Investigational Tisotumab Vedotin Phase 2 Data Demonstrates Encouraging Antitumor Activity in Patients with Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC)

On June 3, 2024 Genmab A/S (Nasdaq: GMAB) reported that data from the Phase 2 innovaTV 207 trial (NCT03485209) Part C (n=40), investigating tisotumab vedotin, an antibody-drug conjugate directed to tissue factor, demonstrated encouraging antitumor activity as a monotherapy in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) who experienced disease progression on or after first-line therapy (Press release, Genmab, JUN 3, 2024, View Source [SID1234644009]). The study showed 32.5% of patients achieved a confirmed objective response rate (cORR), one patient experienced a complete response (CR) and 12 achieved a partial response (PR). These results were presented in a rapid oral session today at the 2024 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, being held in Chicago, Illinois, May 31 – June 4, 2024.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

In the HNSCC cohort of innovaTV 207 Part C (n=40), median duration of response (DOR) was 5.6 months and median time-to-response (TTR) was 1.4 months. All patients were required to have received a platinum-based regimen in the recurrent or metastatic setting or have persistent disease following platinum-based chemoradiation and a checkpoint inhibitor (CPI), if eligible. The study also showed that among patients with no more than one or two lines of therapy in the recurrent or metastatic setting (n=25), 40% had achieved a cORR at the time of data cut-off.

"Most patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma experience disease progression despite the use of platinum-based therapy and immunotherapy, and treatment options are limited," said Dr. Judith Klimovsky, Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer of Genmab, "These updated results underscore the importance of our ongoing work with our partner to advance the clinical development program for tisotumab vedotin and investigate potential treatment options for pretreated patients living with unmet needs."

The safety findings were consistent with previous tisotumab vedotin trials, and no new safety signals were observed. Grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurred in 67.5% of patients, and the most common were peripheral neuropathy events (40%). Adverse events of special interest (of any grade) were prespecified for ocular, peripheral neuropathy, and bleeding events, and occurred in 52.5%, 47.5%, and 40% patients, respectively.

As of December 2023, 40 patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC were treated with tisotumab vedotin monotherapy (1.7 mg/kg intravenously, once every two weeks). In this cohort, 32 (80%) received prior platinum-based therapy, 19 (47.5%) received at least two prior lines of systemic therapy (median: 2; range: 1-3), 40 (100%) received prior CPI, 23 (57.5%) received prior taxane, and 27 (67.5%) received prior cetuximab. The primary sites at diagnosis were oropharynx (n=16), larynx (n=13), and oral cavity (n=9).

About the innovaTV 207 Trial
The innovaTV 207 trial (NCT03485209) is an open-label, global, Phase 2, multicohort, multicenter study evaluating tisotumab vedotin monotherapy or in combination for advanced solid tumors. In Part C, patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC received tisotumab vedotin monotherapy (1.7 mg/kg IV once every two weeks). All patients were required to have received a platinum-based regimen, either in the recurrent/metastatic setting, or to have persistent disease following platinum-based chemoradiation and a checkpoint inhibitor, if eligible. The primary endpoint of the trial is confirmed objective response rate (cORR) per RECIST 1.1 per investigator, defined as the proportion of patients who achieve a confirmed complete or partial response. Selected secondary endpoints include duration of response (DOR), time-to-response (TTR), and safety. For more information about the phase 2 innovaTV 207 clinical trial of tisotumab vedotin, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.

About Tisotumab Vedotin
Tisotumab vedotin is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) composed of Genmab’s human monoclonal antibody directed to tissue factor (TF) and Pfizer’s ADC technology that utilizes a protease-cleavable linker that covalently attaches the microtubule-disrupting agent monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) to the antibody. Nonclinical data suggest that the anticancer activity of tisotumab vedotin-tftv is due to the binding of the ADC to TF-expressing cancer cells, followed by internalization of the ADC-TF complex, and release of MMAE via proteolytic cleavage. MMAE disrupts the microtubule network of actively dividing cells, leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptotic cell death. In vitro, tisotumab vedotin-tftv also mediates antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity.

Tisotumab vedotin (TIVDAK) has received full approval by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of adult patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer (r/mCC) with disease progression on or after chemotherapy. Tisotumab vedotin in HNSCC is not approved in any country, including the U.S. and the EU. The safety and efficacy of tisotumab vedotin has not been established for these investigational uses.

Virtual mid- to late-stage pipeline update at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2024
On Monday, June 3, at 9:00 AM CDT (10:00 AM EDT/4:00 PM CEST), Genmab will host a review of data presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) from its mid- to late-stage pipeline. The event will be virtual and webcast live. Details, including the webcast link and registration will be available on www.genmab.com. This meeting is not an official program of the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting.

FibroGen to Present at Goldman Sachs 45th Annual Global Healthcare Conference

On June 3, 2024 FibroGen, Inc. (NASDAQ: FGEN) reported that Thane Wettig, Chief Executive Officer, will participate in a Fireside Chat at Goldman Sachs 45th Annual Global Healthcare Conference to be held in Miami, Florida on Monday, June 10, 2024, from 10:00-10:35 AM Eastern Time (Press release, FibroGen, JUN 3, 2024, View Source [SID1234644007]). Company management will also participate in one-on-one meetings with investors during the conference.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

A live audio webcast of the event will be available to investors and other interested parties on the "Events & Presentations" section of the FibroGen Investor webpage at www.fibrogen.com. A replay will be available for 90 days.

FibroGen Announces Clinical Trial Supply Agreement with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals to Evaluate FibroGen’s Immuno-Oncology Assets, FG-3165 (anti-Galectin 9) and FG-3175 (anti-CCR8), in Combination with LIBTAYO® in Upcoming Clinical Trials

On June 3, 2024 FibroGen, Inc. (NASDAQ: FGEN) reported a clinical trial supply agreement with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals to evaluate FibroGen’s immuno-oncology assets, FG-3165 and FG-3175, in combination with Regeneron’s anti-PD-1 therapy, LIBTAYO (cemiplimab), in patients with solid tumors (Press release, FibroGen, JUN 3, 2024, View Source [SID1234644006]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"We are very excited to collaborate with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals to evaluate two separate novel combination approaches to treat patients with select solid tumors," said Deyaa Adib, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of FibroGen. "We believe that the mechanisms of action for both FG-3165 (anti-Gal9) and FG-3175 (anti-CCR8) have the potential to be synergistic with cemiplimab, providing the possibility for an improvement in clinical outcomes for patients. We look forward to building a collaborative relationship with Regeneron, who is a leader in oncology therapeutic products development and commercialization."

FG-3165 targets Gal9, which binds multiple immune checkpoints on lymphocytes that suppress T and natural killer (NK) cell activation. FG-3175 targets CCR8, a receptor frequently over-expressed on T regulatory cells in solid tumors. Both FG-3165 and FG-3175 have demonstrated complementary mechanisms of action with PD-1 inhibitors preclinically, and the Company believes that combining LIBTAYO with either FG-3165 or FG-3175 may result in added clinical benefit for patients.

Under the clinical study collaboration and supply agreement, Regeneron will provide drug supply to FibroGen, who will be the sponsor of each Phase 1 monotherapy and combination trial. Each company retains all rights to their respective compounds, including as a monotherapy or as combination therapies.

Earlier today, FibroGen separately announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for FG-3165 in patients with solid tumors. An IND submission for FG-3175 is anticipated in 2025.

About FG-3165
FG-3165 is a galectin-9 (Gal9) targeted antibody under development for treatment of solid tumors and potentially hematologic malignancies characterized by high Gal9 levels of expression. Gal9 has been reported to signal through multiple immune checkpoints on lymphocytes, including TIM3, VISTA, and PD-1, suppressing T and natural killer cell activation. FG-3165 selectively binds to Gal9 with high affinity and inhibits its ability to induce lymphocyte cell death, resulting in enhanced tumor cell killing. The Company plans to initiate a Phase 1 trial in select solid tumors in the second half of 2024.

About FG-3175
FG-3175 is a c-c motif chemokine receptor 8 (CCR8) targeted antibody under development for treatment of solid tumors highly infiltrated by CCR8-positive T regulatory cells (Tregs). CCR8 is a GPCR with prevalent and highly specific expression on immunosuppressive tumor infiltrating Tregs across different tumor types. FG-3175 is designed to deplete CCR8 Tregs via antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) in the tumor microenvironment and enhance anti-tumor T cell responses, leading to enhanced anti-tumor activity and potentially improved clinical outcomes for patients in tumors such as Breast, Colorectal, Ovarian and Melanoma. In addition to its ADCC activity FG-3175 also disrupts CCR8 signaling, potentially providing additional benefit by disrupting Treg proliferation and migration into the tumor. The Company plans to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for FG-3175 in 2025.

FibroGen Announces FDA Clearance of Investigational New Drug Application for FG-3165, a Galectin-9 Targeting Monoclonal Antibody, for the Treatment of Patients with Solid Tumors

On June 3, 2024 FibroGen, Inc. (NASDAQ: FGEN) reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the Company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) of FG-3165, a galectin-9 (Gal9) targeted monoclonal antibody under development for treatment of solid tumors characterized by high Gal9 levels of expression (Press release, FibroGen, JUN 3, 2024, View Source [SID1234644005]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"The FDA’s IND clearance is an important achievement for us, and we are pleased to advance another product from our promising oncology pipeline into the clinic," said Thane Wettig, Chief Executive Officer of FibroGen. "To date, FG-3165 has demonstrated anti-tumor activity with improved survival in combination with other immune modulatory therapies in mouse cancer models and has shown excellent tolerability in nonclinical safety studies. We are excited to begin enrollment in a Phase 1 trial in the second half of this year and explore the potential of FG-3165 in enhancing anti-tumor immune responses in the tumor microenvironment."

The FDA IND clearance enables FibroGen to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of FG-3165 in patients with select solid tumors. The trial is anticipated to begin enrollment in the second half of 2024.

About FG-3165
FG-3165 is a galectin-9 ("Gal9") targeted antibody under development for treatment of solid tumors and potentially hematologic malignancies characterized by high Gal9 levels of expression. Gal9 has been reported to signal through multiple immune checkpoints on lymphocytes, including TIM3, VISTA, and PD-1, suppressing T and natural killer cell activation. FG-3165 selectively binds to Gal9 with high affinity and inhibits its ability to induce lymphocyte cell death, resulting in enhanced tumor cell killing.

Toxicology material as well as GMP material for the upcoming Phase 1 clinical trial was manufactured in partnership with Just-Evotec Biologics.

Electra Therapeutics to Present ELA026 Clinical Data in Late-Breaking Oral Session at the 2024 European Hematology Association (EHA) Congress

On June 3, 2024 Electra Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology company developing antibody therapies against novel targets for a broad range of immunological diseases and cancer, reported that clinical data for its lead drug candidate, ELA026, will be presented as one of six selected abstracts in a late-breaking oral session at the European Hematology Association (EHA) (Free EHA Whitepaper) Congress (Press release, Electra Therapeutics, JUN 3, 2024, View Source [SID1234644004]). The conference is being held in Madrid, Spain and live-streamed on June 13-16, 2024.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The oral presentation will describe clinical data from a Phase 1b study of ELA026 for the treatment of secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH), a rare, life-threatening hyperinflammatory disease for which there is currently no approved treatment. ELA026 is a monoclonal antibody that targets signal regulatory protein (SIRP)-α/β1/γ, enabling precise depletion of pathologic immune cells. The abstract is published on the EHA (Free EHA Whitepaper) website here.

Details of the oral presentation are as follows:

Title: ELA026 Targeting of SIRP(+) Immune Cells Results in a High Response Rate and Improved 2-Month Survival of Treatment-Naïve Malignancy-Associated Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis in a Phase 1 Study
Presenter: Abhishek Maiti, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Session Name: Late-Breaking Oral Session
Session Date & Time: Sunday, June 16, 2024, 9:45 – 11:15 a.m. Central European Summer Time
Location: Madrid Recinto Ferial Hall Picasso, and livestreamed on the EHA (Free EHA Whitepaper) Congress platform
Abstract Code: LB3442

About Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH)

Secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) is a rare, life-threatening inflammatory disease for which there is no approved treatment. It can be triggered by cancer (malignancy-associated HLH, or mHLH), infection, autoimmune disease, or immunotherapy. sHLH is associated with a systemic inflammatory response for which patients require immediate intervention. Without treatment, patients may experience multiple organ failure and death. sHLH has a high mortality rate during the first months of diagnosis, with mHLH patients having the poorest outcomes.