEL 6 enrolled only hepatoblastoma patients with localized tumors.

The Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for sodium thiosulfate (tradename PEDMARQSI) is currently under evaluation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). PEDMARK received Breakthrough Therapy and Fast Track Designation from the FDA in March 2018.

Preliminary Results From RELIANT Trial of Relacorilant Plus Nab-Paclitaxel in Patients with Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

On June 22, 2021 Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NASDAQ: CORT), a commercial-stage company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs to treat severe metabolic, oncologic and psychiatric disorders by modulating the effects of cortisol, reported preliminary results from its Phase 3 RELIANT trial of relacorilant combined with nab-paclitaxel in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer (Press release, Corcept Therapeutics, JUN 22, 2021, https://ir.corcept.com/news-releases/news-release-details/preliminary-results-reliant-trial-relacorilant-plus-nab [SID1234584221]).

"RELIANT evaluated relacorilant plus nab-paclitaxel in pancreatic cancer patients who had relapsed following at least two prior lines of therapy, including treatment with nab-paclitaxel in almost all cases," said Andreas Grauer, MD, Corcept’s Chief Medical Officer. "Two of 31 evaluable patients exhibited tumor shrinkage designated as a partial response, a response rate of six percent, while 15 patients achieved stable disease for at least 12 weeks. The combination was well-tolerated. These data are similar to those of our Phase 1 study.

"Metastatic pancreatic cancer is a dire disease and patients who have relapsed following multiple lines of therapy have no effective treatment options. While our interim analysis suggests that the combination of relacorilant and nab-paclitaxel is active in these patients, the apparent level of benefit does not justify its further study as a treatment for end-stage pancreatic cancer."

"All of the cancers we are studying are aggressively lethal and we will not pursue an approval unless we believe our candidate therapy offers a substantial benefit," added Joseph K. Belanoff, MD, Corcept’s Chief Executive Officer. "Our development program in solid tumors continues to advance. Based on the positive results of our controlled Phase 2 trial of relacorilant plus nab-paclitaxel in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, we are very excited to initiate a pivotal trial for that indication in the first quarter of 2022. Our trials of relacorilant plus pembrolizumab in patients with adrenal cancer and of exicorilant plus enzalutamide in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer continue to enroll. Based on the promising clinical trial results we have observed across our oncology programs, we are evaluating relacorilant as a potential treatment for patients with earlier stages of pancreatic cancer and with other glucocorticoid receptor-expressing tumors."

Trial Design and Preliminary Results

RELIANT is a single-arm, multicenter, open-label, Phase 3 trial of relacorilant combined with nab-paclitaxel in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer, with a planned enrollment of 80 patients and a planned interim analysis of outcomes in the first 40 patients. Patients received 100 mg of relacorilant every day and 80 mg/m2 nab-paclitaxel on Days 1, 8 and 15 of each 28-day cycle. RELIANT’s primary endpoint is objective response rate.

At the planned interim analysis, the study had enrolled 43 patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer who had received 2-4 prior lines of therapy (median prior lines of therapy: three), including 40 patients who were previously treated with nab-paclitaxel. As of the database cutoff date of April 15, 2021, there were 31 efficacy-evaluable patients. Two of these patients (six percent) had a partial response (best response based on RECIST v1.1); and 15 patients (48 percent) had stable disease, with two patients (six percent) with stable disease greater than 18 weeks. Safety was consistent with known profiles for relacorilant and nab-paclitaxel.

About Relacorilant

Relacorilant is a non-steroidal, selective modulator of the glucocorticoid receptor that does not bind to other hormone receptors. Corcept is studying relacorilant in a variety of serious disorders, including ovarian, pancreatic and castration-resistant prostate cancer, as well as Cushing’s syndrome. Relacorilant is proprietary to Corcept and is protected by composition of matter and method of use patents. It has received orphan drug designation in the United States for the treatment of Cushing’s syndrome and pancreatic cancer.

Bio-Path Granted Key Mechanism of Action U.S. Patent for BP1003

On June 22, 2021 Bio-Path Holdings, Inc., (NASDAQ:BPTH), a biotechnology company leveraging its proprietary DNAbilize liposomal delivery and antisense technology to develop a portfolio of targeted nucleic acid cancer drugs, reported that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted a new patent relating to the Company’s BP1003 program, a novel liposome-incorporated oligodeoxynucleotide inhibitor against Signal Transduction and Activator of Transcription-3 (STAT3). The patent (U.S. Patent No. 11,041,153) is titled "P-Ethoxy Nucleic Acids for STAT3 Inhibition (Press release, Bio-Path Holdings, JUN 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234584220])."

The new patent builds on earlier patents that have been granted that protect the platform technology for DNAbilize, the Company’s novel RNAi nanoparticle drugs. DNAbilize is a proprietary liposomal nanoparticle delivery and antisense technology designed to systemically distribute nucleic acid drugs throughout the human body with a simple intravenous transfusion.

"Our growing intellectual property portfolio continues to be a meaningful asset for Bio-Path and the addition of this new patent further strengthens our value as we advance our newest pipeline product, BP1003," said Peter Nielsen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bio-Path Holdings. "This mechanistic patent protects our position and underscores the novelty of BP1003’s ability to inhibit STAT3, a protein known to be overly expressed in a number of the most difficult to treat cancers such as pancreatic cancer (PDAC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSLCL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), among others. We are looking forward to advancing BP1003’s development in pancreatic cancer, which we expect to begin next year."

About Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3)

STAT3 is aberrantly active in cancer cells. The abilities of tumor cells to proliferate uncontrollably, resist apoptosis, induce vasculature formation, and invade distant organs are well-recognized hallmarks of cancer. STAT3 is a regulator of the genes involved in these cancer processes. More recently, the capability of tumors to evade immune surveillance and avoid destruction by the immune system has also gained significant acceptance in the cancer research field. STAT3, which is a point of convergence for many oncogenic pathways, has emerged as a critical mediator of tumor immune evasion at multiple levels.

Activation of STAT3 has been found in many types of cancers, including NSCLC, AML, and PDAC. Activation of STAT3 correlates with poor clinical outcome, high grade disease and metastasis, and has been linked with resistance to chemotherapy, including gemcitabine, considered a standard-of-care agent for advanced PDAC. Therefore, inhibition of STAT3 in combination with chemotherapy is expected to produce enhanced clinical benefit.