On September 14, 2022 TRACON Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: TCON), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company utilizing a cost-efficient, CRO-independent product development platform to advance its pipeline of novel targeted cancer therapeutics and to partner with other life science companies, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast track designation for the development of envafolimab (KN035) for patients with locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) and myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) who have progressed on one or two prior lines of chemotherapy (Press release, Tracon Pharmaceuticals, SEP 14, 2022, View Source [SID1234619557]).
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"We applied for fast track designation based on activity observed in the ENVASARC Phase 2 pivotal trial and are pleased to receive this notification from the FDA," said Charles Theuer, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of TRACON. "Soft tissue sarcoma is a disease in need of new treatments and we expect to provide data through the ENVASARC pivotal trial showing superior efficacy and safety of envafolimab compared to currently approved therapy for refractory soft tissue sarcoma. Accrual in the pivotal ENVASARC trial remains robust and we expect to report an independent data monitoring committee interim safety review [and interim efficacy review in the fourth quarter."
The FDA designed the fast track process to facilitate the development and expedite the review of drugs to treat serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions and fill unmet medical needs. Fast track designation can confer important benefits, including the potential eligibility for priority review of a Biologics License Application, if relevant criteria are met, as discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.
About Envafolimab
Envafolimab (KN035), a single-domain antibody against PD-L1 invented by Alphamab Oncology and licensed by TRACON, is the first approved subcutaneously injected PD-(L)1 inhibitor. Envafolimab was approved by the Chinese NMPA in November 2021 in adult patients with MSI-H/dMMR advanced solid tumors who failed systemic treatment and have no satisfactory alternative treatment options. In December 2019, Alphamab Oncology, 3D Medicines and TRACON entered into a collaboration whereby TRACON has the right to develop and commercialize envafolimab in soft tissue sarcoma in North America. Envafolimab is currently being studied in the pivotal ENVASARC Phase 2 trial in the United States sponsored by TRACON and a Phase 3 pivotal trial in combination with gemcitabine and oxaliplatin in advanced biliary tract cancer patients in China sponsored by TRACON’s corporate partners, Alphamab Oncology and 3D Medicines.
About ENVASARC (NCT04480502)
The ENVASARC pivotal trial is a multicenter, open label, randomized, non-comparative, parallel cohort study at 30 top cancer centers in the United States and the United Kingdom that began dosing in December 2020. TRACON expects the trial to enroll more than 160 patients with UPS or MFS who have progressed following one or two lines of prior treatment and have not received an immune checkpoint inhibitor, with 80 patients enrolled into a cohort of treatment with single agent envafolimab at 600 mg every three weeks and 80 patients enrolled into a cohort of treatment with envafolimab at 600 mg every three weeks with Yervoy. The primary endpoint is objective response rate by central review with duration of response a key secondary endpoint.