Genentech to Present New Data from Its Extensive Lung Cancer Program at the 2018 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC)

On September 5, 2018 Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY), reported that new data from its broad clinical development program across different types of lung cancer will be presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2018 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC), taking place from September 23-26 in Toronto, Canada (Press release, Genentech, SEP 5, 2018, View Source [SID1234529319]). Ten abstracts have been accepted, including three ‘late breakers’ and five oral presentations.

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"We look forward to presenting new data from our comprehensive lung cancer program, including new immunotherapy and targeted treatment strategies across different types of lung cancer," said Sandra Horning, M.D., chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. "We are particularly pleased to be sharing positive TECENTRIQ data in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, which has seen limited progress in treatment over the last two decades, as well as new pivotal data for our investigational therapy entrectinib for the treatment of ROS1 fusion-positive lung cancer."

Key presentations

Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) data from the Phase III IMpower133 study of TECENTRIQ plus chemotherapy (carboplatin and etoposide) for the initial (first-line) treatment of people with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) will be presented in the Presidential Symposium. These are the first positive survival data from a Phase III study with an immunotherapy-based combination in the initial treatment of ES-SCLC.

PFS and OS data will be presented from the Phase III IMpower132 study investigating TECENTRIQ plus pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy (cisplatin or carboplatin) in the initial treatment of people with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The IMpower132 and IMpower133 data will be featured as part of WCLC’s official press program on Monday, September 24 and Tuesday, September 25, respectively.

Additionally, results from a Phase Ib study investigating Tarceva plus TECENTRIQ in tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-naïve people with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC will also be presented.

New pivotal results of entrectinib, an investigational oral treatment for people with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1 fusion-positive NSCLC, from a pooled analysis including the global Phase II STARTRK-2 basket study will be presented. These data have also been selected to be featured in the WCLC press program on Monday, September 24.

Follow Genentech on Twitter via @Genentech and keep up to date with WCLC 2018 congress news and updates by using the hashtag #WCLC2018.

For more information on Genentech’s approach to cancer, visit View Source

Overview of key presentations featuring Genentech medicines at WCLC 2018

Medicine
Abstract title
Abstract number
Entrectinib

Efficacy and safety of entrectinib in locally advanced or metastatic ROS1 fusion-positive NSCLC
OA02.01 Oral
Monday, Sept. 24
10:30 – 10:40 a.m. EDT
TECENTRIQ (atezolizumab)
IMpower133: Primary PFS, OS and safety in a Phase 1/3 study of 1L atezolizumab plus carboplatin and etoposide in extensive-stage SCLC
PL02.07 Oral
Tuesday, Sept. 25
9:00 – 9:10 a.m. EDT
TECENTRIQ (atezolizumab)
IMpower132: PFS, OS and safety results of 1L atezolizumab plus carboplatin/cisplatin plus pemetrexed in stage IV non-squamous NSCLC
OA05.07 Oral
Monday, Sept. 24
2:35 – 2:45 p.m. EDT
TECENTRIQ (atezolizumab)
Comprehensive peripheral blood immunophenotyping and T-cell clonal analysis during neoadjuvant immunotherapy with atezolizumab in NSCLC
MA04.10 Mini Oral
Monday, Sept. 24
2:35 – 2:40 p.m. EDT
TECENTRIQ (atezolizumab)
Neoadjuvant atezolizumab in resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): updated results from a multicenter study
MA04.09 Mini Oral
Monday, Sept. 24
2:30 – 2:35 p.m. EDT
TECENTRIQ (atezolizumab)
Tarceva
(erlotinib)
Long-term safety and clinical activity results from a Phase 1b of erlotinib plus atezolizumab in advanced NSCLC
MA15.02 Mini Oral
Tuesday, Sept. 25
1:35 – 1:40 p.m. EDT
TECENTRIQ (atezolizumab)
Avastin (bevacizumab)
IMpower150: Impact of chemotherapy cycles in 1L metastatic NSCLC in patients treated with atezolizumab and bevacizumab
P1.01-83 Poster
Monday, Sept. 24
4:45 – 6:00 p.m. EDT
TECENTRIQ (atezolizumab)
Retrospective descriptive analysis of metformin with atezolizumab in advanced non-small cell lung cancer in the OAK trial
P1.04-33 Poster
Monday, Sept. 24
4:45 – 6:00 p.m. EDT
TECENTRIQ (atezolizumab)
IMpower030: Phase III study evaluating neoadjuvant treatment of resectable stage II-IIIB NSCLC with atezolizumab plus chemotherapy
P2.17-27 Poster
Tuesday, Sept. 25
4:45 – 6:00 p.m. EDT
TECENTRIQ (atezolizumab)
Cost-effectiveness of atezolizumab for previously treated advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Canada
P3.04-17 Poster
Wednesday, Sept. 26
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. EDT
About lung cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, it is estimated that more than 234,000 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2018. Lung cancer can be broadly divided into two major types: non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). NSCLC is the most prevalent type, accounting for around 85 percent of all lung cancer cases, and SCLC accounting for approximately 15 percent of all cases. It is estimated that approximately 60 percent of lung cancer diagnoses in the United States are made when the disease is in the advanced stages. While the ROS1 gene fusion can be found in any person with NSCLC, young never-smokers have the highest incidence of ROS1-positive NSCLC.

About TECENTRIQ (atezolizumab)

TECENTRIQ is a monoclonal antibody designed to bind with a protein called PD-L1. TECENTRIQ is designed to bind to PD-L1 expressed on tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells, blocking its interactions with both PD-1 and B7.1 receptors. By inhibiting PD-L1, TECENTRIQ may enable the re-activation of T cells. TECENTRIQ may also affect normal cells.

TECENTRIQ U.S. Indication (pronounced ‘tē-SEN-trik’)

TECENTRIQ is a prescription medicine used to treat:

A type of bladder and urinary tract cancer called urothelial carcinoma.

TECENTRIQ may be used when your bladder cancer:
has spread or cannot be removed by surgery, and if you have any one of the following conditions:
you are not able to take chemotherapy that contains a medicine called cisplatin, and your doctor has tested your cancer and found high levels of a specific protein on your cancer called programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), as determined by an FDA-approved test, or
you are not able to take chemotherapy that contains any platinum regardless of PD-L1 status on your cancer, or
you have tried chemotherapy that contains platinum, and it did not work or is no longer working
The approval of TECENTRIQ in these patients is based on a study that measured response rate and duration of response. There is an ongoing study to confirm clinical benefit.

A type of lung cancer called non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

TECENTRIQ may be used when your lung cancer:
has spread or grown, and
you have tried chemotherapy that contains platinum, and it did not work or is no longer working
If your tumor has an abnormal EGFR or ALK gene, you should have also tried an FDA-approved therapy for tumors with these abnormal genes, and it did not work or is no longer working.

It is not known if TECENTRIQ is safe and effective in children.

Important Safety Information

What is the most important information about TECENTRIQ?

TECENTRIQ can cause the immune system to attack normal organs and tissues and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become serious or life threatening and can lead to death.

Patients should call or see their healthcare provider right away if they get any symptoms of the following problems or these symptoms get worse.

TECENTRIQ can cause serious side effects, including:

Lung problems (pneumonitis) –signs and symptoms may include new or worsening cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain
Liver problems (hepatitis) –signs and symptoms of hepatitis may include yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes, severe nausea or vomiting, pain on the right side of the stomach area (abdomen), drowsiness, dark urine (tea colored), bleeding or bruising more easily than normal, and feeling less hungry than usual
Intestinal problems (colitis) –signs and symptoms of colitis may include diarrhea (loose stools) or more bowel movements than usual, blood or mucous in the stools or dark, tarry, sticky stools, and severe stomach area (abdomen) pain or tenderness
Hormone gland problems (especially the thyroid, adrenal glands, pancreas, and pituitary) –signs and symptoms that the hormone glands are not working properly may include headaches that will not go away or unusual headaches, extreme tiredness, weight gain or weight loss, dizziness or fainting, feeling more hungry or thirsty than usual, hair loss, changes in mood or behavior (such as decreased sex drive, irritability, or forgetfulness), feeling cold, constipation, the voice gets deeper, urinating more often than usual, nausea or vomiting, and stomach area (abdomen) pain
Problems in other organs –signs and symptoms may include severe muscle weakness, numbness or tingling in hands or feet, confusion, blurry vision, double vision, or other vision problems, changes in mood or behavior, extreme sensitivity to light, neck stiffness, eye pain or redness, skin blisters or peeling, chest pain, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, or swelling of the ankles
Severe infections –signs and symptoms of infection may include fever, cough, flu-like symptoms, pain when urinating, and frequent urination or back pain
Severe infusion reactions –signs and symptoms of infusion reactions may include chills or shaking, itching or rash, flushing, shortness of breath or wheezing, swelling of the face or lips, dizziness, fever, feeling like passing out, and back or neck pain
Getting medical treatment right away may help keep these problems from becoming more serious. A healthcare provider may treat patients with corticosteroid or hormone replacement medicines. A healthcare provider may delay or completely stop treatment with TECENTRIQ if patients have severe side effects.

Before receiving TECENTRIQ, patients should tell their healthcare provider about all of their medical conditions, including if they:

have immune system problems (such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or lupus); have had an organ transplant; have lung or breathing problems; have liver problems; have a condition that affects the nervous system (such as myasthenia gravis or Guillain-Barre syndrome); or are being treated for an infection
are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. TECENTRIQ can harm an unborn baby. Patients should tell their healthcare provider right away if they become pregnant or think they may be pregnant during treatment with TECENTRIQ. If patients are able to become pregnant:
A healthcare provider should do a pregnancy test before they start treatment with TECENTRIQ.
They should use an effective method of birth control during their treatment and for at least 5 months after the last dose of TECENTRIQ.
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if TECENTRIQ passes into the breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment and for at least 5 months after the last dose of TECENTRIQ
Patients should tell their healthcare provider about all the medicines they take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

The most common side effects of TECENTRIQ in people with urothelial carcinoma include:

feeling tired
decreased appetite
nausea
constipation
urinary tract infection
diarrhea
fever
The most common side effects of TECENTRIQ in people with non-small cell lung cancer include:

feeling tired
decreased appetite
muscle pain
cough
shortness of breath
TECENTRIQ may cause fertility problems in females, which may affect the ability to have children. Patients should talk to their healthcare provider if they have concerns about fertility.

These are not all the possible side effects of TECENTRIQ. Patients should ask their healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information. Patients should call their doctor for medical advice about side effects.

Report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or View Source Report side effects to Genentech at 1-888-835-2555.

Please visit View Source for the TECENTRIQ full Prescribing Information for additional Important Safety Information.

About Avastin (bevacizumab)

Avastin is a prescription-only medicine that is a solution for intravenous infusion. It is a biologic antibody designed to specifically bind to a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that plays an important role throughout the lifecycle of the tumor to develop and maintain blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. Avastin is designed to interfere with the tumor blood supply by directly binding to the VEGF protein to prevent interactions with receptors on blood vessel cells. The tumor blood supply is thought to be critical to a tumor’s ability to grow and spread in the body (metastasize).

Avastin Indications:

Metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) for first- or second-line treatment in combination with intravenous 5-fluorouracil–based chemotherapy. It is also approved to treat mCRC for second-line treatment, when used with fluoropyrimidine-based (combined with irinotecan or oxaliplatin) chemotherapy, after cancer progresses following a first-line treatment that includes Avastin.
Avastin is not approved for use after the primary treatment of colon cancer that has not spread to other parts of the body
Advanced nonsquamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, in people who have not received chemotherapy for their advanced disease
Metastatic kidney cancer (mRCC) when used with interferon alfa
Glioblastoma (GBM) in adult patients whose cancer has progressed after prior treatment (recurrent or rGBM)
Advanced cervical cancer (CC) in combination with paclitaxel and cisplatin or paclitaxel and topotecan, is approved to treat persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cancer of the cervix
Ovarian cancer (OC). Avastin, in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by Avastin alone, is used for the treatment of patients with advanced (Stage III or IV) epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer following initial surgery.
Avastin in combination with paclitaxel, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin or topotecan, is approved to treat platinum-resistant recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer (prOC) in women who received no more than two prior chemotherapy treatments.

Avastin, either in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel or with carboplatin and gemcitabine, followed by Avastin alone, is approved for the treatment of patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer (psOC)

Possible serious side effects

Everyone reacts differently to Avastin therapy. So, it’s important to know what the side effects are. Although some people may have a life-threatening side effect, most do not . Their doctor will stop treatment if any serious side effects occur.

Patients should contact their health care team if there are any signs of these side effects.

Most serious side effects (not common, but sometimes fatal):

GI perforation. A hole that develops in the stomach or intestine. Symptoms include pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, constipation, or fever
Wounds that don’t heal. A cut made during surgery can be slow to heal or may not fully heal. Avastin should not be used for at least 28 days before or after surgery and until surgical wounds are fully healed
Serious bleeding. This includes vomiting or coughing up blood; bleeding in the stomach, brain, or spinal cord; nosebleeds; and vaginal bleeding. If a patient has recently coughed up blood or had serious bleeding, they should be sure to tell their doctor
Other possible serious side effects

Abnormal passage in the body. This type of passage—known as a fistula—is an irregular connection from one part of the body to another and can sometimes be fatal
Severe high blood pressure. Blood pressure that severely spikes or shows signs of affecting the brain. Blood pressure should be monitored every 2 to 3 weeks while on Avastin and after stopping treatment
Kidney problems. These may be caused by too much protein in the urine and can sometimes be fatal
Infusion reactions. These were uncommon with the first dose (less than 3% of patients). 0.2% of patients had severe reactions. Infusion reactions include high blood pressure or severe high blood pressure that may lead to stroke, trouble breathing, decreased oxygen in red blood cells, a serious allergic reaction, chest pain, headache, tremors, and excessive sweating. The patient’s doctor or nurse will monitor for signs of infusion reactions
Severe stroke or heart problems. These may include blood clots, mini-stroke, heart attack, chest pain, and the heart may become too weak to pump blood to other parts of the body (congestive heart failure). These can sometimes be fatal
Nervous system and vision problems. Signs include headache, seizure, high blood pressure, sluggishness, confusion, and blindness
Side effects seen most often

In clinical studies across different types of cancer, some patients experienced the following side effects:

High blood pressure
Too much protein in the urine
Nosebleeds
Rectal bleeding
Back pain
Headache
Taste change
Dry skin
Inflammation of the skin
Inflammation of the nose
Watery eyes
Avastin is not for everyone

Patients should talk to their doctor if they are:

Undergoing surgery. Avastin should not be used for 28 days before or after surgery and until surgical wounds are fully healed
Pregnant or think they are pregnant. Data have shown that Avastin may harm a woman’s unborn baby. Birth control should be used while patients are on Avastin. If Avastin is stopped, patients should keep using birth control for 6 months before trying to become pregnant
Planning to become pregnant. Taking Avastin could cause a woman’s ovaries to stop working and may impair her ability to have children
Breastfeeding. Breastfeeding while on Avastin may harm the baby and is therefore not recommended during and for 6 months after taking Avastin
Patients should talk with their doctor if they have any questions about their condition or treatment.

Report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or View Source Report side effects to Genentech at (888) 835-2555.

For full Prescribing Information and Boxed WARNINGS on Avastin please visit View Source

About Tarceva (erlotinib)

Tarceva is a once-daily, oral non-chemotherapy medicine for the treatment of NSCLC whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body and that has certain types of EGFR mutations. It has been shown to inhibit EGFR, a protein involved in the growth and development of cancers. Tarceva is a trademark of OSI Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Farmingdale, NY, USA, an affiliate of Astellas Pharma US, Inc. In the United States, Tarceva is jointly marketed by Astellas and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group.

Tarceva Indication in NSCLC

Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC):

Tarceva is prescribed for the treatment for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions or exon 21 (L858R) substitution mutations as detected by an FDA-approved test receiving first-line, maintenance, or second or greater line treatment after progression following at least one prior chemotherapy regimen.
Limitations of Use:

Safety and efficacy of Tarceva have not been established in patients with NSCLC whose tumors have other EGFR mutations.
Tarceva is not recommended for use in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy.
Important Safety Information

The following serious adverse reactions, which may include deaths, have been reported in patients taking Tarceva: Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)-like events; Liver and/or kidney problems; Gastrointestinal (GI) perforations (the development of a hole in the stomach, small intestine, or large intestine); Serious skin conditions; Blood, bleeding and clotting problems (stroke); Eye disorders (dry eyes, eye irritation, and damage to the cornea); Bleeding events when taking warfarin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs); Pregnancy (women should avoid becoming pregnant and avoid breastfeeding while taking Tarceva).

Patients should call their doctor right away if they have these signs or symptoms: Serious or ongoing diarrhea, nausea (feeling sick to the stomach), loss of appetite, or vomiting; New or worsening shortness of breath or cough; Eye irritation; New or worsening rash, blistering or skin peeling; Any changes in smoking habits.

The most common serious side effects include:

Diarrhea, weakness, rash, cough, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting.

Patients should call their healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects.

Report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or View Source Patients and caregivers may also report side effects to Genentech at (888) 835-2555.

For full prescribing information, please call 1-877-TARCEVA or visit View Source

About entrectinib

Entrectinib (RXDX-101) is an investigational oral medicine in development for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors that harbor NTRK1/2/3 or ROS1 fusions. It is a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor designed to inhibit the kinase activity of the TRKA/B/C and ROS1 proteins, whose activating fusions drive proliferation in certain types of cancer. Entrectinib can block ROS1 and NTRK kinase activity and may result in the death of cancer cells with ROS1 or NTRK fusions. Entrectinib is being investigated across a range of solid tumor types, including NSCLC, pancreatic cancer, sarcomas, thyroid cancer, salivary cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and cancers of unknown primary (CUP).

About Genentech in Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy

For more than 30 years, Genentech has been developing medicines with the goal to redefine treatment in oncology. Today, we’re investing more than ever to bring personalized cancer immunotherapy (PCI) to people with cancer. The goal of PCI is to provide each person with a treatment tailored to harness his or her own immune system to fight cancer. Genentech is studying more than 20 investigational medicines, 10 of which are in clinical trials. In every study we are evaluating biomarkers to identify which people may be appropriate candidates for our medicines. For more information visit View Source

Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc., Corporate Presentation – September 2018.

On September 5, 2018 Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc presented the Corporate Presentation (Presentation, Iovance Biotherapeutics, SEP 5, 2018, View Source [SID1234529316]).

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Eureka Therapeutics Achieves Regression of Metastatic Liver Cancer Using ET140202 T-cell Therapy

On September 5, 2018 Eureka Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with the goal of curing cancer by developing novel T-cell therapies that harness the evolutionary power of the immune system, reported preliminary safety and clinical results from its ongoing proof-of-concept study of ET140202 T-cell therapy in AFP-positive patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most prevalent form of liver cancer (Press release, Eureka Therapeutics, SEPT 5, 2018, View Source [SID1234529300]). The data was presented today in the late-breaking abstracts session of the CAR-TCR Summit in Boston, Massachusetts.

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The findings from the proof-of-concept first-in-human study, which is being conducted at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’An Jiaotong University in China, demonstrated a favorable safety profile of ET140202 T-cell therapy in six patients with no observed cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or drug-related neurotoxicity. In addition, one patient in the i.v. arm of the study had a complete response. Overall, tumor regression was observed in three out of six patients.

"We are encouraged by the safety profile and the potential efficacy of ET140202 for AFP-positive liver cancer," said Cheng Liu, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Eureka Therapeutics. "Combining T-cell therapy with a TCR-mimic antibody to target intracellular antigens is a novel approach and can potentially represent a powerful way to treat solid tumors, and in particular, liver cancer, an area of significant unmet medical need. The initial results represent an important milestone in T-cell therapy against solid tumors, and we intend to continue to study and rapidly advance ET140202 into Phase 1 clinical trials in the United States."

Commenting on the data, liver cancer surgeon and researcher Yuman Fong, M.D. said "Hepatocellular carcinoma is a cancer where we have had great difficulties finding effective treatments. The study shows early but important data in the possibility of targeting solid tumors using T-cell therapy." Dr. Fong, the Sangiacomo Family Chair in Surgical Oncology and Chair and Professor of the Department of Surgery at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California, continued "ET140202 has demonstrated a large therapeutic window with the potential of repeat dosing, combination therapy, as well as a higher dosing level than we have seen with other T-cell programs. I look forward to seeing future data on this study."

Data from Ongoing Proof of Concept Study

As of the data cutoff date of July 2018, six patients who had previously failed multiple lines of therapy had been treated in one of three treatment arms of ET140202: intravenous (i.v.), intra-hepatic artery (i.a.) infusion or intratumoral (i.t.) injection. All patients enrolled in this study were AFP-expressing HCC patients carrying at least one HLA-A2 allele. All six patients had pre-existing cirrhosis.

In vivo T-cell expansion, which indicates T-cell activation, was observed in all six patients. Reduction of serum AFP was observed in four out of the six patients. A complete response was observed in one patient at the five-month assessment, with tumor regression observed in both the primary liver tumors and distal lung metastases after multiple treatment doses. In addition, the serum AFP of this patient returned to normal levels at the five-month assessment. The complete response was maintained at the seven-month assessment. Among other patients with one to three months of follow-up, two patients showed partial tumor regression, two patients showed stable disease and one patient showed progressive disease. Of the six patients, three died due to non-drug-related complications of liver disease. Two of these three patients showed a partial response at the one-month follow-up assessment.

Across all evaluable patients, ET140202 was generally well-tolerated. All drug-related adverse events reported by investigators were limited to Grades 1 or 2, with the most common being fever and fatigue.

About Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths, with roughly 600,000 patient deaths every year worldwide, with incidence rates on the rise and limited treatment options. Between 2000 and 2016, mortality rates in liver cancer have increased 43% in the United States. Hepatocellular carcinoma is the predominant type of liver cancer with approximately 31,500 cases per year occurring in the United States. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is overexpressed, specifically in liver cancer, making it an ideal target for T-cell immunotherapy. However, AFP is intracellularly expressed and secreted, and therefore, not targetable by conventional antibody-based therapies.

About ET140202 Study

ET140202 utilizes Eureka’s proprietary ARTEMIS T-cell receptor platform engineered with a proprietary human TCR-mimic (TCRm) antibody to target an AFP-peptide/HLA-A2 complex on HCC cancer cells. Using its proprietary E-ALPHA antibody discovery platform, Eureka discovered and developed a TCRm antibody to selectively bind upon fragments or peptides of the AFP protein that are broken down within the cancer cell proteasome and displayed on the cell surface by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Once engaged onto this complex, the ET140202 engineered T-cell is designed to be activated to kill the cancer cell. The ET140202 clinical proof-of-concept study was sponsored by Aeon Therapeutics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’An Jiaotong University.

About ARTEMIS T-cell Receptor Platform

Eureka’s proprietary ARTEMIS T-cell receptor platform was designed to create potentially safer and more effective T-cell therapies. In pre-clinical studies against CD19-positive malignancies, Eureka’s ARTEMIS T-cells matched the cancer killing potency of CAR-T therapies but with a dramatic reduction in the levels of inflammatory cytokines released. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity are serious side effects associated with CAR-T therapies.

Quanterix to Speak at Wells Fargo Securities 2018 Healthcare Conference

On September 5, 2018 Quanterix Corporation (NASDAQ:QTRX), a company digitizing biomarker analysis with the goal of advancing the science of precision health, reported that Kevin Hrusovsky, Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of Quanterix, will present at the Wells Fargo Securities 2018 Healthcare Conference on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018 at 9:45 a.m., EDT at The Westin Copley Place in Boston, Mass (Press release, Quanterix, SEPT 5, 2018, View Source [SID1234529299]). Hrusovsky will also be attending Citi’s 13th Annual Biotech Conference on the same day at the Four Seasons Boston, where he is scheduled to meet privately with leading healthcare investors.

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TP Therapeutics Announces Updated Interim Phase 1 Data with Repotrectinib (TPX-0005) in ROS1 Fusion-positive NSCLC to be Presented at World Conference on Lung Cancer

On September 5, 2018 TP Therapeutics, a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing oncology therapies with a focus on addressing drug resistance, reported that updated interim data from its ongoing Phase 1/2 TRIDENT-1 study of Repotrectinib (TPX-0005) will be presented in an oral presentation at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer to be held Sept. 23-26, 2018, in Toronto (Press release, TP Therapeutics, SEPT 5, 2018, View Source [SID1234529298]).

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The presentation will provide an updated interim analysis of the Phase 1 study in ROS1 fusion-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients across multiple doses of Repotrectinib, TP Therapeutics’ investigational next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) designed to effectively target ROS1, TRKA-C and ALK fusion proteins, and overcome clinical resistance due to secondary kinase domain mutations. Preclinical and early clinical findings have shown Repotrectinib to be a potent and selective inhibitor for ALK, ROS1, and TRK family.

World Conference on Lung Cancer
Presentation Title: Safety and Preliminary Clinical Activity of Ropotrectinib1 (TPX-0005), a Next-Generation ROS1/TRK/ALK Inhibitor, in Advanced ROS1 Fusion-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Topic: Targeted Therapy
Date: Monday, Sept. 24, 2018
Session: Novel Therapies in ROS1, HER2 and rare EGFR Mutations (10:30 a.m. to Noon)
Abstract: 14217
Presenter: Jessica J. Lin, M.D., Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center

Initial preliminary data from the ongoing Phase 1 portion of the TRIDENT-1 study were presented in June 2018 at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper). In addition, the preclinical and clinical proof-of-concept data for Repotrectinib were recently published in the journal Cancer Discovery (The Cancer Discovery article may be found online at: View Source).

About repotrectinib (TPX-0005)

Repotrectinib (TPX-0005) is a potent and orally bioavailable investigational small molecule kinase inhibitor for ALK, ROS1, and TRK family. The clinical benefits of targeting ALK, ROS1, or TRK fusion kinase have been demonstrated with multiple kinase inhibitors already approved for the treatment of ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), in addition to crizotinib for ROS1+ NSCLC, and larotrectinib and entrectinib in clinical studies for TRK+ cancers. The successes of these therapies are overshadowed by the development of acquired resistance. The acquired solvent front mutations including ALK G1202R, ROS1 G2032R, TRKA G595R and TRKC G623R render a common clinical resistance to the current ALK, ROS1, and TRK inhibitors.

Repotrectinib has demonstrated potency against wildtype and mutated ALK, ROS1 and TRK family kinases, especially the clinically significant solvent front mutations, gatekeeper mutations, and emerging compound mutations after multiple line treatments. Repotrectinib may provide a new opportunity to inhibit the abnormal signaling of ALK, ROS1, or TRK family in solid malignancies, and overcome multiple resistance mechanisms seen in refractory patients. Repotrectinib is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1/2, open-label, multi-center, first-in-human study of the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and anti-tumor activity in patients with advanced solid tumors harboring ALK, ROS1, or NTRK1-3 rearrangements TRIDENT-1 study (www.clinicaltrial.gov number NCT03093116). Interested patients and physicians can also contact the TP Therapeutics Oncology Clinical Trial Hotline at 1-858-276-0005 or email [email protected].

1Note: TPX-0005 had an initial generic name of "ropotrectinib," which was later changed to repotrectinib and is now the accepted name by USAN and WHO INN.