FDA Accepts Supplemental New Drug Application for Pfizer’s XALKORI® (crizotinib) for the Treatment of Pediatric ALK-positive Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma

On September 23, 2020 Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted and granted priority review to the Company’s supplemental New Drug Application(sNDA)for XALKORI (crizotinib) for the treatment of pediatric patients with relapsed or refractory systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) that is anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive (Press release, Pfizer, SEP 23, 2020, View Source [SID1234565528]). XALKORI received Breakthrough Therapy designation (BTD) for the ALK-positive ALCL indication in May 2018 and if approved, would be the first biomarker-driven therapy for this type of pediatric lymphoma. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date for a decision by the FDA is January 2020.

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"Despite high survival rates for children with ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma, many will relapse, requiring novel treatment approaches," said Chris Boshoff, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Development Officer, Oncology, Pfizer Global Product Development. "Today’s FDA filing exemplifies Pfizer’s commitment to broadening the use of biomarker-driven therapies in areas with significant needs, such as rare, pediatric cancers. Given XALKORI’s proven efficacy in ALK-positive lung cancer and activity seen in clinical trials investigating relapsed or refractory ALK- and ROS-1 positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma, if approved, XALKORI could represent an important step toward improving outcomes for children with this type of cancer."

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), divided into ALK-positive or ALK-negative disease.1,2 Though the five-year survival rate for children with cancer in the U.S. is now the highest it’s ever been at 80%, children with cancer continue to face challenges in treating their disease, including rare tumor types, variations in medicine response and prolonged risk of side effects. 3

"Children with cancer and their families have been desperate for new and innovative medicines. We applaud Pfizer’s commitment to drug discovery and development to help address childhood cancers, and continue to work together on behalf of patients with these cancers," said George Dahlman, Chief Executive Officer, Children’s Cancer Cause. "We look forward to potentially having a new biomarker-driven therapy for children with relapsed or refractory ALK-positive ALCL that may help improve these children’s lives."

The FDA submission is supported by the results from Study ADVL0912 (NCT00939770) and Study A8081013 (NCT01121588). Study ADVL0912 is a Phase 1/2 study conducted in collaboration with the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), evaluating the maximum dose that is safe and tolerable, and assessing clinical activity in pediatric patients with relapsed or refractory solid tumors and ALCL. Pfizer provided funding and support to COG for this trial. Study A8081013 evaluated XALKORI in pediatric and adult patients with advanced malignancies known to be ALK-positive other than non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and included patients with relapsed or refractory ALCL. These two studies showed compelling antitumor activity in pediatric and adult patients who received XALKORI.4,5 Please visit clinicaltrials.gov for more information on these studies.

This FDA submission is in addition to the European Medicines Agency’s agreement on a Pediatric Investigational Plan (PIP) for XALKORI including the treatment of pediatric patients with relapsed or refractory systemic ALK-positive ALCL. This decision represents a step forward for potential regulatory submission for XALKORI in pediatric patients with relapsed or refractory ALK-positive ALCL in the European Union.

About XALKORI (crizotinib)

XALKORI is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic NSCLC whose tumors are ALK-positive or ROS1-positive as detected by an FDA-approved test. XALKORI has received approval for patients with ALK-positive NSCLC in more than 90 countries worldwide including Australia, Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and the European Union. XALKORI is also approved for ROS1-positive NSCLC in more than 70 countries.

The full prescribing information for XALKORI can be found here.

IMPORTANT XALKORI (crizotinib) SAFETY INFORMATION FROM THE U.S. PRESCRIBING INFORMATION

Hepatotoxicity: Drug-induced hepatotoxicity with fatal outcome occurred in 0.1% of patients treated with XALKORI across clinical trials (n=1719). Increased transaminases generally occurred within the first 2 months. Monitor liver function tests, including ALT, AST, and total bilirubin, every 2 weeks during the first 2 months of treatment, then once a month, and as clinically indicated, with more frequent repeat testing for increased liver transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, or total bilirubin in patients who develop increased transaminases. Permanently discontinue for ALT/AST elevation >3 times ULN with concurrent total bilirubin elevation >1.5 times ULN (in the absence of cholestasis or hemolysis); otherwise, temporarily suspend and dose-reduce XALKORI as indicated.

Interstitial Lung Disease/Pneumonitis: Severe, life-threatening, or fatal interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis can occur. Across clinical trials (n=1719), 2.9% of XALKORI-treated patients had any grade ILD, 1.0% had Grade 3/4, and 0.5% had fatal ILD. ILD generally occurred within 3 months after initiation of treatment. Monitor for pulmonary symptoms indicative of ILD/pneumonitis. Exclude other potential causes and permanently discontinue XALKORI in patients with drug-related ILD/pneumonitis.

QT Interval Prolongation: QTc prolongation can occur. Across clinical trials (n=1616), 2.1% of patients had QTcF (corrected QT by the Fridericia method) ≥500 ms and 5% of 1582 patients had an increase from baseline QTcF ≥60 ms by automated machine-read evaluation of ECGs. Avoid use in patients with congenital long QT syndrome. Monitor ECGs and electrolytes in patients with congestive heart failure, bradyarrhythmias, electrolyte abnormalities, or who are taking medications that prolong the QT interval. Permanently discontinue XALKORI in patients who develop QTc >500 ms or ≥60 ms change from baseline with Torsade de pointes, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, or signs/symptoms of serious arrhythmia. Withhold XALKORI in patients who develop QTc >500 ms on at least 2 separate ECGs until recovery to a QTc ≤480 ms, then resume at next lower dosage.

Bradycardia: Symptomatic bradycardia can occur. Across clinical trials, bradycardia occurred in 13% of patients treated with XALKORI (n=1719). Avoid use in combination with other medications known to cause bradycardia. Monitor heart rate and blood pressure regularly. If bradycardia occurs, re-evaluate for the use of concomitant medications known to cause bradycardia. Permanently discontinue for life-threatening bradycardia due to XALKORI; however, if associated with concomitant medications known to cause bradycardia or hypotension, hold XALKORI until recovery to asymptomatic bradycardia or to a heart rate of ≥60 bpm. If concomitant medications can be adjusted or discontinued, restart XALKORI at 250 mg once daily with frequent monitoring.

Severe Visual Loss: Across clinical trials, the incidence of Grade 4 visual field defect with vision loss was 0.2% of 1719 patients. Discontinue XALKORI in patients with new onset of severe visual loss (best corrected vision less than 20/200 in one or both eyes). Perform an ophthalmological evaluation. There is insufficient information to characterize the risks of resumption of XALKORI in patients with a severe visual loss; a decision to resume should consider the potential benefits to the patient.

Vision Disorders: Most commonly visual impairment, photopsia, blurred vision or vitreous floaters, occurred in 63% of 1719 patients. The majority (95%) of these patients had Grade 1 visual adverse reactions. 0.8% of patients had Grade 3 and 0.2% had Grade 4 visual impairment. The majority of patients on the XALKORI arms in Studies 1 and 2 (>50%) reported visual disturbances which occurred at a frequency of 4-7 days each week, lasted up to 1 minute, and had mild or no impact on daily activities.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: XALKORI can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise of the potential risk to the fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential and males with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment and for at least 45 days (females) or 90 days (males) respectively, following the final dose of XALKORI.

ROS1-positive Metastatic NSCLC: Safety was evaluated in 50 patients with ROS1-positive metastatic NSCLC from a single-arm study, and was generally consistent with the safety profile of XALKORI evaluated in patients with ALK-positive metastatic NSCLC. Vision disorders occurred in 92% of patients in the ROS1 study; 90% of patients had Grade 1 vision disorders and 2% had Grade 2.

Adverse Reactions: Safety was evaluated in a phase 3 study in previously untreated patients with ALK-positive metastatic NSCLC randomized to XALKORI (n=171) or chemotherapy (n=169). Serious adverse events were reported in 34% of patients treated with XALKORI, the most frequent were dyspnea (4.1%) and pulmonary embolism (2.9%). Fatal adverse events in XALKORI-treated patients occurred in 2.3% of patients, consisting of septic shock, acute respiratory failure, and diabetic ketoacidosis. Common adverse reactions (all grades) occurring in ≥25% and more commonly (≥5%) in patients treated with XALKORI vs chemotherapy were vision disorder (71% vs 10%), diarrhea (61% vs 13%), edema (49% vs 12%), vomiting (46% vs 36%), constipation (43% vs 30%), upper respiratory infection (32% vs 12%), dysgeusia (26% vs 5%), and abdominal pain (26% vs 12%). Grade 3/4 reactions occurring at a ≥2% higher incidence with XALKORI vs chemotherapy were QT prolongation (2% vs 0%), esophagitis (2% vs 0%), and constipation (2% vs 0%). In patients treated with XALKORI vs chemotherapy, the following occurred: elevation of ALT (any grade [79% vs 33%] or Grade 3/4 [15% vs 2%]); elevation of AST (any grade [66% vs 28%] or Grade 3/4 [8% vs 1%]); neutropenia (any grade [52% vs 59%] or Grade 3/4 [11% vs 16%]); lymphopenia (any grade [48% vs 53%] or Grade 3/4 [7% vs 13%]); hypophosphatemia (any grade [32% vs 21%] or Grade 3/4 [10% vs 6%]). In patients treated with XALKORI vs chemotherapy, renal cysts occurred (5% vs 1%). Nausea (56%), decreased appetite (30%), fatigue (29%), and neuropathy (21%) also occurred in patients taking XALKORI.

Drug Interactions: Use caution with concomitant use of moderate CYP3A inhibitors. Avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice which may increase plasma concentrations of crizotinib. Avoid concomitant use of strong CYP3A inducers and inhibitors. Avoid concomitant use of CYP3A substrates where minimal concentration changes may lead to serious adverse reactions. If concomitant use of XALKORI is unavoidable, decrease the CYP3A substrate dosage in accordance with approved product labeling.

Lactation: Because of the potential for adverse reactions in breastfed children, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment with XALKORI and for 45 days after the final dose.

Hepatic Impairment: Crizotinib concentrations increased in patients with pre-existing moderate (any AST and total bilirubin >1.5x ULN and ≤3x ULN) or severe (any AST and total bilirubin >3x ULN) hepatic impairment. Reduce XALKORI dosage in patients with moderate or severe hepatic impairment. The recommended dose of XALKORI in patients with pre-existing moderate hepatic impairment is 200 mg orally twice daily or with pre-existing severe hepatic impairment is 250 mg orally once daily.

Renal Impairment: Decreases in estimated glomerular filtration rate occurred in patients treated with XALKORI. Administer XALKORI at a starting dose of 250 mg taken orally once daily in patients with severe renal impairment (CLcr <30 mL/min) not requiring dialysis.

Saniona announces outcome of warrant exercise

On September 23, 2020 Saniona (OMX: SANION), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on rare diseases, reported the outcome in the exercise of warrants of series TO 2, that was issued in connection with Saniona’s rights issue and directed issue in the first quarter of 2020 (Press release, Saniona, SEP 23, 2020, View Source [SID1234565526]). During the period September 7 – 21, 2020, holders of warrants of series TO 2 had the right to subscribe for new shares, by exercise of warrants. In total, 1,329,141 warrants of series TO 2 were exercised, corresponding to a subscription rate of approx. 90 percent. Saniona will thereby receive proceeds of approx. SEK 33.2 million (USD 3.6 million), before issue costs, which amount to approx. SEK 0.4 million.

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Number of shares and share capital
Saniona will receive proceeds of approx. SEK 33.2 million, before issue costs. Issue costs amount to approx. SEK 0.4 million. When the new shares have been registered with the Swedish Companies Registration Office ("Bolagsverket"), the total number of shares in Saniona will amount to 62,372,831 shares and the share capital will amount to SEK 3,118,641.55.

"Saniona has had a very exciting and busy year, with an expansion in the US and a financing round that provided the company with approximately USD 65 million. As shareholders have now also exercised warrants of series TO 2, we are even better equipped and can continue to accelerate our expansion and growth journey. We are thankful for their confidence in the company’s strategy going forward," says Rami Levin, President & CEO.

Financial advisor, legal advisor, and issuing agent
Sedermera Fondkommission is financial advisor and issuing agent and Setterwalls Advokatbyrå is legal advisor to Saniona in connection with the issue and exercise of warrants.

This information is such information as Saniona AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 7.00 p.m. CEST on September 23, 2020.

PharmaCyte Biotech Continues to Engage the FDA During 30-Day Comment Period

On September 23, 2020 PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. (OTCQB: PMCB), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing cellular therapies for cancer and diabetes using its signature live-cell encapsulation technology, Cell-in-a-Box, reported that it continues to engage with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) during its 30-day comment period regarding the company’s submitted Investigational New Drug application (IND) (Press release, PharmaCyte Biotech, SEP 23, 2020, View Source [SID1234565525]).

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PharmaCyte’s Chief Executive Officer, Kenneth L. Waggoner, said of the interactions with the FDA, "We anticipated a number of engagements with the FDA to supplement key information related to our complex treatment. We are advancing a biologic, which is far more complex than developing a single-molecule drug. To our knowledge, the FDA has never had to assess a live-cell encapsulation technology such as ours. The FDA is fully engaged as it assesses the need for our product candidate to be safe and to comply with every cGMP regulation and FDA guidance.

"So far, we have had 5 opportunities to answer the FDA’s questions by supplying the regulatory agency with further clarification and supporting documentation, and we’re pleased with the process to date."

Once PharmaCyte (the sponsor) submitted its IND, the sponsor must wait 30 calendar days before initiating any clinical trial. During this time, the FDA has an opportunity to review the IND for safety to assure that research subjects will not be subjected to unreasonable risk.

To learn more about PharmaCyte’s pancreatic cancer treatment and how it works inside the body to treat locally advanced inoperable pancreatic cancer, we encourage you to watch the company’s documentary video complete with medical animations at: View Source

Myovant Sciences Launches “Forward for Health Equity” Grant Program to Improve Healthcare Access in Prostate Cancer and Uterine Fibroids

On September 23, 2020 Myovant Sciences (NYSE: MYOV), a healthcare company focused on redefining care for women and for men, reported the launch of its "Forward for Health Equity" grant program (Press release, Myovant Sciences, SEP 23, 2020, https://investors.myovant.com/news-releases/news-release-details/myovant-sciences-launches-forward-health-equity-grant-program [SID1234565524]). The program will provide funding to nonprofit healthcare organizations with innovative projects focused on improving healthcare access, with an initial focus on reducing racial disparities in prostate cancer and uterine fibroids in the U.S. Myovant will award as many as four grants of up to $50,000 each, for a total of $200,000.

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Prostate cancer is the second deadliest cancer in men in the U.S. and has the largest racial disparity of any major cancer, killing Black men twice as often as white men. Uterine fibroids can cause debilitating symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding and pain, leading to over 250,000 hysterectomies each year in the U.S., with Black women more likely to undergo more invasive surgical procedures. Studies have also shown that Black men and women have less access to healthcare, and access issues such as lack of insurance coverage have been shown to contribute to the racial disparities in prostate cancer and uterine fibroids.

"Myovant is committed to redefining care for women and for men, not only through the development of new medicines but also through initiatives that aim to address the broader societal issues that lead to health inequities," said Jarrad Aguirre, M.D., head of corporate strategy and advocacy at Myovant Sciences. "We have forged multiple cross-sector partnerships to advocate for a world in which everyone can move forward on their journey with confidence and health, and we are proud to expand our commitment with the launch of the Forward for Health Equity grant program."

Myovant previously launched the Female Forward Together coalition in partnership with Evidation Health, Flo Health, HealthyWomen, and PERIOD, with coalition projects including the development of a digital tool to evaluate menstrual blood loss and the creation of a storytelling initiative to reduce stigma around menstruation. Myovant also recently launched the Forward Momentum coalition in partnership with BlackDoctor.org, Evidation Health, and Movember to improve representation of Black men and women in research studies and to develop digital tools for men with prostate cancer.

"Prostate cancer and uterine fibroids have a disproportionate impact on Black men and women, and studies have shown those populations may experience worse outcomes from these diseases due to societal inequities and disparities in healthcare access," said Reggie Ware, chief executive officer of BlackDoctor.org. "These disparities have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, making an effort like Myovant’s Forward for Health Equity grant program an urgent priority and an important initiative."

The "Forward for Health Equity" grant program will accept applications through December 31, 2020. Applicants must be U.S.-based nonprofit healthcare organizations. Applicants may not be individual healthcare professionals. Applications will be evaluated based on 1) greatest potential to improve health equity, 2) degree of innovation, and 3) focus on healthcare access. Applications will be reviewed by a committee consisting of Myovant employees and external leaders and advocates.

Actinium Pharmaceuticals Successfully Completes First Dosing Cohort in the Phase 1 Study of Actimab-A and Venetoclax Combination Therapy in Relapsed/Refractory AML Patients

On September 23, 2020 Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE AMERICAN: ATNM) (the "Company" or "Actinium") reported that it has successfully completed the first dosing cohort in the Actimab-A and venetoclax combination, multi-center Phase 1 trial for patients with Relapsed or Refractory ("R/R") Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) age 18 and above (Press release, Actinium Pharmaceuticals, SEP 23, 2020, View Source [SID1234565523]). All patients from the first dosing cohort (0.50 uCi/kg of Actimab-A) completed treatment and cleared their initial safety evaluation, thus allowing the study to proceed to the second dose cohort of 1.0 uCi/kg Actimab-A added to venetoclax. In a poster presentation at the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2019, Actimab-A was shown to be synergistic with venetoclax in venetoclax resistant cell lines, by depleting MCL-1, a protein shown to mediate resistance to venetoclax. The ongoing Phase 1 study was planned to replicate this synergy in a clinical setting. Actinium plans to report study proof of concept results in 2021.

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Venetoclax is a B-Cell Lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) inhibitor jointly developed and marketed by AbbVie and Genentech that is approved in combination with hypomethylating agents ("HMAs") for patients with AML. The use of venetoclax has become widespread in the treatment of fit and unfit patients with R/R AML following its inclusion in the recently expanded National Comprehensive Cancer Network ("NCCN") guidelines. Actinium’s preclinical research has demonstrated that by adding Actimab-A to venetoclax, the targeted internalized radiation from Actimab-A can deliver potent AML cell killing, as well as effectively deplete MCL-1 levels. The overexpression of MCL-1, a member of the BCL-2 family which venetoclax does not inhibit, promotes resistance to venetoclax. Thus, Actimab-A reverses resistance to venetoclax and has independent anti-leukemic activity mediated by CD33 as well.

"We are pleased to confirm that the second combination trial in our CD33 program is advancing through the dose escalation study as planned. Despite approval in multiple blood cancers, including AML, most AML patients are not cured with venetoclax regimens and eventually relapse. Based on the preclinical data, synergy with venetoclax and Actimab-A should lead to higher remission rates in R/R AML," said Dr. Mark Berger, Actinium’s Chief Medical Officer. "We continue to generate promising data from our broader combination program. For example, the Actimab-A combination trial with chemotherapy agent CLAG-M increased the complete response rate compared to CLAG-M alone in R/R AML patients by 60%. We expect to complete the proof of concept Actimab-A venetoclax combination trial in 2021."

This Phase 1 study is a multicenter, open label trial of Actimab-A added to venetoclax for patients with CD33 positive R/R AML. The study will continue to enroll patients that have been previously treated with venetoclax as well as venetoclax naïve patients. Gary Schiller, MD, Professor, Hematology-Oncology and Director, Hematologic Malignancy/Stem Cell Transplant Program at the UCLA Medical Center is the Principal Investigator for this study. The trial is also active at the University of Louisville.

Sandesh Seth, Actinium’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "We continue to advance the CD33 program for fit and unfit R/R AML patients as there is still a significant unmet need despite multiple recently approved agents. These therapeutic agents are not curative and patients continue to experience low response rates and/or high relapse rates. Our CD33 program, which also includes the Actimab-A CLAG-M combination trial, is anchored in leveraging mechanistic synergies of Actimab-A with approved or novel therapeutic agents in order to improve patient outcomes. We look forward to multiple clinical trial updates by year-end from our three ongoing trials in R/R AML, including our Iomab-B SIERRA Phase 3 pivotal trial."

Rationale for Actimab-A Venetoclax Combination Trial

This Phase 1/2 trial is a multicenter, open label trial of Actimab-A (lintuzumab-Ac225) added to venetoclax for patients with CD33 positive relapsed/refractory (R/R) Acute Myeloid Leukemia. The Phase 1 portion of the study is designed to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of Actimab-A added to venetoclax for R/R AML. The Phase 2 portion of the trial will assess the percentage of patients with CR, CRh, or Overall Response (CR + CRh), up to six months after the start of the treatment without receiving other AML therapies. The trial will enroll R/R AML patients who have been treated with venetoclax as well as venetoclax-naïve patients. At the 1.0 uCi/kg dose, Actimab-A is administered on Day 1 of each cycle for four cycles and venetoclax is taken on Days 1-21 of each cycle for up to 4 cycles. Each cycle is 28 days, with a potential to expand to 42 days to allow for full hematologic recovery. Gary Schiller, MD, Professor, Hematology-Oncology and Director, Hematologic Malignancy/Stem Cell Transplant Program at the UCLA Medical Center is the Principal Investigator for this study.

More information on the clinical trial design is available at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03867682).

About Actinium’s CD33 Program (Actimab-A)

Antibody Radiation Conjugate (ARC) Actimab-A targets the CD33 antigen that is expressed on virtually all AML cells with the antibody lintuzumab which delivers potent alpha radiation via its Actinium-225 radioisotope payload. Blood cancers like AML are highly sensitive to radiation but cannot treated with the current standard of external beam delivery because the disease is too widespread throughout the body. The combination of targeted radiation with Actimab-A potentially allows for greater cancer cell death than a standalone chemotherapy regimen such as CLAG-M or venetoclax, which are frequently used in the treatment of fit and unfit patients with relapsed or refractory AML per National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines. Prior clinical results in over 100 patients treated with Actimab-A, including a Phase 1/2 trial of 58 patients, demonstrated a safety profile with minimal non-hematologic toxicities and an unmatched ability to deliver attenuated doses of radiation internally to CD33 expressing cancer cells. In the Phase 1/2 trial, Actimab-A as a single agent produced a 69% remission rate (CR, CRi, CRp) at high doses in patients with newly diagnosed AML but Actinium elected to pursue low dose combination trials for therapeutic development based on observed myelosuppression. In the Actimab-A CLAG-M Phase 1 combination trial, the second cohort with CLAG-M plus the 0.50 uCi/kg dose showed that 86% (6/7) of patients achieved complete remission (CR/CRi) after receiving the 0.50 uCi/kg dose of Actimab-A. This is a nearly 60% increase over the remission rate reported in a trial of seventy-four patients with relapsed or refractory AML who received CLAG-M alone. The company expects trial results, including the third dose cohort, in 2020. The Actimab-A Venetoclax Phase 1 trial continues to enroll patients in a maximum tolerated dose and expects to announce proof-of-concept results in 2021.