On January 15, 2025 Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) reported that it has initiated the submission of an original New Drug Application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for TAR-200 for the treatment of patients with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-unresponsive high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (HR-NMIBC) with carcinoma in situ (CIS), with or without papillary tumors (Press release, Johnson & Johnson, JAN 15, 2025, View Source [SID1234649748]). This submission is being reviewed by the FDA through the Real-Time Oncology Review (RTOR) program, which allows the FDA to review data before the complete application is formally submitted and helps ensure treatments are available for patients as soon as possible.

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"Upon approval, TAR-200 promises to be a meaningful additional treatment option for certain patients with NMIBC, addressing a critical need for people who have had relatively limited therapeutic alternatives. Many patients face life-altering surgical options such as radical cystectomy, which is complete bladder removal," said Yusri Elsayed, M.D., M.H.Sc., Ph.D., Global Therapeutic Head, Oncology, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine. "By combining our expertise in innovative medicine and medical devices, Johnson & Johnson is uniquely positioned to transform how we treat certain types of bladder cancer through the first and only intravesical drug releasing system for this disease. We look forward to working with the FDA in review of this application."

The submission of this innovative intravesical drug releasing system is supported by data from the Phase 2b SunRISe-1 registration study. Data collected through the second quarter of 2024 and presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) 2024 Congress as a late-breaking oral presentation showed an 83.5 percent complete response (CR) rate and highly durable CRs without the need for reinduction – at a median follow-up of nine months, 82 percent of responders maintained response. At data cutoff in May 2024, safety and tolerability data presented at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) demonstrated a low occurrence of Grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) (9 percent); five patients had TRAEs leading to discontinuation (6 percent) and no treatment-related deaths were reported.1

TAR-200 is an investigational intravesical drug releasing system designed to provide sustained local delivery of gemcitabine into the bladder. It is placed into the bladder by a healthcare professional using a co-packaged urinary placement catheter in an outpatient setting in under five minutes and without the need for anesthesia.

In December 2023, the FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) to TAR-200 for the treatment of adult patients with BCG-unresponsive HR-NMIBC with CIS who are ineligible for or have elected not to undergo radical cystectomy.

About SunRISe-1, Cohort 2
SunRISe-1 (NCT04640623), Cohort 2, is a randomized, parallel-assignment, open-label Phase 2b clinical study evaluating the safety and efficacy of TAR-200 monotherapy alone for BCG-unresponsive HR-NMIBC carcinoma in situ (CIS) patients who are ineligible for, or elected not to undergo, radical cystectomy. The primary endpoint for Cohort 2 is CR rate at any time point. Secondary endpoints include duration of response (DOR), overall survival (OS), pharmacokinetics, quality of life, safety and tolerability.

About High-Risk Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
High-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (HR-NMIBC) is a type of non-invasive bladder cancer that is more likely to recur or spread beyond the lining of the bladder, called the urothelium, and progress to invasive bladder cancer compared to low-risk NMIBC.2, 3 HR-NMIBC makes up 15-44 percent of patients with NMIBC and is characterized by a high-grade, large tumor size, presence of multiple tumors, and CIS. Radical cystectomy is currently recommended for NMIBC patients who fail BCG therapy, with over 90 percent cancer-specific survival if performed before muscle-invasive progression.4, 5 Given that NMIBC typically affects older patients, many may be unwilling or unfit to undergo radical cystectomy.6 The high rates of recurrence and progression can pose significant morbidity and distress for these patients.

On January 15, 2025 Innovent Biologics, Inc. ("Innovent") (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high-quality medicines for the treatment of oncology, cardiovascular and metabolic, autoimmune, ophthalmology and other major diseases, reported that the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) for IBI343, a potentially best-in-class TOPO1i anti-CLDN18.2 ADC, as monotherapy for the treatment of CLDN18.2-positive advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients who have progressed after at least one line of prior systematic treatment (Press release, Innovent Biologics, JAN 15, 2025, View Source [SID1234649747]).

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The BTD for IBI343 was granted based on data from an ongoing Phase 1 study conducted in China, Australia and the U.S. (NCT05458219), which demonstrated favorable safety and tolerability, as well as promising antitumor activity of IBI343 monotherapy in advanced PDAC patients. Data from the study’s dose-expansion cohort were presented orally at the 2024 ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Asia Congress:

A total of 43 patients with CLDN18.2-positive advanced PDAC (≥60% tumor cells with membranous staining intensity ≥1+ by IHC) received IBI343 6 mg/kg Q3W monotherapy. All participants had previously received at least one line of prior therapy, and 60.5% had received two or more lines of anticancer treatment.
The confirmed overall objective response rate (ORR) was 23.3%, and progression-free survival (PFS) events occurred in 26 patients, with a median progression-free survival (mPFS) of 5.3 months (4.1-7.4) as of the data cutoff date. (link)
Previously, in May 2024, the CDE has granted IBI343 its first BTD for monotherapy in the treatment of CLDN18.2-positive advanced gastric/gastro-esophageal junction adenocarcinoma (GC) patients who have progressed after at least two lines of prior systematic treatments. In addition, in June 2024, IBI343 was granted Fast Track Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of advanced, unresectable or metastatic PDAC that has relapsed and/or is refractory to one prior line of therapy. The first patient in the U.S. Phase 1 study of IBI343 was successfully dosed in December 2024.

Dr. Hui Zhou, Senior Vice President of Innovent, said, "Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive and difficult-to-diagnose malignancy. At present, treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer relies primarily on systemic chemotherapy, with particularly limited options for second-line treatment. This results in poor patient outcomes and underscores an urgent unmet clinical need. As the world’s first CLDN18.2 ADC to receive BTD in this difficult-to-treat cancer, IBI343 monotherapy has shown encouraging efficacy and tolerable safety in late-line treatment of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Subject to PoC data readout, we plan to initiate pivotal MRCT studies to further confirm its efficacy and safety in this indication. Additionally, we will also explore the potential of IBI343 in combination therapy for pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors, including gastric cancer."

NMPA Breakthrough Therapy Designation is intended to facilitate and expedite the development and review of investigational drugs for serious diseases or conditions when preliminary clinical evidence indicates substantial improvement over current therapies. BTD qualifies a drug candidate for accelerated review by the CDE and provides the sponsor with timely advice and communication to expedite the approval process, helping to address the unmet clinical needs of patients more swiftly.

About Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive malignances of the digestive system, with a 5-year survival rate of about 10%[i]. Despite rising incidence rates in recent years, early detection remains low, seriously endangering human life and health. Current treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer is primarily based on systemic chemotherapy, with first-line treatment options typically including fluorouracil (5-FU) or gemcitabine-based chemotherapy. However, second-line treatment options are limited, offering a chemotherapy response rate of only 6-16%, a median progression free survival of 2 to 5 months, and a median overall survival of approximately 6 to 9 months[ii]. These statistics highlight the urgent need for new therapeutic approaches.

Claudin, a member of the tight junction molecule family, is a key structural and functional component of epithelial tight junctions. Among them, CLDN18.2 is normally confined to the gastric mucosa. The development of malignancy leads to disruption of tight junctions and exposure of CLDN18.2 epitopes on the membrane of tumor cells[iii]. CLDN18.2 is present in 50% to 70% of pancreatic cancer cases, making it a highly targeted biomarker for therapeutic development[iv].

About IBI343 (CLDN18.2 ADC)

IBI343 is an antibody-drug conjugate composed of an anti-CLDN18.2 antibody, and a cytotoxic drug exatecan. Binding of IBI343 to CLDN18.2-expressing tumor cells results in CLDN18.2-dependent internalization of IBI343. Degradation of the cleavable linker will release the drug that causes DNA damage, leading to apoptosis of the tumor cells. The freed drug can also diffuse across the plasma membrane to reach and kill the neighboring tumor cells, resulting in a strong "bystander killing effect" of IBI343. As an innovative TOPO1i ADC, IBI343 has demonstrated tolerable safety and encouraging efficacy signals in Phase 1 clinical studies. The therapeutic potential of IBI343 is currently being explored in tumor types such as gastric and pancreatic cancers, including a Phase 3 trial (NCT06238843) for GC and a multi-regional Phase 1 trial (NCT05458219) for PDAC ongoing.

IBI343 was granted breakthrough therapy designation (BTD) by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for two indications, as monotherapy in patients with CLDN18.2–positive GC who progressed after two prior lines of systemic treatment, and in patients with CLDN18.2-positive PDAC who have progressed after at least one line of prior systematic treatment. IBI343 also received Fast Track Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of advanced unresectable or metastatic PDAC that has relapsed and/or is refractory to one prior line of therapy.

On January 15, 2025 Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. (NASDAQ: PHIO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company that develops therapeutics using its INTASYL siRNA gene silencing technology to make the body’s immune cells more effective in killing cancer cells, reported that it has entered into definitive agreements for the purchase and sale of an aggregate of 833,335 shares of its common stock at a purchase price of $3.00 per share in a registered direct offering priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules (Press release, Phio Pharmaceuticals, JAN 15, 2025, View Source [SID1234649745]). In addition, in a concurrent private placement, the Company will issue short-term unregistered warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,666,670 shares of common stock. The short-term warrants will have an exercise price of $3.00 per share, will be exercisable upon issuance and expire twenty-four months following the date of issuance. The closing of the offering is expected to occur on or about January 15, 2025, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

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H.C. Wainwright & Co. is acting as the exclusive placement agent for the offering.

The aggregate gross proceeds to the Company from the offering are expected to be $2.5 million, before deducting the placement agent fees and other offering expenses payable by the Company. The Company currently intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

The shares of common stock (but not the short-term warrants issued in the private placement or the shares of common stock underlying such short-term warrants) are being offered by the Company pursuant to a "shelf" registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-279557) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on May 20, 2024 and became effective on July 1, 2024. The registered direct offering of the shares of common stock is being made only by means of a prospectus, including a prospectus supplement, forming a part of the effective registration statement. The prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the shares of common stock being offered in the registered direct offering will be filed with the SEC and be available at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Electronic copies of the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the registered direct offering may also be obtained, when available, by contacting H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC at 430 Park Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10022, by telephone at (212) 856-5711 or e-mail at [email protected].

The short-term warrants described above are being issued in a concurrent private placement under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Regulation D promulgated thereunder and, along with the shares of common stock underlying the short-term warrants, have not been registered under the Securities Act, or applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, the short-term warrants and underlying shares of common stock may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and such applicable state securities laws.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or 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 jurisdiction.

On January 15, 2025 XENOTHERA reported the launch of two new dose cohorts in its oncology clinical trials (Press release, Xenothera, JAN 15, 2025, View Source [SID1234649744]). The biotech announces the fifth dose cohort (16mg) in the FIPO trial, which is testing XON7 in patients with solid tumors, and the second dose cohort (4mg) in the PALT trial, which is testing LIS22 in peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). These results indicate that the biotech’s anti-cancer antibodies are well tolerated, and mark major milestones in its development.

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Since 2019, XENOTHERA has been extending its expertise to the development of antibodies against cancer, in addition to its initial positioning in transplantation. Its innovative glyco-humanized polyclonal antibody (GH-pAb) technology offers promising prospects by killing cancer cells, blocking tumor escape mechanisms, limiting metastasis and combining several actions to fight cancers effectively (see publication by Ciron et al. 2024).

XENOTHERA is currently conducting clinical trials with two antibodies designed to combat cancer. XON7 is a GH-pAb that targets an original combination of tumor markers and induces a modification of the tumor environment. In vivo, XON7 has superior activity to chemotherapy in several types of cancer. The FIPO trial (NCT06154291) is a phase I/II trial testing XON7 in patients with various solid tumors (according to the protocol, sarcoma, triple-negative breast, colorectal, lung, gastro-esophageal, pancreas, ovary). Following the 1.5mg, 3mg, 6mg and 12mg dose cohorts, XENOTHERA has announced the start of the 16mg dose cohort, which has been validated by the trial’s Scientific Advisory Board. Three patients have already received this new dose. A final dose of 20mg is planned in the trial design before moving on to phase II.

LIS22 is a GH-pAb designed to specifically target mature tumour lymphocytes responsible for certain aggressive lymphomas (PTCL). It has been granted orphan drug status by the FDA and the EMA and is in phase I/II (PALT1 trial, NCT06495723) since July 2024 in PTCL patients. Following an initial patient treated at 2mg, the trial’s Scientific Advisory Board approved the switch to a 4mg dose. Three patients are currently being treated at 4mg, and will be followed by 6 patients at 6mg. The PALT trial is being supported in the France 2030 programme, with a 4M€ funding recently announced by the biotech company.

"These important milestones document the safety of our antibodies, which is per se a major asset in the treatment of cancer, where too many drugs induce harmful side-effects for patients. We are now reaching dose levels where we can expect the first signs of efficacy, even if this is not the intention at this stage, when we are focusing on safety. Basically, we are confident because the in vivo scientific data are very convincing, and we hope that patients will be the first to benefit from our advances. More fundamentally, this is a clear sign that our technology represents an avenue of innovation in oncology, and we are very proud of this. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the patients, the medical teams and the entire XENOTHERA team for their involvement in these major clinical trials’, comments Odile Duvaux, Chairman of the company.

On January 15, 2025 XENOTHERA reported the securing of a €4 million financing from the public investment program France 2030 to develop its PALT24 project (Polyspecific Antibodies in Lymphoproliferative T cell disorders) (Press release, Xenothera, JAN 15, 2025, View Source [SID1234649743]). This project aims a particularly agressive onco-hematologic disease with high unmet medical needs : PTCL, as the five year survival rate remains at only 30%.

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This financing will enable us to launch the PALT1 clinical trial and pursue early access authorization in France and Europe by 2027. XENOTHERA’s polyclonal glyco-humanized antibody (GH-pAb) is unique in its ability to target tumor cells selectively without affecting healthy lymphocytes, a major advancement in PTCL treatment. Already recognized as an "orphan drug" by both the FDA and EMA, it brings unprecedented hope for patients.