On January 13, 2020 Replimune Group Inc. (Nasdaq: REPL), a biotechnology company developing oncolytic immuno-gene therapies derived from its Immulytic platform, reported a corporate update, highlighting the progress of its key programs (Press release, Replimune, JAN 13, 2020, View Source [SID1234553149]).
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"Replimune had a very productive 2019 where a key highlight included the presentation of initial clinical data with RP1 as monotherapy and combined with Opdivo at the 34th Annual Meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper)," said Philip Astley-Sparke, Chief Executive Officer of Replimune. "We believe the data provides strong support for our ongoing registration-directed trial in our lead indication of CSCC as well as the decision to initiate a new clinical trial in organ transplant recipients who have developed the disease. Similarly, the data in melanoma led to the decision to expand the clinical trial to include a registration-directed cohort of melanoma patients who are refractory to prior treatment with anti-PD1 therapy. We also initiated our first clinical trial of RP2, the next therapy in our pipeline. Overall we are thrilled with our progress and are excited for the year ahead as we release further data sets, bring our third product into the clinic to address less immune-responsive tumors and as we continue to execute upon our mission to make our oncolytic immuno-gene therapies a cornerstone of cancer treatment."
Program Updates
RP1: RP1 is Replimune’s first clinical product candidate and is based on a proprietary new strain of herpes simplex virus armed with a gene encoding a potent fusogenic protein (GALV-GP-R-), intended to enhance tumor killing potency, immunogenic cell death and the activation of systemic anti-tumor immune responses, and with a gene encoding the cytokine GM-CSF. The Company presented initial data from the Phase 1/2 clinical trial of RP1 alone and in combination with Opdivo in November 2019 at SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper) 2019. The Company believes the data demonstrates that RP1 used alone and in combination with Opdivo is well tolerated and showed preliminary anti-tumor efficacy in target tumor types providing strong support for its ongoing and planned development programs in melanoma and CSCC. This clinical trial is being conducted under a clinical trial collaboration and agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) for the supply of Opdivo.
Recent RP1-specific program progress is summarized below:
The registration-directed Phase 2 clinical trial of RP1 in combination with Libtayo in CSCC is underway. This multi-center, randomized, controlled clinical trial is intended to enroll approximately 240 patients with CSCC. The clinical trial’s primary objective is to compare the response rate following treatment with RP1 in combination with Libtayo to the response rate achieved with Libtayo alone. Libtayo is an FDA-approved anti-PD-1 therapy developed by Regeneron and Sanofi for the treatment of patients with metastatic or locally-advanced CSCC who are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation. This clinical trial is being conducted under the Company’s collaboration agreement with Regeneron, whereby the Company and Regeneron split development and supply costs equally. Recruitment for this clinical trial is expected to take approximately 18 to 24 months and enroll patients in the United States, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom and European Union.
Recruitment is currently ongoing in the Phase 2 part of the Phase 1/2 clinical trial of RP1 in combination with Opdivo. The Phase 2 part of the clinical trial is currently enrolling 30-patient cohorts with melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancers, metastatic bladder cancer, and MSI-H tumors. Data from completely enrolled or ongoing skin cancer cohorts is expected to be presented during the second half of 2020 with further data from all four cohorts expected to be available by year-end.
On track to initiate a new registration-directed 125-patient cohort in the Phase 2 clinical trial of RP1 in combination with Opdivo in anti-PD-1 refractory melanoma patients in the first quarter of 2020, based on the initial clinical efficacy data with RP1 in melanoma. The additional cohort will be enrolled under an expansion of the clinical trial collaboration and Opdivo supply agreement with BMS.
On track to initiate a clinical trial of RP1 as monotherapy in solid organ transplant recipients with CSCC in the first half of 2020. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the protocol for this clinical trial under its previously-accepted Investigational New Drug application for RP1. The clinical trial is intended to enroll approximately 30 patients and assess the safety and efficacy of RP1 in liver and kidney transplant recipients with recurrent CSCC and is expected to provide initial data by the end of 2020.
RP2: RP2 is a version of RP1 that, in addition to expressing GALV-GP-R and GM-CSF, also expresses a genetically encoded anti-CTLA-4 antibody intended to block the inhibition of the initiation of immune response caused by CTLA-4. Similar to RP1, RP2 is intended to be used primarily in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy.
The Phase 1 clinical trial of RP2 alone and in combination with Opdivo is underway. The clinical trial is designed to assess the safety and tolerability, and to determine the optimal dose, of RP2 alone and in combination with Opdivo and is being conducted under a clinical trial collaboration and agreement with BMS for the supply of Opdivo. Initial data from this all-comers trial is expected by the end of 2020.
RP3: RP3 is a further armed oncolytic immuno-gene therapy which expresses two immune co-stimulatory activating ligands – CD40L and 4-1BBL – together with anti-CTLA-4 and GALV-GP-R-. CD40L activates CD40, which is intended to result in the broad activation of both innate and adaptive immunity, and 4-1BBL activates 4-1BB (CD137), which is intended to promote the expansion of cellular and memory immune responses.
The Phase 1 clinical trial of RP3 alone and in combination with an anti-PD-1 therapy is expected to initiate in 2020.
Corporate Updates
Manufacturing: Completed the build-out of Replimune’s state of the art manufacturing facility to support late-stage development and commercialization. The 63,000-square-foot facility in Framingham, MA is intended to provide multi-product manufacturing capabilities for Replimune’s Immulytic product candidates. The Company believes that the capacity of this facility is sufficient to support full commercialization of its product candidates. An occupancy certificate for the facility has been obtained and the first technology transfer manufacturing run has been successfully completed. Full GMP manufacturing is expected to commence in the first half of 2020.
Cash Position: Based on its current operating plan, Replimune expects that its cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, of approximately $183 million as of December 31, 2019, will be sufficient to fund its operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements into the second half of 2022.
J.P. Morgan Conference Presentation and Webcast.
As previously announced, the Company will be presenting at the 38th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, January 14th at 5:00 p.m. PT at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, CA. A simultaneous webcast of the presentation will be available in the Investors section of Replimune’s website at www.replimune.com. A replay will be available for 30 days following the conference.