On December 7, 2020 SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SLS) ("SELLAS"), a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel cancer immunotherapies for a broad range of cancer indications, and 3D Medicines Inc. ("3DMed"), a China-based biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation immuno-oncology drugs, reported that they have entered into an Exclusive License Agreement granting rights to 3DMed to develop and commercialize SELLAS’ lead late-stage clinical candidate, galinpepimut-S (GPS), as well as its next generation heptavalent immunotherapeuatic, GPS+, which is at preclinical stage, across all therapeutic and diagnostic uses in the Greater China territory (mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) (Press release, Sellas Life Sciences, DEC 7, 2020, View Source [SID1234572315]). SELLAS retains sole rights to GPS and GPS+ outside of the Greater China area. Potential payments to SELLAS under the agreement could total $202 million in license fees and milestone payments, not including future royalties.

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GPS is an innovative potentially first-in-class WT1-targeting artificially engineered synthetic heteroclitic immunotherapeutic in development for hematological malignancies and solid tumors characterized by an overexpression of the WT1 (Wilms Tumor Protein) antigen. In 2020, SELLAS commenced a Phase 3 clinical trial (the REGAL study) of GPS in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who have reached second complete remission.

"This agreement represents an important achievement for SELLAS as we continue to progress our clinical development program for GPS. We are excited to collaborate with 3DMed on the development and commercialization of GPS in China. 3DMed, an ambitious biopharmaceutical company with development, registration and commercialization capabilities with a focus on developing next-generation immuno-oncology drugs and an experienced team, is a wonderfully complementary partner in bringing the potential of GPS to patients in Greater China. The collaboration begins to put in place essential elements designed to expand the reach of GPS outside the United States, following potential regulatory approvals," said Angelos Stergiou, MD, ScD h.c., President and Chief Executive Officer of SELLAS. "The completion of this agreement, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, shows the execution strength of our team. We are also pleased to have strengthened our balance sheet with the non-dilutive upfront license fee of $7.5 million with other potential milestones over the next several months."

"We are very pleased to execute this exclusive license agreement of GPS and GPS+ in the Greater China area with SELLAS," said John Gong, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of 3DMed. "GPS and GPS+ are innovative therapeutics and, with growing need for new treatments, GPS’ potential use as a monotherapy as well as in combination with our Envafolimab, an innovative subcutaneous PD-L1 antibody which we have just filed for marketing approval in China, could create significant value for both 3DMed and SELLAS. This partnership highly reflects the vision of 3DMed to help patients with cancer to live longer and better. We believe that the addition of the GPS and GPS+ assets to our clinical portfolio is an important synergistic and strategic step for 3DMed as this partnership will expand our company’s therapeutic area expertise and improve our competitiveness."

Under the financial terms of the agreement:

SELLAS could potentially receive up to $202 million in license and milestone payments during the course of the collaboration, not including future royalties.

SELLAS will receive payment of an upfront license fee of $7.5 million payable this quarter and is eligible to receive potential near-term milestones totaling up to an additional $8.0 million.

SELLAS is entitled to receive royalties on Chinese sales on a tiered basis, dependent on sales levels, ranging from the high single to low double-digit percentage.

3DMed will be responsible for the costs of all development and regulatory activity for Greater China.
Torreya acted as a financial advisor to SELLAS.

About Galinpepimut -S

Galinpepimut-S (GPS) is an innovative and potentially first in class heteroclitic immunotherapy targeting Wilms Tumor 1 (WT1) which is ranked as the #1 cancer antigen by the National Cancer Institute. GPS consists of a mixture of four peptide fragments derived from the WT1 whole-length protein, two of which are artificially mutated by design utilizing the heteroclitic technology principle, aiming at optimal immunogenicity and mitigation of immune tolerance by the vaccinated host. GPS targets 25 carefully selected and validated WT1 antigenic epitopes and is applicable across the majority of HLA types on a global scale. GPS has an off-the-shelf lyophilized formulation and is administered subcutaneously to patients. GPS is optimally positioned either as a maintenance monotherapy in various clinical settings where the residual disease burden after prior debulking is very low, such as complete remission status in AML, or in combination with other therapeutic agents, most notably immune checkpoint inhibitors. In clinical trials, GPS has shown, both as monotherapy and in combination with checkpoint inhibitors, high rates of induction of immunogenicity and the abiitiy to delay disease relapse with an overall low incidence of adverse events, mainly low grade local inoculation reactions, and is currently being evaluated in a Phase 3 clinical trial as monotherapy for AML patients who are in second complete remission and in Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies in combination with checkpoint inhibitors. GPS was granted Orphan Drug Product Designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as Orphan Medicinal Product Designations from the European Medicines Agency, in AML, malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), and multiple myeloma (MM), as well as Fast Track Designation for AML, MPM, and MM from the FDA.

On December 7, 2020 HOOKIPA Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOK, ‘HOOKIPA’), a company developing a new class of immunotherapeutics based on its proprietary arenavirus platform, reported positive interim Phase 1 data on HB-201, its replicating monotherapy for the treatment of HPV16+ cancers (Press release, Hookipa Pharma, DEC 7, 2020, View Source [SID1234572314]). The results are from the initial dose escalation cohorts of an ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial (NCT04180215) evaluating HB- 201 as therapy for patients with advanced HPV16+ metastatic cancers. HOOKIPA will host a conference call and live audio webcast today at 8:30am EST.

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These interim data support proof of concept for HB-201 monotherapy as a new immunotherapy for a difficult-to-treat patient population with multiple prior treatment failures. As of December 4, 2020, 22 patients have been enrolled in the first two cohorts, of which 15 were eligible for evaluation. Among the 15 evaluable patients, 11 patients had relapsed/refractory metastatic squamous cell head and neck cancer (HNSCC), all of whom had progressed on prior therapy with a PD1 inhibitor. As per RECIST1.1, in patients with third-line or later HNSCC, HB-201 demonstrated an unconfirmed response rate of 18% (one unconfirmed complete responder and one unconfirmed partial responder) and a 73% disease control rate (six stable disease patients, in addition to the two unconfirmed responses referenced above).

Median progression-free survival (mPFS) is currently measured at 72 days and is ongoing. Although not demonstrated in a head-to-head trial, these HB-201 results, in more heavily treated patients who progressed on a PD1 inhibitor, compare favorably to the benchmark data of a 13% overall response rate and a 60-day mPFS1 for nivolumab in second-line PD1 inhibitor naïve HNSCC patients, based on data published from the third-party registrational study.

Encouraging efficacy signals were also seen in the more heterogeneous group of all 15 evaluable patients with HPV16+ cancers treated in this trial, comprised of the 11 HNSCC patients summarized above and four other patients with HPV16+ cervical, anal, or vaginal tumors. In these 15 patients, HB-201 demonstrated an unconfirmed response rate of 13%, a disease control rate of 67%, and a median PFS that is also ongoing and currently measured at 72 days.

"We are thrilled by these preliminary HB-201 data, as they show the potential of our arenavirus platform in oncology and represent future possible therapeutic options for patients with HPV16+ cancers," said Joern Aldag, Chief Executive Officer of HOOKIPA. "The early response with our single-vector HB-201 therapy highlights the potential of our replicating technology, especially as we explore alternating two-vector therapy with HB-201/HB-202, and a future combination with a PD-1 inhibitor, both of which we hope will deliver even greater responses."

Of the 22 patients enrolled on the trial as of December 4th, preliminary safety data show that HB-201 has been well tolerated. Treatment-related adverse events were reported by 41% of participants. Almost all reported events were Grade 1 and 2 and included fatigue, fever, decreased appetite, constipation, nausea, and itching. Only one serious adverse event deemed related to HB-201, Grade 3 fatigue leading to hospitalization, has been reported to date. The rate of adverse events was consistent regardless of administration route.

"There remains a considerable unmet need in the treatment of HPV16+ cancers, particularly those in head and neck, and these preliminary data on HB-201 as a monotherapy are encouraging," said Alan L. Ho, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and an investigator on the trial.

About the trial
This Phase 1/2 clinical trial is an open-label dose-escalation and dose-expansion trial in individuals with treatment-refractory HPV16+ cancers. The primary endpoint of the Phase 1 trial is a recommended Phase 2 dose based on safety and tolerability. Secondary endpoints include anti-tumor activity as defined by RECIST 1.1, immunogenicity, safety, and tolerability.

The trial is designed to evaluate different dose levels of HB-201 as a single-vector therapy, as an alternating two-vector therapy together with HB-202, and in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor. Dosing frequencies of every three weeks and every two weeks are being explored during dose escalation.

Since the trial opened in December 2019, 22 patients with metastatic HPV16+ tumors have been enrolled in the HB-201 monotherapy segment: 17 with squamous cell head and neck tumors, two with cervical, one with nasopharyngeal, one with anal, and one with vaginal. Patients had received at least two prior therapies, and most patients progressed on a PD-1 inhibitor, a platinum-containing regimen or both. Enrollment is ongoing and HOOKIPA expects to share additional interim clinical data from the HB-201/HB-202 alternating two-vector therapy segment in mid-2021.

About HB-201/HB-202
HB-201 and HB-202 are engineered using HOOKIPA’s replicating arenaviral vector platform. They are designed to use different arenavirus backbones (LCMV for HB- 201 and PICV for HB-202), while expressing the same antigen, an E7/E6 fusion protein derived from HPV16. In pre-clinical studies, alternating administration of HB-202 and HB-201 resulted in a ten-fold increase in immune response and better disease control than either compound alone.

Conference call
HOOKIPA will host a conference call and live audio webcast today at 8:30am EST to discuss the HB-201 monotherapy data from the interim analysis of the Phase 1 trial. To access the conference call, please dial +1 877 870 9135 (from the US) or +44 2071 928338 (international) and refer to conference ID 9747865. The webcast and the presentation will be available within the Investors & Media section of HOOKIPA’s website at View Source An archived replay will be accessible for 30 days following the event.

About Human Papillomavirus
Human Papillomavirus, or HPV, is estimated to cause about 5 percent of the worldwide burden of cancers. This includes approximately 99 percent of cases in cervical, up to 60 percent of head and neck, 70 percent of vaginal and 88 percent of anal cancers.

The majority of these cancers are caused by the HPV serotype 16. Most infections with HPV are cleared from the body with no lasting consequences. However, in some cases, HPV DNA becomes integrated into chromosomal DNA. When host cells take up this DNA, they express the HPV E6 and E7 proteins. This uptake can potentially lead to cancer since expression of these proteins leads to alterations in cell cycle control, which in turn predisposes these cells to become cancerous.

On December 7, 2020 Enlivex Therapeutics Ltd. (Nasdaq: ENLV, the "Company"), a clinical-stage immunotherapy company, reported that the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) issued a new patent to the Company, carrying a patent number ZL201380071109.8 (Press release, Enlivex Therapeutics, DEC 7, 2020, View Source [SID1234572313]). The patent covers AllocetraTM, the Company’s immunotherapy product candidate. The new patent provides added intellectual property protection in China, including methods, uses and pharmaceutical compositions.

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AllocetraTM has been designed to provide a novel immunotherapy mechanism of action that targets life-threatening clinical indications that are defined as "unmet medical needs", including organ dysfunction and acute multiple organ failure associated with Sepsis and COVID-19, as well as treating solid tumors by modulating the tumors’ microenvironment.

On December 7, 2020 Exelixis, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXEL) and Aurigene reported that Exelixis has exercised its exclusive option for Aurigene’s novel CDK7 inhibitor under the companies’ July 2019 agreement (Press release, Aurigene Discovery, DEC 7, 2020, View Source [SID1234572303]). Exelixis has now assumed responsibility for the future clinical development, commercialization, and global manufacturing of the compound now known as XL102 (formerly AUR102). Exelixis also announced that it has submitted an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to evaluate XL102 alone or in combination therapy for the treatment of inoperable locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors. XL102 is a potent, selective, and orally bioavailable covalent inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7), which is an important regulator of the cellular transcriptional and cell cycle machinery. Aurigene presented positive preclinical data demonstrating that XL102 has potent anti-proliferative activity and induces cell death in a large panel of cancer cell lines at the 32nd EORTC-NCI-AACR (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper) (ENA) Symposium (Abstract 170) in October 2020.

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"With single-agent and combination potential across a variety of forms of cancer, XL102 is an important addition to the growing Exelixis pipeline," said Peter Lamb, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Exelixis. "Aurigene has done an excellent job advancing the program and maintaining development timelines during a year in which global biopharmaceutical research came under pressure from COVID-19. We are excited to begin clinical development for XL102 following the FDA’s recent acceptance of our IND. As we maximize the opportunity for cabozantinib, our lead medicine, we are committed to building a diversified high-value pipeline with the potential to become novel medicines that could one day help patients with cancer recover stronger and live longer."

"Exelixis’ decision to in-license XL102 and file its IND with the FDA provides important validation of Aurigene’s discovery and preclinical development capabilities and the value of our partnership with Exelixis overall," said Murali Ramachandra, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Aurigene. "The preclinical data generated to date for XL102 demonstrate that this novel CDK7 inhibitor is orally available and has significant potential to improve care and outcomes for patients with diverse cancer indications, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, leukemia, and lymphoma. We continue to generate additional data from the other programs that are part of our partnership with Exelixis and believe that these programs will provide additional value-creating opportunities for both companies."

Under the terms of the July 2019 agreement, Exelixis made an upfront payment of $10 million for exclusive options to license three preexisting programs, including the compound now known as XL102, from Aurigene. In addition, Exelixis and Aurigene initiated three Aurigene-led drug discovery programs on mutually agreed upon targets, in exchange for additional upfront option payments of $2.5 million per program. Exelixis is also contributing research funding to Aurigene to facilitate discovery and preclinical development work on all six programs. As the programs mature, Exelixis will have the opportunity to exercise an exclusive option for each program up until the time of IND filing acceptance. If Exelixis decides to exercise an option, it will make an option exercise payment to Aurigene and assume responsibility for that program’s future clinical development and commercialization including global manufacturing. To exercise its option for XL102, Exelixis will make an option exercise payment of $12 million. Once Exelixis in-licenses a program, Aurigene will be eligible for clinical development, regulatory, and sales milestones, as well as royalties on sales. Under the terms of the agreement, Aurigene retains limited development and commercial rights for India and Russia.

On December 7, 2020 Magenta Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MGTA), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel medicines to bring the curative power of stem cell transplant to more patients, reported final clinical results from its earlier completed Phase 1 clinical trial as well as development updates for its MGTA-145 stem cell mobilization therapy, including commencement of enrollment in a Phase 2 clinical trial in multiple myeloma, and its plans for a Phase 2 clinical trial in allogeneic stem cell transplant for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The company also previously announced a clinical collaboration with bluebird bio to evaluate MGTA-145 for mobilizing and collecting stem cells in adults and adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD). Additional preclinical results were also presented at the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting and Exposition, taking place virtually from December 5-8, 2020, on the Magenta conditioning platform, including MGTA-117 program, which is a targeted antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) to prepare patients for stem cell transplant.

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MGTA-145 Advancement to Phase 2 Development in Blood Cancers

The company announced that enrollment has started and is ongoing in a Phase 2 clinical trial of MGTA-145, used in combination with plerixafor, to mobilize and collect stem cells for autologous stem cell transplantation of multiple myeloma patients at Stanford University. Magenta expects that this trial will provide patient-level data on stem cell mobilization and collection, characteristics of the mobilized graft and engraftment in patients with multiple myeloma.

Additionally, through a collaboration with the National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match, a global leader in facilitating allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, Magenta plans to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial in early 2021 using MGTA-145 to mobilize and collect stem cells from allogeneic donors for transplant in patients with AML, ALL and MDS. Allogeneic stem cell transplant provides a potentially curative therapeutic option for patients with these diseases. This clinical trial will evaluate stem cell mobilization, collection, cell quality, engraftment and the potential for reduced Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD), which is of particular importance in the allogeneic transplant setting.

MGTA-145 in Sickle Cell Disease

Magenta Therapeutics recently announced an exclusive clinical collaboration with bluebird bio to evaluate the utility of MGTA-145, in combination with plerixafor, for the mobilization and collection of stem cells in adults and adolescents with SCD.

The data from this clinical trial could provide proof-of-concept for MGTA-145, in combination with plerixafor, as the preferred mobilization regimen for patients with SCD. bluebird bio’s experience with plerixafor as a mobilization agent in SCD aligns with Magenta’s combination therapy approach, utilizing MGTA-145 plus plerixafor with potential for safe, rapid and reliable mobilization of sufficient quantities of high-quality stem cells to improve outcomes associated with stem cell transplantation.

MGTA-145 Presentations at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper)

Magenta presented final clinical data from its MGTA-145 stem cell mobilization Phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers at the ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting. All primary and secondary endpoints were met in the study completed earlier this year.

The results demonstrate that a single dose of MGTA-145, in combination with plerixafor, rapidly and reliably mobilized high numbers of stem cells in a single day without the need for G-CSF for potential use in diseases that can benefit from autologous and/or allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The additional data also offer further confirmation that MGTA-145, in combination with plerixafor, was well tolerated and provides a rapid and reliable method to obtain large numbers of hematopoietic stem cells. Transplant of these cells in preclinical models resulted in enhanced, durable engraftment, in addition to highly immunosuppressive properties, leading to reduced GvHD.

"Results from this study provide a robust dataset and proof of concept that MGTA-145, in combination with plerixafor, provides rapid and robust mobilization of stem cells and that these cells have better engraftment potential, are able to be gene modified and engraft and reduce GvHD in preclinical models compared to cells mobilized with other available agents. The data reinforce the availability of compelling opportunities for development in both the autologous and allogeneic transplant settings," said John Davis Jr., M.D., M.P.H., M.S., Head of Research & Development and Chief Medical Officer, Magenta Therapeutics.

The data were presented by Steven M. Devine, MD, Chief Medical Officer of the National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match and Associate Scientific Director of the CIBMTR (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research).

Conditioning Program (MGTA-117 and CD45-ADC) Presentations at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper)

Magenta also provided updates on its conditioning platform at the ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, including MGTA-117 and CD45-ADC programs. Preclinical data from a study of MGTA-117 demonstrate that it is an effective, potent conditioning agent for transplant with anti-leukemic activity, significantly decreasing tumor burdens, leading to delayed tumor growth and increased median survival rates in animal models of AML. Ongoing GLP toxicology and GMP manufacturing progress continue to be supportive of advancing MGTA-117 towards an IND filing in AML and MDS.

Additionally, preclinical data from a study of Magenta’s CD45-ADC, a CD45-targeted conditioning agent designed to remove the cells that cause autoimmune diseases to enable curative immune reset, demonstrated the ability to achieve successful outcomes as a single agent in the most challenging disease model through fully mismatched allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant, where only radiation or combinations of toxic chemotherapies are available, potentially providing patients the option of a reduced toxicity conditioning regimen. The company continues to evaluate this program preclinically.

About MGTA-145

MGTA-145 is being developed in combination with plerixafor to harness complementary chemokine mechanisms to mobilize hematopoietic stem cells for collection and transplantation. This new combination has the potential to be the preferred mobilization regimen for rapid and reliable mobilization and collection of hematopoietic stem cells to improve outcomes in autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation, which can rebuild a healthy immune system for patients with blood cancers, genetic diseases and autoimmune disorders.

MGTA-145 has the potential to replace the current standard of care for patients and allogeneic donors who currently rely on the use of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) alone or in combination with plerixafor, which can take up to five days or longer to mobilize sufficient numbers of stem cells, often resulting in significant bone pain and other side effects. (Press release, Magenta Therapeutics, DEC 7, 2020, View Source [SID1234572302])