Disruptive Pharma announces DPH001 pipeline project

On June 27, 2023 Disruptive Pharma reported the company is initiating the development of MMC sorafenib as its first proprietary product based on the mesoporous magnesium carbonate (MMC) platform (Press release, Disruptive Pharma, JUN 27, 2023, View Source [SID1234649943]). Sorafenib is a cornerstone in the treatment of patients suffering from hepatocellular- and renal cell carcinomas. While highly efficacious, currently approved formulations also exhibit undesirable side effects. With Disruptive Pharma’s MMC platform we could demonstrate bioequivalence using significantly reduced quantities of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). In our upcoming clinical program, we aim to translate the sorafenib dose reduction advantage into intra-patient variability and potentially other patient benefits.

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Mesoporous magnesium carbonate (MMC) is Disruptive Pharma’s proprietary drug delivery platform for amorphous stabilization and solubility enhancement. MMC leverages a uniformly porous structure to stabilize small molecule APIs into an amorphous state. Its unique properties make MMC an ideal carrier for APIs and its template-free synthesis allows for facilitated production scale-up.

Cambrian Bio Launches Telos Biotech to Enable More Robust Cell Therapies

On June 27, 2023 Cambrian Bio, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on treating and preventing chronic diseases of aging, reported the launch of its new pipeline company, Telos Biotech (Press release, Cambrian Biopharma, JUN 27, 2023, View Source [SID1234649818]). The organization will develop Telovance , a novel recombinant protein delivered intracellularly during the ex-vivo manufacturing of CAR-T cells.

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Rapid telomere shortening naturally occurs during the ex-vivo cell expansion portion of cell therapies, a medical procedure in which an organ, cells, or tissue are taken from a living body for a treatment or procedure, and then returned to the living body. During this process, critically shortened telomeres have emerged as a key barrier to successful CAR-T cell immunotherapy. Ultimately, the cells are unable to fully eliminate malignancy and provide durable and persistent protection against recurrent disease. By safely lengthening telomeres during the ex-vivo manufacturing process, Telos can rewind the cellular biological clock and unlock the potential of cell immunotherapy. With these findings, Telos has engineered Telovance , a recombinant protein that can be easily incorporated into the cell therapy manufacturing process. Telos has a patent portfolio directed to this technology.

"Cell therapies have delivered cures to thousands of cancer patients but face major manufacturing challenges as expanding exhausted cells from older patients can prevent people from benefitting from life-saving medicines," said James Peyer, PhD, CEO of Cambrian Bio. "We’re so excited to work with the team at UT Southwestern Medical Center to discover a safe way to extend telomeres without increasing cancer risk, meaning that all types of cell therapies may one day be made available to any patient, no matter their age or previous lines of therapy."

Telos Biotech was founded in 2020 based on the work of Drs. Jerry Shay, Professor of Cell Biology, Enzo Tedone, Senior Research Scientist, and Mohammad Sayed, Senior Research Scientist, all at UT Southwestern. The company builds on over three decades of telomere biology research by the Shay Laboratory. Telos has licensed the invention from UTSW.

"It’s been over 20 years since the first primary human cells were made to live longer through telomere maintenance. The limitations were to ensure this did not lead cells one step closer to cancer," said Mohammad Sayed, Scientific Founder, Telos. "At Telos, we believe that we have overcome those limits and are now able to safely maintain and lengthen telomeres to create a more robust and fit cell."

Telos has engaged cell therapy partners looking for functional benefits with their cells, to improve outcomes for patients. Telovance is an ancillary reagent that can be employed via our simple and easy delivery platform, a variety of manufacturing processes. To learn more please visit: www.telosbio.com.

About Telos Biotech
At Telos, our mission is to overcome cell aging and replicative lifespan limits caused by critically short telomeres. We aim to improve state-of-the-art cell and gene therapies by generating more biologically fit cells. We are developing a safe and state-of-the-art platform to overcome the manufacturing bottlenecks of cell therapies for optimal treatment outcomes. Telos empowers innovative cell therapy companies to deliver on their promise: to cure the most severe, treatment-resistant cancers and bring these therapies to the patients that need them most.

NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes Announces Supply Agreement with Nucleus RadioPharma for Alphaemitting Therapeutic Radioisotope Actinium-225 (Ac-225)

On June 27, 2023 NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes, LLC, a global innovator in the development, production and commercialization of radiopharmaceuticals used for therapeutic applications and medical imaging, and Nucleus RadioPharma, a full-service Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) dedicated to building robust and reliable clinical and commercial supply chains for targeted radiotherapies, reported the signing of a supply agreement for the therapeutic radioisotope actinium-225 (Ac-225) (Press release, Nucleus RadioPharma, JUN 27, 2023, View Source [SID1234636355]). Under terms of the agreement, NorthStar will supply its high purity, non-carrier added (n.c.a.) Ac-225 to Nucleus. Nucleus will use NorthStar’s Ac-225 for their customers’ radioligand pharmaceutical programs.

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Ac-225 is a high energy alpha-emitting radioisotope of increasing interest for clinical studies investigating the use of targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy, which combines select molecules with therapeutic radioisotopes to directly target and deliver therapeutic doses of radiation to destroy cancer cells in patients with serious disease. Ac-225 carries sufficient radiation to cause cell death in a localized area of targeted cells, while its half-life limits unwanted radioactivity in patients. Clinical research and commercial use of Ac-225 have been constrained by chronic short supply due to limitations of current production technology. NorthStar is positioned to be the first commercial-scale producer of n.c.a. Ac225 and copper-67 (Cu-67) for advancing clinical research and commercial radiopharmaceutical therapy products. The Company will use its electron accelerator technology to produce n.c.a. Ac-225 that is free of long-lived radioactive contaminants and byproducts associated with other production methods. Such contaminants pose regulatory and waste management challenges for pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and health systems.

"NorthStar is applying the same development expertise to rapidly advance large-scale production of n.c.a. Ac-225 that has positioned us at the forefront of U.S. radioisotope production as the only national commercialized producer of the important medical radioisotope molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), and we previously announced successful production of Mo-99 using electron accelerator technology," said Frank Scholz, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes. "Progress on our dedicated, state-of-the-art Actinium-225 Production facility is on schedule. The electron accelerator is installed and initial production of radiochemical grade Ac-225 is planned in 2024. NorthStar expects to submit a Drug Master File to the FDA as quickly as possible, which, upon acceptance by the FDA, will allow NorthStar to provide cGMP grade Ac-225. We are very pleased to enter this Ac-225 supply agreement with Nucleus RadioPharma, and we look forward to working with them in their efforts to provide targeted alpha radioligand therapies for patients with cancer."

"Nucleus was established to address the acute manufacturing scarcity of radionuclides and theranostics, which poses significant challenges to patient care and clinical trials for new radiopharmaceuticals," said Charles S. Conroy, Chief Executive Officer of Nucleus. "We are pleased to work with NorthStar as an experienced and reliable partner in innovative, accelerator-based radioisotope production technology, and to using its n.c.a. Ac-225 to develop highly transformative treatments for patients with cancer."

Blue Earth Diagnostics Announces Reader Reproducibility Results from Phase 3 LIGHTHOUSE Trial of POSLUMA® (Flotufolastat F 18) Injection in Newly Diagnosed Prostate Cancer

On June 27, 2023 Blue Earth Diagnostics, a Bracco company and recognized leader in the development and commercialization of innovative PET radiopharmaceuticals, reported inter- and intra-reader reproducibility results from its Phase 3 LIGHTHOUSE trial of POSLUMA (flotufolastat F 18) injection (formerly referred to as 18F-rhPSMA-7.3) in newly diagnosed prostate cancer (Press release, Blue Earth Diagnostics, JUN 27, 2023, View Source [SID1234632945]). Results showed high inter-reader agreement across all 3 trained, blinded readers. The inter-reader agreement for POSLUMA PET/CT in 352 evaluable scans was ≥95% across pair-wise inter-reader comparisons. Overall intra-reader agreement was ≥96% for each reader. Recently approved by the U.S. FDA, POSLUMA is indicated for positron emission tomography (PET) of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positive lesions in men with prostate cancer with suspected metastasis who are candidates for initial definitive therapy or with suspected recurrence based on elevated serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. The results were reported in an oral presentation at the 2023 Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) Annual Meeting.

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"Up to 25% of patients with primary prostate cancer may have detectable regional pelvic lymph node metastases, which are correlated with a risk for recurrence and associated overall survival," said Phillip H. Kuo, MD, Ph.D., Departments of Medical Imaging, Medicine, and Biomedical Engineering. "Effective staging in primary disease − determining its presence and whether it may have metastasized − is critical to establishing optimal clinical management strategies for patients. Conventional imaging techniques are limited in the information they may provide, so the demonstrated performance of PSMA-PET imaging fits an important unmet need. As well, reliable and consistent interpretation of PET imaging is foundational to informed decision-making and has the potential to substantially impact patient care. These findings from the LIGHTHOUSE study showed high reader agreement in interpreting POSLUMA PET/CT scans among a patient population of men with unfavorable intermediate- to very high-risk prostate cancer prior to initial therapy. The high reproducibility of reader results across all regions is clinically valuable, with the potential to influence patient management prior to surgery for patients with newly diagnosed disease."

"We are pleased to present these reader interpretation results from the Phase 3 LIGHTHOUSE trial at SNMMI’s 2023 Annual Meeting," said David E. Gauden, D.Phil., Chief Executive Officer of Blue Earth Diagnostics. "In designing the POSLUMA image interpretation training, we drew upon Blue Earth Diagnostics’ proven expertise and experience in designing PET image interpretation programs and training for our first commercialized product, Axumin (fluciclovine F 18). Newly FDA-approved POSLUMA represents a new class of purposely engineered, high-affinity PSMA-targeted PET radiopharmaceuticals based on novel radiohybrid technology. It is labeled with the radioisotope 18F to provide readily available patient access and leverage the high image quality of 18F-labeled PSMA PET imaging to facilitate detection of disease. In a post-hoc Phase 3 analysis, as well as in preclinical and Phase 1 studies, POSLUMA demonstrated low urinary bladder activity, providing the potential for enhanced image evaluation in the prostate and regions near the ureters for patients with prostate cancer."

The findings presented at SNMMI discussed inter- and intra-reader agreement for the interpretation of POSLUMA PET scans. Overall agreement between three blinded readers who received identical training was assessed for 352 evaluable PET scans; in addition, regional agreement was assessed for the prostate/prostate bed, pelvic lymph nodes, and other (extra-pelvic) sites (lymph nodes outside pelvis, soft tissue/parenchyma, and bones). Intra-reader agreement was based on a sample of 70 (20%) randomly selected scans and consisted of re-reads 4 weeks following the initial reads. The overall inter-reader agreement for POSLUMA PET/CT in 352 evaluable scans was ≥95% across pair-wise, inter-reader comparisons, with the highest agreement seen in the prostate/prostate bed region (also ≥95%). Overall intra-reader agreement was ≥96% for each reader. It should also be noted that the interpretation of POSLUMA PET in patients with suspected prostate cancer recurrence may differ depending on imaging readers, particularly in the prostate/prostate bed region.

The LIGHTHOUSE Phase 3 clinical trial (NC04186819) was a prospective, Phase 3, multi-center, single-arm, imaging study conducted in the United States and Europe to evaluate the safety and diagnostic performance of POSLUMA PET in men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer. Results for the co-primary endpoints of efficacy and safety for the LIGHTHOUSE trial were previously presented at the 23rd Annual Scientific Meeting in Urologic Oncology (SUO) in December 20221 and at the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Genitourinary Cancers Symposium (ASCO GU) in February 2023.2

The findings were discussed in an oral presentation at SNMMI 2023 on June 27, 2023, "Inter- and intra-reader reproducibility of 18F-rhPSMA-7.3 PET interpretation in patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer: Results from a phase 3, prospective, multicenter study (LIGHTHOUSE)," by Phillip H. Kuo, MD, Ph.D., Departments of Medical Imaging, Medicine, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz. Full session details and the abstract are available in the SNMMI online program here.

About Radiohybrid Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (rhPSMA)
Radiohybrid Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (rhPSMA) compounds consist of a radiohybrid ("rh") Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen-targeted receptor ligand which attaches to and is internalized by prostate cancer cells, and they may be radiolabeled with imaging isotopes for PET imaging, or with therapeutic isotopes for therapeutic use – providing the potential for creating a true theranostic technology. Radiohybrid technology and rhPSMA originated from the Technical University of Munich, Germany. Blue Earth Diagnostics acquired exclusive, worldwide rights to rhPSMA diagnostic imaging technology from Scintomics GmbH in 2018, and therapeutic rights in 2020, and sublicensed the therapeutic application to its sister company Blue Earth Therapeutics. Blue Earth Diagnostics received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for its radiohybrid PET diagnostic imaging product for use in prostate cancer in 2023. rhPSMA compounds for potential therapeutic use are investigational and have not received regulatory approval.

About POSLUMA (flotufolastat F 18)
POSLUMA (flotufolastat F 18) injection (formerly referred to as 18F-rhPSMA-7.3) is an optimized, targeted radiohybrid diagnostic imaging agent indicated for positron emission tomography (PET) of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positive lesions in men with prostate cancer with suspected metastasis who are candidates for initial definitive therapy or with suspected recurrence based on elevated serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. Precision PET imaging with POSLUMA can help identify the location and extent of prostate cancer, providing clinically valuable information to guide patient management. POSLUMA represents a new class of high-affinity PSMA-targeted PET radiopharmaceuticals based on novel radiohybrid technology and is labeled with the radioisotope 18F to provide readily available patient access and leverage the high image quality of 18F-labeled PSMA PET imaging to facilitate effective detection of disease. POSLUMA was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May 2023.

Indication and Important Safety Information About POSLUMA

INDICATION
POSLUMA (flotufolastat F 18) injection is indicated for positron emission tomography (PET) of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positive lesions in men with prostate cancer

with suspected metastasis who are candidates for initial definitive therapy
with suspected recurrence based on elevated serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Image interpretation errors can occur with POSLUMA PET. A negative image does not rule out the presence of prostate cancer and a positive image does not confirm the presence of prostate cancer. The performance of POSLUMA for imaging metastatic pelvic lymph nodes in patients prior to initial definitive therapy seems to be affected by serum PSA levels and risk grouping. The performance of POSLUMA for imaging patients with biochemical evidence of recurrence of prostate cancer seems to be affected by serum PSA levels. Flotufolastat F 18 uptake is not specific for prostate cancer and may occur in other types of cancer, in non-malignant processes, and in normal tissues. Clinical correlation, which may include histopathological evaluation, is recommended.
Risk of Image Misinterpretation in Patients with Suspected Prostate Cancer Recurrence: The interpretation of POSLUMA PET may differ depending on imaging readers, particularly in the prostate/prostate bed region. Because of the associated risk of false positive interpretation, consider multidisciplinary consultation and histopathological confirmation when clinical decision-making hinges on flotufolastat F 18 uptake only in the prostate/prostate bed region or only on uptake interpreted as borderline.
POSLUMA use contributes to a patient’s overall long-term cumulative radiation exposure. Long-term cumulative radiation exposure is associated with an increased risk for cancer. Advise patients to hydrate before and after administration and to void frequently after administration. Ensure safe handling to minimize radiation exposure to the patient and health care providers.
The adverse reactions reported in ≥0.4% of patients in clinical studies were diarrhea, blood pressure increase and injection site pain.
Drug Interactions: androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and other therapies targeting the androgen pathway, such as androgen receptor antagonists, may result in changes in uptake of flotufolastat F 18 in prostate cancer. The effect of these therapies on performance of POSLUMA PET has not been established.
To report suspected adverse reactions to POSLUMA, call 1-844-POSLUMA (1-844-767-5862) or contact FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Full POSLUMA prescribing information is available at www.posluma.com/prescribing-information.pdf.

Indication and Important Safety Information About Axumin

INDICATION
Axumin (fluciclovine F 18) injection is indicated for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in men with suspected prostate cancer recurrence based on elevated blood prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels following prior treatment.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Image interpretation errors can occur with Axumin PET imaging. A negative image does not rule out recurrent prostate cancer and a positive image does not confirm its presence. The performance of Axumin seems to be affected by PSA levels. Axumin uptake may occur with other cancers and benign prostatic hypertrophy in primary prostate cancer. Clinical correlation, which may include histopathological evaluation, is recommended.
Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, may occur in patients who receive Axumin. Emergency resuscitation equipment and personnel should be immediately available.
Axumin use contributes to a patient’s overall long-term cumulative radiation exposure, which is associated with an increased risk of cancer. Safe handling practices should be used to minimize radiation exposure to the patient and health care providers.
Adverse reactions were reported in ≤ 1% of subjects during clinical studies with Axumin. The most common adverse reactions were injection site pain, injection site erythema and dysgeusia.
To report suspected adverse reactions to Axumin, call 1-855-AXUMIN1 (1-855-298-6461) or contact FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Full Axumin prescribing information is available at View Source

Foresee Pharmaceuticals Announces Completion of US$42.3 Million Financing

On June 27, 2023 Foresee Pharmaceuticals (TPEx: 6576), ("Foresee") reported that it has successfully completed an underwritten public offering of 17,500,000 shares of its common stock to the public at a price of NT$75 per share (Press release, Foresee Pharmaceuticals, JUN 27, 2023, View Source [SID1234632944]). The aggregate gross proceeds to Foresee from the offering were NT$1,312.5 million (or US$42.3 million at FX=31).

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"We are pleased to announce the successful completion of the public offering. I would like to express my gratitude once again for shareholders’ full support and trust in us," said Dr. Ben Chien, Founder and Chairman of Foresee. "Moving forward, we are excited about the prospects and opportunities ahead of us."

The proceeds of the public offering will be used for general corporate purposes, including FP-001 (CAMCEVI), a ready-to-use 6-month leuprolide injectable, in a Phase 3 clinical trial for central precocious puberty (CPP), FP-045, an ALDH2 activator, in a Phase 1b/2 clinical trial for Fanconi Anemia, and FP-025, an MMP-12 inhibitor, in a Phase 2 POC study for respiratory disease.