On December 10, 2024 Neogap Therapeutics AB, a Swedish clinical-stage biotechnology company, reported that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP) classification to its cell therapy, pTTL (personalised Tumour Trained Lymphocytes) (Press release, Neogap Therapeutics, DEC 10, 2024, View Source,c4079677 [SID1234648989]). This classification confirms that pTTL meets the regulatory criteria for a somatic cell therapy product, providing a clear regulatory pathway for its further development.

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 ATMP classification is a key milestone for companies developing advanced therapies. It signifies that the EMA formally recognises the product as an advanced therapy under EU regulations. This designation offers access to the EMA’s tailored scientific advice, ensuring that the therapy’s safety, quality, and efficacy meet stringent regulatory standards. For Neogap, the classification sets a clear direction for preparing upcoming clinical trials and advancing towards future market authorisation.

Neogap’s personalised cell therapy is currently being evaluated in a Phase I/II clinical trial focused on assessing its safety and tolerability in patients with advanced colorectal cancer. This study is a critical step in Neogap’s mission to provide curative treatments for cancer patients with limited remaining treatment options.

"The ATMP classification is a strong validation of our innovative approach and pTTL’s potential as a breakthrough cancer therapy," says Samuel Svensson, CEO of Neogap Therapeutics. "It provides regulatory clarity and invaluable guidance from the EMA, enabling us to advance development efficiently and effectively. We are now well-positioned to continue our work towards delivering transformative treatments to cancer patients."

On December 10, 2024 Leapfrog Bio, a clinical-stage precision oncology company identifying novel therapies for undruggable cancer-driving mutations, reported that Tomas Babak, PhD, the Company’s Chief Scientific Officer, will present evidence that Leapfrog Bio’s Precision PGx Platform discovered a clinically significant link between the EP300 gene and bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) protein inhibitors (Press release, Leapfrog Bio, DEC 10, 2024, View Source [SID1234648988]). The presentation titled, "EP300 loss of function is a pan-cancer sensitizer to BET inhibition," will take place at the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Special Conference in Cancer Research in Toronto, Canada and will focus on the discovery, characterization and clinical development plan for Leapfrog Bio’s BET inhibitor LFB-190 to treat solid tumors with EP300 loss of function.

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!

Loss of transcriptional control is a hallmark of cancer and can be an essential driver of cancer initiation and progression. BET proteins regulate the expression of multiple cancer-related genes and pathways; several molecules targeting this family of proteins have been tested in early phase clinical trials, although these molecules had shown limited clinical success as monotherapies. After conducting hundreds of pharmacogenetic screens using its Precision PGx Platform, Leapfrog Bio discovered an interaction between BET protein inhibition and the EP300 gene loss of function (LOF) similar to PARP-BRCA1/HRD in significance. The Company believes it has also discovered the mechanism of action for this synthetically lethal relationship between BET protein inhibition and EP300 LOF.

"It was gratifying to identify this essential interaction, as there has been so much research and activity related to BETs inhibitors," said Tomas Babak, PhD, CSO of Leapfrog Bio. "Discovering a strong interaction between BET proteins and the mutated EP300 gene resulting in LOF—as well as the mechanism that drives it—using the Precision PGx Platform is a meaningful validation of the platform’s ability to identify therapies for previously undruggable cancers caused by LOF mutations. Two-thirds of all cancers are caused by mutations in tumor suppressor genes, such as what we see here with EP300, yet less than one percent of LOF tumor suppressor genes have been drugged to date. With Leapfrog Bio’s platform, we can repeatedly uncover candidates that address the unmet needs of patients with cancers caused by LOF mutations."

Leapfrog’s Lead Candidate, LFB-190, exploits the relationship between BET inhibition and EP300 LOF mutations. The Company’s Phase 2-ready compound was clinically studied prior to Leapfrog’s research and a recommended Phase 2 dose has been established.

Greg Vontz, CEO of Leapfrog Bio added, "This discovery demonstrates the ability of the Precision PGx Platform to uncover potential therapeutic solutions for the 10M patients with cancers driven by LOF mutations. We have filed IP around this discovery and are currently preparing for LFB-190’s entry into Phase 2 in lung, colon and bladder cancers in 2025."

On December 10, 2024 IN8bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: INAB), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative gamma-delta T cell therapies, reported updated data from the ongoing Phase 1 trial of INB-100, an allogeneic, haploidentical gamma-delta T cell therapy in older patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing haploidentical stem cell transplant (HSCT) with reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) at the 2024 American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, being hosted in San Diego, CA (Press release, In8bio, DEC 10, 2024, View Source [SID1234648986]).

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!

"This data demonstrates the potential of allogeneic INB-100 gamma-delta T cells to provide durable relapse-free remissions in high-risk or relapsed AML patients undergoing HSCT," said Dr. Joseph P. McGuirk, Schutte-Speas Professor of Hematology-Oncology, Division Director, Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics Medical Director, Blood and Marrow Transplant, The University of Kansas Cancer Center. "Older, frailer patients who receive non-myeloablative, reduced intensity conditioning regimens typically have a significant risk of relapse. Historically, approximately 25% of AML patients undergoing HSCT would be expected to have a leukemic relapse within the first 100 days post-transplant, with up to nearly 50% of such patients experiencing relapse by one-year, which remains the primary cause of death. The longer AML patients remain in remission post-HSCT, the greater their probability of survival. These observed long-term durable remissions using allogeneic gamma-delta T cells are very encouraging and we look forward to announcing additional data next year."

In a poster presentation, IN8bio reported that there have been no newly reported deaths or relapses as of September 30, 2024. As of that cutoff date, median CR was at 16.4 months following a median of 19.2 months of follow-up. As previously reported, all patients (n=10) remained alive, progression-free, and in durable CR through one-year. 100% of AML patients remain in CR after a median 19.7 months of follow-up with three patients with high-risk cytogenetic AML and receiving no maintenance therapy remaining in mCR for greater than three years.

INB-100 continues to demonstrate in vivo expansion and persistence of an haplo-matched allogeneic, or donor-derived cellular, therapy at 365 days with blood levels of gamma-delta T cells surpassing levels previously observed to be associated with greater survival. The persistence of these cells is suggestive of continued gamma-delta T cell surveillance against leukemic relapse.

In addition to the reported complete responses, INB-100 continued to demonstrate a well-tolerated safety profile with no cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or neurotoxicity (ICANS) observed and limited mild infections. Based upon these encouraging results, the INB-100 trial has been expanded to enroll additional patients at Dose Level (DL) 2, the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D). Enrollment of additional patients into the expansion cohort is on-going and updated data, are expected to be reported in the first half of 2025.

Summary of Data Presented at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper)

The Phase 1 investigator-sponsored trial enrolled and treated ten patients at one of two dose levels (D1 or D2). The median age was 68 years with the majority of patients diagnosed with AML in CR1. Two patients (009 and 011) had TP53 mutations, a tumor suppressor that results in poor prognosis, rapid progression and reduced lifespan due to an inability to respond to mutated or damaged DNA.

The latest INB-100 trial data on immune reconstitution continues to show significant allogeneic gamma-delta T cell expansion and persistence in patients through the first 365 days post-treatment. As of September 30, 2024, 100% of patients (n=10) surpassed one-year survival following their haplo-matched transplant and treatment with INB-100. Historically, approximately 25% of patients relapse by 100 days and 40-50% of patients relapse by one year.

Updated safety data includes:

No dose limiting toxicities (DLTs) and no treatment related deaths were observed.
Low grade (1-2) acute graft versus host disease (GvHD) observed in 60% of patients treated. Cases were all steroid responsive.
Treatment-related serious adverse events included Grade 2 rash (60%) and Grade 3 nausea (20%).
One patient death previously reported due to idiopathic pulmonary syndrome likely related to the underlying HSCT at 15.5 months, without disease progression.
No ICAN, CRS, or major infections were observed.
Seven patients across DL 1 and DL 2 remained on study and in CR, with three having surpassed three years, including one now remaining progression free for over four years.

On December 10, 2024 IMUNON, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMNN), a clinical-stage company in late-stage development with its DNA-mediated immunotherapy, reported additional clinical data from ongoing analyses of results from the Company’s Phase 2 OVATION 2 Study of IMNN-001, its investigational interleukin-12 (IL-12) immunotherapy for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer based on its proprietary TheraPlas technology (Press release, IMUNON, DEC 10, 2024, View Source [SID1234648985]). The updated results, based on an additional seven months of patient monitoring, show the hazard ratio (HR) decreased from 0.74 to 0.69, with an increase in median overall survival (OS) from 11.1 to 13 months following treatment with IMNN-001 plus standard-of-care (SoC) neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) versus SoC alone. More than one-third of patients in the trial survived more than 36 months from the point of study enrollment, with 62% of those surviving patients from the IMNN-001 treatment arm and 38% from the SoC arm. Over 10% of trial participants have reached 48 months or beyond.

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!

"These results indicate that OS benefits are being maintained in the population of patients treated with IMNN-001, providing strong additional validation of the potential for our novel IL-12 immunotherapy to represent a historic advance in the treatment of ovarian cancer," said Stacy Lindborg, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of IMUNON. "We understand the significant challenges that ovarian cancer presents to women and their families, especially women with advanced late-stage disease who are newly diagnosed, and that there is a desperate need for new treatments that can make a meaningful difference. We remain on track to initiate a Phase 3 pivotal clinical trial for IMNN-001 in advanced ovarian cancer in the first quarter of 2025 and look forward to updating on our progress."

The OVATION 2 Study included a total of 112 patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer (intent-to-treat population). Study participants were randomized 1:1 to evaluate the safety and efficacy of IMNN-001 (100 mg/m2 administered intraperitoneally weekly) plus NACT of paclitaxel and carboplatin compared to SoC NACT alone. Initial results from the OVATION 2 Study were reported in July 2024 and results were recently presented in a late-breaking session at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper) 39th Annual Meeting in November 2024.

"While most research in ovarian cancer in recent years has focused on maintenance therapies for patients who have already responded to chemotherapy, the fact that we are seeing these positive results maintained in a population of newly diagnosed patients with advanced stages of disease requiring neoadjuvant chemotherapy is unprecedented and especially encouraging," said Premal H. Thaker, M.D., Interim Chief of Gynecologic Oncology, David & Lynn Mutch Distinguished Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Director of Gynecologic Oncology Clinical Research at Washington University School of Medicine, and the OVATION 2 Study Chair. "As the first immunotherapy to achieve clinically effective progression-free and overall survival in ovarian cancer in conjunction with chemotherapy, we are especially excited to advance this promising program to a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial."

About the Phase 2 OVATION 2 Study

OVATION 2 evaluated the dosing, safety, efficacy and biological activity of intraperitoneal administration of IMNN-001 in combination with neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) of paclitaxel and carboplatin in patients newly diagnosed with advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer. Treatment in the neoadjuvant period is designed to shrink the tumors as much as possible for optimal surgical removal after three cycles of chemotherapy. Following NACT, patients undergo interval debulking surgery, followed by three additional cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy to treat any residual tumor. This open-label study enrolled 112 patients who were randomized 1:1 and evaluated for safety and efficacy to compare NACT plus IMNN-001 versus standard-of-care NACT. In accordance with the study protocol, patients randomized to the IMNN-001 treatment arm could receive up to 17 weekly doses of 100 mg/m2 in addition to NACT. As a Phase 2 study, OVATION 2 was not powered for statistical significance. Additional endpoints included objective response rate, chemotherapy response score and surgical response.

About IMNN-001 Immunotherapy

Designed using IMUNON’s proprietary TheraPlas platform technology, IMNN-001 is an IL-12 DNA plasmid vector encased in a nanoparticle delivery system that enables cell transfection followed by persistent, local secretion of the IL-12 protein. IL-12 is one of the most active cytokines for the induction of potent anticancer immunity acting through the induction of T-lymphocyte and natural killer cell proliferation. IMUNON previously reported positive safety and encouraging Phase 1 results with IMNN-001 administered as monotherapy or as combination therapy in patients with advanced peritoneally metastasized primary or recurrent ovarian cancer and completed a Phase 1b dose-escalation trial (the OVATION 1 Study) of IMNN-001 in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel in patients with newly diagnosed ovarian cancer.

About Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Epithelial ovarian cancer is the sixth deadliest malignancy among women in the U.S. There are approximately 20,000 new cases of ovarian cancer every year and approximately 70% are diagnosed in advanced Stage III/IV. Epithelial ovarian cancer is characterized by dissemination of tumors in the peritoneal cavity with a high risk of recurrence (75%, Stage III/IV) after surgery and chemotherapy. Since the five-year survival rates of patients with Stage III/IV disease at diagnosis are poor (41% and 20%, respectively), there remains a need for a therapy that not only reduces the recurrence rate, but also improves overall survival. The peritoneal cavity of advanced ovarian cancer patients contains the primary tumor environment and is an attractive target for a regional approach to immune modulation.

On December 10, 2024 ImmunityBio, Inc. (NASDAQ: IBRX), a leading immunotherapy company, reported that it intends to offer and sell, subject to market and other conditions, shares of its common stock in an underwritten public offering (Press release, ImmunityBio, DEC 10, 2024, View Source [SID1234648984]). In addition, ImmunityBio expects to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 15% of the shares of common stock offered in the offering at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. ImmunityBio currently intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to progress its continued commercialization of ANKTIVA for treatment of BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer ("NMIBC") with carcinoma in situ ("CIS") with or without papillary tumors, to fund its trials in BCG-naïve NMIBC and non-small cell lung cancer ("NSCLC"), toward further research and development, for working capital needs, and for other general corporate purposes. All of the shares are being offered by ImmunityBio. There can be no assurance as to whether or when the offering may be completed, or the actual size or terms of the offering.

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!

Jefferies and Piper Sandler are acting as joint book-running managers and representatives of the underwriters for the offering. BTIG and H.C. Wainwright & Co. are acting as co-lead managers for the offering.

A shelf registration statement on Form S-3ASR relating to the common stock offered in the public offering described above was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on April 17, 2024 and became automatically effective on April 17, 2024. The proposed offering is being made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus that form a part of the registration statement. A preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering, when available, may also be obtained from Jefferies LLC, by mail at Attn: Equity Syndicate Prospectus Department, 520 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, by telephone at (877) 821-7388 or by email at [email protected], or Piper Sandler & Co. by mail at Attention: Prospectus Department, 800 Nicollet Mall, J12S03, Minneapolis, MN 55402 or by email at [email protected].

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities being offered, nor shall there be any sale of the securities being offered in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. The offering may be made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus.