On February 22, 2021 Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (NYSE American: CANF) (TASE:CFBI), a biotechnology company with a pipeline of proprietary small molecule drugs that address inflammatory, cancer and liver diseases, reported new data from the Phase II advanced liver cancer study including overall survival of nearly 4 years in two patients who are under namodenoson treatment (Press release, Can-Fite BioPharma, FEB 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234575355]). Additional findings show disappearance of ascites, normal liver function and good quality of life. In one patient stable disease has been recorded with disappearance of peritoneal carcinomatosis. Namodenoson continues to demonstrate a good safety profile and is well tolerated with no severe adverse events reported.

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Recently, the Company successfully concluded End-of-Phase II meetings with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA). Both agencies agreed with Can-Fite’s proposed pivotal Phase III trial design of Namodenoson for the treatment of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with underlying Child Pugh B7 (CPB7) cirrhosis to support a New Drug Application (NDA) submission and approval. The trial is expected to enroll 450 patients through multiple centers worldwide. Namodenoson has Orphan Drug Designation for HCC in the U.S. and Europe, has Fast Track Status in the U.S., and is currently treating liver cancer patients through a compassionate use program in Israel.

"We are very pleased to see prolonged survival, good quality of life, and in particular clearance of peritoneal carcinomas in these two patients. The FDA and EMA gave a green light to one pivotal Phase III study which, upon positive conclusion, would lead to registration of Namodenoson for the treatment of this devastating disease. To our knowledge, Can Fite is the only company developing a drug for this advanced patient population defined as Child Pugh B7 (CPB7) cirrhosis," stated Can-Fite CEO Dr. Pnina Fishman.

About Namodenoson

Namodenoson is a small orally bioavailable drug that binds with high affinity and selectivity to the A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR). Namodenoson was evaluated in Phase II trials for two indications, as a second line treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma, and as a treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). A3AR is highly expressed in diseased cells whereas low expression is found in normal cells. This differential effect accounts for the excellent safety profile of the drug.

On February 22, 2021 AstraZeneca reported the voluntary withdrawal of the Imfinzi (durvalumab) indication in the US for previously treated adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer (Press release, AstraZeneca, FEB 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234575353]). This decision was made in consultation with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In May 2017, Imfinzi was granted accelerated approval in the US based on promising tumour response rates and duration of response data from Study 1108, a Phase I/II trial that evaluated the safety and efficacy of Imfinzi in advanced solid tumours, including previously treated bladder cancer. Continued approval was contingent on results from the DANUBE Phase III trial in the 1st-line metastatic bladder cancer setting, which did not meet its primary endpoints in 2020. The withdrawal is aligned with FDA guidance for evaluating indications with accelerated approvals that did not meet post-marketing requirements, as part of a broader industry-wide evaluation. This withdrawal does not impact the indication outside the US and does not impact other approved Imfinzi indications within or outside the US.

Dave Fredrickson, Executive Vice President, Oncology Business Unit, said: "The science of immunotherapy has moved swiftly over the past few years, bringing new options to patients at an unprecedented pace. While the withdrawal in previously treated metastatic bladder cancer is disappointing, we respect the principles FDA set out when the accelerated approval pathway was founded and remain committed to bringing new and innovative options to patients. In the last three years, Imfinzi has become an important standard of care in multiple lung cancer settings, an area of considerable focus for AstraZeneca."

Healthcare providers are being notified of this update. Patients with metastatic bladder cancer currently being treated with Imfinzi should consult with their healthcare provider regarding their ongoing care.

Imfinzi
Imfinzi (durvalumab) is a human monoclonal antibody that binds to PD-L1 and blocks the interaction of PD-L1 with PD-1 and CD80, countering the tumour’s immune-evading tactics and releasing the inhibition of immune responses.

Imfinzi is approved in the curative-intent setting of unresectable, Stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after chemoradiation therapy in the US, Japan, China, across the EU and in many other countries, based on the PACIFIC Phase III trial. Imfinzi is also approved in the EU, US, Japan and many other countries around the world for the treatment of extensive stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) based on the CASPIAN Phase III trial. Imfinzi is also approved for previously treated patients with advanced bladder cancer in several countries.

As part of a broad development programme, Imfinzi is being tested as a monotherapy and in combinations including with tremelimumab, an anti-CTLA4 monoclonal antibody and potential new medicine, as a treatment for patients with NSCLC, SCLC, bladder cancer, liver cancer, biliary tract cancer, oesophageal cancer, gastric and gastroesophageal cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, and other solid tumours.

In bladder cancer, the Company has several Phase III trials testing Imfinzi in various treatment combinations across early- and late-stage settings including the NILE Phase III trial in metastatic disease, the NIAGARA Phase III trial in muscle invasive disease and the POTOMAC Phase III trial in non-muscle invasive disease.

AstraZeneca in immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a therapeutic approach designed to stimulate the body’s immune system to attack tumours. The Company’s IO portfolio is anchored in immunotherapies that have been designed to overcome anti-tumour immune suppression. AstraZeneca is invested in using IO approaches that deliver long-term survival for new groups of patients across tumour types.

The Company is pursuing a comprehensive clinical-trial programme that includes Imfinzi as a monotherapy and in combination with tremelimumab in multiple tumour types, stages of disease, and lines of therapy, and where relevant using the PD-L1 biomarker as a decision-making tool to define the best potential treatment path for a patient. In addition, the ability to combine the IO portfolio with radiation, chemotherapy, small, targeted molecules from across AstraZeneca’s oncology pipeline, and from research partners, may provide new treatment options across a broad range of tumours.

AstraZeneca in oncology
AstraZeneca has a deep-rooted heritage in oncology and offers a quickly growing portfolio of new medicines that has the potential to transform patients’ lives and the Company’s future. With seven new medicines launched between 2014 and 2020, and a broad pipeline of small molecules and biologics in development, the Company is committed to advance oncology as a key growth driver for AstraZeneca focused on lung, ovarian, breast and blood cancers.

By harnessing the power of six scientific platforms – Immuno-Oncology, Tumour Drivers and Resistance, DNA Damage Response, Antibody Drug Conjugates, Epigenetics, and Cell Therapies – and by championing the development of personalised combinations, AstraZeneca has the vision to redefine cancer treatment and, one day, eliminate cancer as a cause of death.

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On February 22, 2021 Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, CEO: Haruo Naito, "Eisai") reported that it has received orphan drug designation for a prospective indication for unresectable biliary tract cancer with FGFR2 gene fusion by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan (MHLW) for its in-house discovered fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor (FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3) selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor E7090, which is currently under development as an orally available novel anti-cancer agent (Press release, Eisai, FEB 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234575351]).

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FGFRs with genetic aberrations are known to play an important role in the proliferation, survival and migration of cancer cells as well as tumor angiogenesis and drug resistance. These genetic aberrations in FGFRs have been observed in various types of cancers, therefore, there is growing interest in FGFRs as a promising target for cancer therapy. By selectively inhibiting FGFR1, 2 and 3, and blocking those signals, E7090 has the potential to become a new molecular targeted therapy for cancers with FGFR genetic aberrations.

In Japan, a Phase I clinical trial of E7090 was conducted, and E7090 has been designated as the target drug for the SAKIGAKE Designation System of the MHLW for the treatment of unresectable biliary tract cancer. Currently, a Phase II clinical trial (Study 201) of E7090 is underway in patients with cholangiocarcinoma with FGFR2 gene fusion in Japan and China.

Eisai positions oncology as a key therapeutic area and is aiming to discover innovative new medicines with the potential to cure cancer. Eisai is committed to exploring the potential clinical benefits of E7090 for cancer treatment, as it seeks to contribute further to addressing the diverse needs of, and increasing the benefits provided to, patients with cancer and their families.

Discovered in-house by Eisai’s Tsukuba Research Laboratories, E7090 is an orally available novel tyrosine kinase inhibitor that demonstrates selective inhibitory activity against fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR) FGFR1, FGFR2 and FGFR3. Distinct from prior known FGFR inhibitors, E7090 has a basic structure which lacks the dimethoxyphenyl moiety, and in a kinetic interaction analysis study, it was observed that E7090 demonstrates antitumor effects due to inhibition of kinase activity with a binding mode (Type V) that exhibits rapid and potent binding as well as high selectivity to FGFR.1

A Phase II clinical trial (Study 201) of E7090 is underway in Japan and China to evaluate efficacy and safety in patients with cholangiocarcinoma with FGFR2 gene fusion. A Phase I clinical trial of E7090 is also underway in Japan in patients with estrogen receptor-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer.

2. About Biliary Tract Cancer with FGFR2 Gene Fusion
The five-year survival rate for biliary tract cancer is approximately 20%, which makes it an intractable cancer with the second worst prognosis following pancreatic cancer.2 Drug therapy options are limited in comparison with other cancers, and as such it is a disease with significant unmet medical needs. The estimated number of patients with biliary tract cancer is approximately 32,000 in Japan.3,4,5 FGFR2 gene fusion is observed in approximately 14% of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, which account for 15-30% of biliary tract cancers.6

3. Orphan Drug Designation System in Japan
The orphan drug designation system in Japan aims to support the development of drugs for diseases for which the number of patients is small and research and development is not progressing, despite high unmet medical need. As the requirement for designation based on Article 77-2 of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act (PMD Act) of Japan, a drug must meet the following conditions in order to be considered for orphan drug designation in Japan: the number of people expected to use the drug for its intended use is less than 50,000 people in Japan; there is no suitable alternative drug or treatments in Japan, or the proposed drug is expected to be significantly more effective or safer than drugs already available on the Japanese market; and there is a scientific rationale to support the necessity of the drug for the target disease, and the development plan for the drug is appropriate. Specific measures to support the development of orphan drugs include giving prioritized consultation regarding clinical development and conducting priority examinations, reducing application fees, extending registration validity period, granting subsidies for research and development expenditures, and tax incentives.
1 Watanabe Miyano S. et al., "E7090, a Novel Selective Inhibitor of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptors, Displays Potent Antitumor Activity and Prolongs Survival in Preclinical Models", Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, 2016, 15(11), 2630-2639.

2 Latest statistics, Cancer Information Service, National Cancer Center, Japan.

3 Official Statics of Japan (e-Stat), 2017 Patient Survey View Source(New Window)

4 The 21st Follow-up Survey Reports for Primary Liver Cancer Cases in Japan (2010-2011), 2020.

5 Shin Ishihara. et al., "Biliary tract cancer registry in Japan from 2008 to 2013", J Hepatobiliary Pancreat Sci., 2016, 23, 149-157.

6 Arai Y. et al., "Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 tyrosine kinase fusions define a unique molecular subtype of cholangiocarcinoma", Hepatology, 2014, 59, 1427-1434.

On February 19, 2021 JHL Biotech, Inc., a global frontrunner in large-molecule biological drug development and manufacturing platform technologies, reported that it has changed its corporate name to Eden Biologics, Inc (Press release, JHL Biotech, FEB 19, 2021, View Source [SID1234635605]).

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The name change reflects the company’s continual commitment to producing affordable medicines for all patients in need and its evolving expertise in driving the innovations needed to shape the future of high-quality biologics development.

Please visit our new website at: www.edenbiologics.com

Eden Biologics will continue to fully operate in its current structure and all business contacts will remain unchanged.

"This is an exciting change for us and our evolving positioning effectively stamps our footprint as a global leader in the healthcare industry with focus on innovative therapeutics, which are needed now more than ever," said James Huang, Executive Chairman and CEO of Eden Biologics.

"We have developed numerous unique and expert competencies in-house, serving both our extensive Biologics Portfolio and our CDMO business. While our commitment to our Mission and Vision remains as strong as ever, we have an incredible ambition to grow and want Eden Biologics to become synonymous with the highest product quality and a pioneering technology platform for global biologics development."

The new name is effective immediately and has already been implemented across the company’s pipeline and services.

On February 19, 2021 Junshi Biosciences (HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180), a leading innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of novel therapies, reported that the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China has accepted its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Toripalimab combined with chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (Press release, Shanghai Junshi Bioscience, FEB 19, 2021, View Source [SID1234575791]).

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The supplemental NDA is based on the JUPITER-02 study (NCT03581786), which is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III study led by Professor Ruihua Xu from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. The results of the study showed that Toripalimab combined with gemcitabine/cisplatin as a first-line treatment for patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma significantly prolonged the progression-free survival as compared with the standard first-line treatment of gemcitabine/cisplatin. This study is the world’s largest international Phase III clinical study for any checkpoint inhibitor combined with chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Junshi Biosciences has developed clinical programs using Toripalimab alone or in combination with other therapies for the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma regardless of extent of prior treatments. The company has submitted two sNDAs of toripalimab for the treatment of NPC in China. Toripalimab also obtained Breakthrough Therapy and Orphan Drug Designations from the US FDA for this indication, and its Biologics License Applications (BLA) in the United States will be submitted in the near future. Toripalimab is likely to become the first Chinese anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody to achieve commercialization in the overseas markets.

About Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a malignant tumor that occurs in nasopharyngeal mucosal epithelium, which is one of the most common head and neck cancers. According to the World Health Organization, the number of newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal carcinoma cases in 2020 has reached approximately 133,000 worldwide, and nearly half of the cases occurred in China.

About Toripalimab
Toripalimab was the first domestic anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody approved for marketing in China. More than thirty company-sponsored clinical studies covering more than fifteen indications have been conducted globally, including in China and the United States. On 17 December 2018, Toripalimab obtained a conditional approval from the NMPA for the second-line treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma. Toripalimab was included in the 2019 and 2020 Guidelines of Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Melanoma. Two supplemental New Drug Applications ("NDAs") of Toripalimab for the third-line treatment of recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma and the second-line treatment of metastatic urothelial carcinoma were accepted by the NMPA in April 2020 and May 2020, respectively. Both supplemental NDAs received priority review designations from the NMPA in July 2020. In addition, Toripalimab has been granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation ("BTD") by the US Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") for the treatment of recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma in September 2020. In December 2020, Toripalimab Injection was successfully included in the updated National Reimbursement Drug List ("NRDL"). Currently, Toripalimab has been granted 1 Breakthrough, 1 Fast Track , and 3 Orphan Drug Designations by the FDA for the treatment of mucosal melanoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and soft tissue sarcoma.