Curis Announces Three Abstracts for CA-4948 Accepted for Presentation at the 62nd American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition

On November 4, 2020 Curis, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRIS), a biotechnology company focused on the development of innovative therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, reported that three abstracts for CA-4948, a small molecule IRAK4 inhibitor, have been accepted for oral and poster presentation at the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting and Exposition (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) which will be held virtually from December 5-8, 2020 (Press release, Curis, NOV 4, 2020, View Source [SID1234569850]).

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"We are pleased with the progress to date for our first-in-class IRAK4 kinase inhibitor, CA-4948 and are on track to report data by year-end for both our Phase 1 study in patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and our Phase 1 study in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes," said James Dentzer, President and Chief Executive Officer of Curis. "In addition to the data published in the abstracts this morning, we look forward to providing updated safety and efficacy data at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) from both studies."

Details of the presentations are as follows:
Oral Presentation:

Title: Safety, Pharmacokinetics and Activity of CA-4948, an IRAK4 Inhibitor, for Treatment of Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Hematologic Malignancies: Results from the Phase 1 Study
Author: Grzegorz S. Nowakowski, MD, Mayo Clinic
Session Name: 623. Mantle Cell and Indolent B-Cell Lymphoma – CAR-T and immunotherapy clinical studies
Session Date & Time: Monday, December 7, 2020, 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm ET
Presentation Time: 2:15 pm
Poster Presentation

Title: A Phase 1, Open Label Dose Escalation Trial Evaluating the Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Clinical Activity of Orally Administered CA-4948 in Patients with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia or Myelodysplastic Syndrome
Author: Guillermo Garcia-Manero, MD, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Session Name: 616. Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Novel Therapy, excluding Transplantation: Poster III
Session Date & Time: Monday, December 7, 2020, 10:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. ET
Poster Presentation

Title: A Multi-Center, Dose-Finding Study to Assess Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics and Preliminary Efficacy of a novel IRAK4 inhibitor CA-4948 in combination with ibrutinib, in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Hematologic Malignancies
Author: Grzegorz S. Nowakowski, MD, Mayo Clinic
Session Name: 623. Mantle Cell, Follicular, and Other Indolent B-Cell Lymphoma —Clinical Studies: Poster III
Session Date & Time: Monday, December 7, 2020, 10:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. ET
Additional meeting information can be found on the ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) website at www.hematology.org/Annual-Meeting/. Each presentation will also be available under "Events and Presentations" in the Investors section of the Company’s website at www.curis.com

Calithera Biosciences Announces Expansion of Ongoing Clinical Trial Evaluating Telaglenastat in Combination with palbociclib (IBRANCE®)

On November 4, 2020 Calithera Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: CALA), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing novel small-molecule drugs for the treatment of cancer and other life-threatening diseases, reported the expansion of the company’s ongoing clinical trial evaluating telaglenastat in combination with Pfizer’s CDK 4/6 inhibitor palbociclib (IBRANCE) (Press release, Calithera Biosciences, NOV 4, 2020, View Source [SID1234569849]). This Phase 1/2 study, which is being conducted by Calithera, will be expanded to include an additional cohort of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) whose tumors harbor mutations in both KRAS and CDKN2A.

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"There is a strong rationale to target KRAS and CDKN2A mutated tumors with the combination of palbociclib and telaglenastat," said Susan Molineaux, PhD, president and chief executive officer of Calithera. "Mutations in CDKN2A lead to upregulation of both CDK4/6 activity and glutamine utilization in cancer cells. By inhibiting these activities simultaneously with the telaglenastat-palbociclib combination, we hope to have a measurable impact on pancreatic cancer, which still has very few viable treatment options."

Telaglenastat blocks glutamine consumption in tumor cells, which, due to specific genetic alterations such as mutations in KRAS and CDKN2A, often become dependent on increased metabolism of glutamine. Approximately 50 percent of PDAC patients harbor mutations in both KRAS and CDKN2A. In preclinical studies with KRAS-mutated cancer models, telaglenastat showed synergistic anti-tumor effects when used in combination with CDK4/6 inhibitors, such as palbociclib, enhancing cell cycle arrest and blocking cancer cell proliferation. In the ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial (NCT03965845), encouraging efficacy and safety of the combination was observed in PDAC patients treated in the dose escalation phase of the trial.

The new cohort of the Phase 1/2 clinical trial will be evaluating the safety and anti-tumor activity of telaglenastat in combination with palbociclib in patients with advanced, metastatic PDAC whose tumors harbor mutations in both KRAS and CDKN2A. The ongoing Phase 1/2 trial is currently enrolling patients with colorectal cancer and non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors harbor mutations in KRAS.

GlycoMimetics Program Data to be Highlighted Via Three Oral Presentations and Two Posters at 62nd American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition

On November 4, 2020 GlycoMimetics, Inc. (Nasdaq: GLYC) reported that three abstracts including data from the Company’s clinical and research portfolio have been accepted for oral presentations and two abstracts have been accepted for poster presentations at the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting and Exposition, to be held virtually December 5-8, 2020 (Press release, GlycoMimetics, NOV 4, 2020, View Source [SID1234569848]).

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Of particular note are primary and key secondary endpoint data from additional analysis of the Phase 3 RESET study evaluating the efficacy of rivipansel in VOC. These findings point to the potential benefits, clinical improvements and improved outcomes associated with early treatment with GlycoMimetics’ wholly-owned product candidate, which include shorter hospital stays for patients and reduced need for IV opioids to treat pain.

A second presentation includes data from two different preclinical models of VOC using GlycoMimetics’ highly potent and specific E-selectin antagonist, GMI-1687. This presentation will highlight the product candidate’s potential for intravenous and subcutaneous administration to treat VOC by inhibiting occlusions and restoring blood flow.

A third presentation discloses how targeting E-selectin with uproleselan may help patients with AML overcome resistance to venetoclax combined with hypomethylating agent (HMA) based therapy.

Poster presentations convey how GMI-1359, a rationally-designed small molecule that inhibits E-selectin and CXCR4 (a chemokine receptor), enhances sorafenib’s anti-leukemia effect in pre-clinical AML models; and how GMI-1359 can uniquely generate motility-enhancing signals in AML cells and deplete AML cells from protective vascular niches in the bone marrow.

"GlycoMimetics is honored to have five abstracts from across our product candidate portfolio selected for presentations at this year’s ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) meeting. The data convey new insights into the critical role of E-selectin in both malignant and inflammatory, adhesion-mediated conditions, suggesting novel treatment options for unmet need in sickle cell disease and AML," said Helen Thackray, MD, FAAP, GlycoMimetics’ Chief Medical Officer.

Details on GlycoMimetics presentations at the ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) Meeting are as follows:

Title: Restoration of Normal Blood Flow in Mouse Models of Sickle Cell Vaso-occlusion Following Intravenous or Subcutaneous Administration of a Highly Potent E-Selectin Specific Inhibitor.
Presenters: Madhan Thamilarasan, William E. Fogler, John L. Magnani and Rahima Zennadi.
Session: 113 Hemoglobinopathies, Excluding Thalassemia—New Genetic Approaches to Sickle Cell Disease: New Insights Into Sickle Cell Disease Pathophysiology.
Date and Time: December 5, 2020. 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. EST
Presentation Time: 2:45 p.m.

Title: Targeting E-selectin with GMI-1271 Overcomes Microenvironment-mediated Resistance to Venetoclax/HMA Therapy.
Presenters: Kyung Hee Chang, Muharrem Muftuoglu, Weiguo Zhang, Mahesh Basyal, Lauren Ostermann, William E. Fogler, John L. Magnani and Michael Andreeff.
Session: 604 Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Resistance in Myeloid Diseases.
Date and Time: Saturday, December 5, 2020. 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Presentation Time: 3:15 p.m.

Title: Dual CXCR4 and E-selectin Inhibition (GMI-1359) Rapidly Increases AML Cellular Motility Prior to Intravasation and Vascular Niche Depletion Observed by Intravital Bone Marrow 2-Photon Microscopy.
Presenters: Tomasz Zal, M. Anna Zal, Mateusz Rytelewski, Kyung Hee Chang, Rodrigo Jacamo, William E. Fogler, John L. Magnani and Michael Andreeff.
Session: 616 Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Novel Therapy, excluding Transplantation: Poster II.
Date: Sunday, December 6, 2020.
Virtual Poster Hall: 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Title: Combined Blockage of E-selectin and CXCR4 (GMI-1359) Enhances Anti-Leukemia Effect of FLT3 Inhibition (Sorafenib) and Protects Hematopoiesis in Pre-clinical AML Models.
Presenters: Weiguo Zhang, Kyung Hee Chang, Mahesh Basyal, Yannan Jia, Lauren Ostermann, William E. Fogler, John L. Magnani, M. Anna Zal, Tomasz Zal and Michael Andreeff.
Session: 616 Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Novel Therapy, excluding Transplantation: Poster III.
Date: Monday, December 7, 2020.
Virtual Poster Hall: 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Title: Early Initiation of Treatment with Rivipansel for Acute Vaso-Occlusive Crisis in Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Achieves Earlier Discontinuation of IV Opioids and Shorter Hospital Stay: Reset Clinical Trial Analysis
Presenter: Helen Thackray
Session Name: 114 Hemoglobinopathies, Excluding Thalassemia—Clinical: Novel Treatments for Sickle Cell Disease
Date and Time: Monday, December 7, 2020. 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Presentation Time: 1:45 p.m.

The accepted abstracts are available online through the ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) meeting website, View Source

About Rivipansel

Rivipansel, the company’s wholly-owned glycomimetic drug candidate that binds to all three members of the selectin family (E-, P- and L-selectin), was GlycoMimetics’ first candidate to enter clinical development. After the Phase 3 RESET trial conducted by Pfizer, GlycoMimetics’ former collaborator, did not meet its primary or key secondary efficacy endpoints in 2019, new efficacy data from an additional analysis of rivipansel were published in June 2020 and subsequently presented at the Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease Research Meeting in September 2020. GlycoMimetics is engaging with the FDA to identify what, if any, next steps to take, with a focus on determining if there is a potential streamlined path forward for this asset in sickle cell disease.

About GMI-1687

Discovered and developed by GlycoMimetics, GMI-1687 is a highly-targeted, highly-potent E-selectin antagonist. It has been shown in preclinical studies to be bioavailable via subcutaneous administration. At the 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper), data presented in a poster about GMI-1687 pointed to the potential for a life-cycle extension for GlycoMimetics’ uproleselan. The investigational drug has also been shown to represent a more highly-potent and subcutaneously bioavailable potential life-cycle extension for rivipansel.

About Uproleselan (GMI-1271)

Discovered and developed by GlycoMimetics, uproleselan is an investigational, first-in-class, targeted inhibitor of E-selectin. Uproleselan (yoo’ pro le’ sel an), currently in a comprehensive Phase 3 development program in AML, has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the U.S. FDA for the treatment of adult AML patients with relapsed or refractory disease. Uproleselan is designed to block E-selectin (an adhesion molecule on cells in the bone marrow) from binding with blood cancer cells as a targeted approach to disrupting well-established mechanisms of leukemic cell resistance within the bone marrow microenvironment. In a Phase 1/2 clinical trial, uproleselan was evaluated in both newly diagnosed elderly and relapsed or refractory patients with AML. In both populations, patients treated with uproleselan together with standard chemotherapy achieved better-than-expected remission rates and overall survival compared to historical controls, which have been derived from results from third-party clinical trials evaluating standard chemotherapy, as well as lower-than-expected induction-related mortality rates. Treatment in these patient populations was generally well-tolerated, with fewer than expected adverse effects.

About GMI-1359

GMI-1359 is designed to simultaneously inhibit both E-selectin and CXCR4. E-selectin and CXCR4 are both adhesion molecules involved in tumor trafficking and metastatic spread. Preclinical studies indicate that targeting both E-selectin and CXCR4 with a single compound could improve efficacy in the treatment of cancers that involve the bone marrow such as AML and multiple myeloma or in solid tumors that metastasize to the bone, such as prostate cancer and breast cancer, as well as in osteosarcoma, a rare pediatric tumor. GMI-1359 has completed a Phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers. The Duke University Phase 1b clinical study in breast cancer patients is designed to enable investigators to identify an effective dose of the drug candidate and to generate initial biomarker data around the drug’s activity. GMI-1359 has received Orphan Drug Designation and Rare Pediatric Disease Designation from the FDA for the treatment of osteosarcoma, a rare cancer affecting about 900 adolescents a year in the United States.

Caelum and Alexion Announce Upcoming Data Presentations at the 62nd American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition

On November 4, 2020 Caelum Biosciences and Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALXN) reported that two abstracts on CAEL-101, a first-in-class amyloid fibril targeted therapy, have been accepted for presentation at the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting and Exposition, taking place virtually from December 5 to 8, 2020 (Press release, Caelum Biosciences, NOV 4, 2020, View Source [SID1234569847]). New data, from Cleveland Clinic, will be presented on the safety, efficacy and tolerability of CAEL-101 in combination with standard-of-care therapy in AL amyloidosis from the Phase 2 open-label dose escalation study that suggest early evidence of organ response. Data, from Caelum, that further demonstrate the safety and tolerability of CAEL-101 and support the selection of the 1000 mg/m2 dose for the Phase 3 study will also be presented.

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The accepted abstracts are listed below and are now available on the ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) website:

Oral Presentation
Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of CAEL-101 in AL Amyloidosis Patients Treated on a Phase 2, Open-Label, Dose Selection Study to Evaluate the Safety and Tolerability of CAEL-101 in Patients with AL Amyloidosis. Abstract #729. An oral symposium presentation is scheduled for December 7, 2020, 2:45 p.m. PST.

ePoster Presentation
CAEL-101 is Well-Tolerated in AL Amyloidosis Patients Receiving Concomitant Cyclophosphamide-Bortezomib-Dexamethasone (CyborD): A Phase 2 Dose-Finding Study (NCT04304144), Abstract #2277 – poster presentation, poster session II, December 6, 2020, 7:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. PST.

As was previously announced, the Cardiac Amyloid Reaching for Extended Survival (CARES) Phase 3 clinical program to evaluate CAEL-101 in combination with standard-of-care (SoC) therapy in AL amyloidosis has begun. Enrollment is underway in two parallel Phase 3 studies – one in patients with Mayo stage IIIa disease and one in patients with Mayo stage IIIb disease – and will collectively enroll approximately 370 patients globally. The Phase 2 program continues with the addition of a study arm to evaluate CAEL-101 in combination with SoC therapy plus daratumumab.

About CAEL-101
CAEL-101 is a first-in-class monoclonal antibody (mAb) designed to improve organ function by reducing or eliminating amyloid deposits in the tissues and organs of patients with AL amyloidosis. The antibody is designed to bind to misfolded light chain protein and amyloid and shows binding to both kappa and lambda subtypes. In a Phase 1a/1b study, CAEL-101 demonstrated improved organ function, including cardiac and renal function, in 27 patients with relapsed and refractory AL amyloidosis who had previously not had an organ response to standard of care therapy. CAEL-101 has received Orphan Drug Designation from both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European Medicine Agency as a therapy for patients with AL amyloidosis.

About AL Amyloidosis
AL amyloidosis is a rare systemic disorder caused by an abnormality of plasma cells in the bone marrow. Misfolded immunoglobulin light chains produced by plasma cells aggregate and form fibrils that deposit in tissues and organs. This deposition can cause widespread and progressive organ damage and high mortality rates, with death most frequently occurring as a result of cardiac failure. Current standard of care includes plasma cell directed chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant, but these therapies do not address the organ dysfunction caused by amyloid deposition, and up to 80 percent of patients are ineligible for transplant. AL amyloidosis is a rare disease but is the most common form of amyloidosis. There are approximately 22,000 patients across the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. AL amyloidosis has a one-year mortality rate of 47 percent, 76 percent of which is caused by cardiac amyloidosis.

XNK Therapeutics receives US orphan drug status

On November 4, 2020 XNK Therapeutics AB ("XNK") reported it has received Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its leading investigational drug candidate in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) (Press release, XNK Therapeutics, NOV 4, 2020, View Source [SID1234569846]).

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Receiving ODD status from the FDA for the treatment of multiple myeloma is a critical next step for the development of XNK’s leading investigational drug candidate. XNK has already received ODD status in the EU.

"Obtaining an ODD by the FDA is a significant milestone for XNK and our goal of taking the present drug candidate to the next level," said Johan Liwing, CEO of XNK Therapeutics. "This is the starting point for us to expand clinical development into the most important market globally for cancer treatment."

XNK has already completed its first-in-human Phase I/II clinical trial (ACP-001) in multiple myeloma at the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, showing a very good safety profile, and promising efficacy data. The company is continuing the clinical development in multiple myeloma in Europe and plans to initiate a Phase II clinical trial in the near future.