GSK’s B7-H3-targeted antibody-drug conjugate, GSK’227, receives US FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation in late-line relapsed or refractory osteosarcoma

On January 7, 2025 GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) reported that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation for GSK5764227 (GSK’227), its B7-H3-targeted antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) being evaluated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory osteosarcoma (bone cancer) who have progressed on at least two prior lines of therapy (Press release, GlaxoSmithKline, JAN 7, 2025, View Source [SID1234649474]). The Breakthrough Therapy Designation aims to expedite the development and review of drugs with the potential to treat a serious condition and where preliminary clinical evidence may indicate substantial improvement over currently available therapy.1 This is the third regulatory designation for GSK’227, following the European Medicines Agency’s decision to grant Priority Medicines (PRIME) designation and the FDA’s decision to grant Breakthrough Therapy Designation for relapsed or refractory extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer in August 2024 and December 2024, respectively.2,3

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Hesham Abdullah, Senior Vice President, Global Head Oncology, R&D, GSK, said: "This latest regulatory designation for GSK’227 exemplifies the potential of our targeted ADC in patients with difficult to treat cancers. For patients with relapsed or refractory osteosarcoma, there is an urgent unmet medical need with no approved treatment options once the cancer returns a second time, and chemotherapy provides limited benefit in this setting."

The US FDA’s Breakthrough Therapy Designation is supported by data from the ARTEMIS-002 study. This is a phase II, open-label, randomised, multi-centre, clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of GSK’227 in patients with relapsed or refractory osteosarcoma and other unresectable bone and soft tissue sarcomas, conducted by Hansoh Pharma. More than 60 patients were enrolled, including 42 patients with osteosarcoma. Results from ARTEMIS-002 were presented at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting.4 Last year, GSK acquired exclusive worldwide rights (excluding China’s mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) from Hansoh Pharma to progress clinical development and commercialisation of GSK’227. GSK recently began a global phase I trial (NCT06551142) as a part of the development plan to support a registrational pathway for GSK’227.

Osteosarcoma mainly affects children and young adults and is the most common primary bone cancer, accounting for 20-40% of all bone cancers.5 It is a rare disease with an annual incidence of 3.3 patients per million in the US, representing less than 1% of all new cancer diagnoses.6,7 Approximately 20-30% of patients who present with localised (non-metastatic) osteosarcoma and 80% of those who present with metastatic osteosarcoma experience relapsed or refractory disease.8 Following first-line chemotherapy, treatment options for patients with relapsed or refractory osteosarcoma are severely limited, with no clear standard of care available.9 After patients progress on two prior lines of treatment, options become even more limited, with no approved therapies.

About GSK’227
GSK’227, also known as HS-20093, is a novel investigational B7-H3-targeted antibody-drug conjugate composed of a fully human anti-B7-H3 monoclonal antibody covalently linked to a topoisomerase inhibitor payload. HS-20093 is being developed by Hansoh Pharma for the treatment of lung cancer, sarcoma, head and neck cancers and other solid tumours in multiple phase I, II and III clinical trials in China. GSK’s global phase I trial for GSK’227 began in August 2024.

Syndax Announces Presentation at 43rd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

On January 7, 2025 Syndax Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: SNDX), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company developing an innovative pipeline of cancer therapies, reported that Michael A. Metzger, Chief Executive Officer of Syndax, will present at the 43rd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. PT/ 1:30 p.m. ET (Press release, Syndax, JAN 7, 2025, View Source [SID1234649472]).

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A live webcast of the fireside chat can be accessed from the Investor section of the Company’s website at www.syndax.com, where a replay of the event will also be available for a limited time.

Sutro Biopharma to Present at the 43rd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

On January 7, 2025 Sutro Biopharma, Inc. (Sutro or the Company) (NASDAQ: STRO), a clinical-stage oncology company pioneering site-specific and novel-format antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), reported that Bill Newell, Chief Executive Officer, will present at the 43rd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at 2:15 p.m. PT / 5:15 p.m. ET in San Francisco, CA (Press release, Sutro Biopharma, JAN 7, 2025, View Source;utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sutro-biopharma-to-present-at-the-43rd-annual-j-p-morgan-healthcare-conference [SID1234649471]).

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The presentation will be accessible through the News & Events page of the Investor Relations section of the company’s website at www.sutrobio.com. An archived replay will be available for at least 30 days after the event.

Pluristyx Announces Immediate Availability of GMP-Compliant PSXi013 iPSC Line for Advanced Therapy Development

On January 7, 2025 Pluristyx, a leading provider of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), cutting-edge, induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies, reported the immediate availability of the PSXi013 iPSC line made under GMP (Press release, panCELLa, JAN 7, 2025, View Source [SID1234649470]). This off-the-shelf, readily available cell line will revolutionize the cell and gene therapy landscape, breaking the mold of how cells are supplied, and offering an unprecedented solution for researchers and developers seeking to accelerate clinical translation of their iPSC-based therapies.

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Avoiding many of the pitfalls associated with conventional iPSC reprogramming methods that can introduce genetic instability, PSXi013 has been reprogrammed using our state-of-the-art, footprint-free natural-nucleotide, mRNA technology. This innovative approach eliminates the risk of insertional mutagenesis and incorporation of synthetic nucleotides into the genome, ensuring the highest quality and safety for therapeutic applications. As the lowest passage iPSC bank available on the market (delivered at Passage 10), PSXi013 effectively minimizes the risk of genetic drift, allows the customer to select a clone on their schedule, and provides a more stable and clinically relevant starting material versus higher passage cell banks. PLSXi013 is available for immediate licensing with a simplified structure directly through Pluristyx.

"We are thrilled to launch PSXi013, a true game-changer in the field of regenerative medicine," said Dr. Benjamin Fryer, Chief Executive Officer of Pluristyx. "We have already licensed this line to several leading therapeutic developers and are excited to now share this new line with the wider industry. PSXi013 embodies our commitment to the most advanced, reliable, and clinically relevant iPSC solutions. We are empowering researchers to dramatically accelerate the development of their life-changing cell therapy with our unmatched quality, low passage number, potential for genetic modification, and robust regulatory support. "

PSXi013 is manufactured from a healthy adult donor consented under IRB approved protocols, and has been rigorously tested to meet or exceed regulatory guidelines for clinical use in all major global regulatory jurisdictions and indications.

Key features of the stem cell line that set it apart:

Prospectively designed for genetic editing and process optimization: PSXi013 is available in polyclonal format unlike all other current lines where a clone is automatically preselected by the supplier. Polyclonal iPSC pools eliminate genetic bottlenecks and enable end users to edit and/or select their cells for desired phenotype and process functionality.

Unmatched Quality and Genomic Integrity: Extensive testing, including extended serial passaging, confirms the exceptional genomic stability of PSXi013, making it an ideal foundation for large-scale, consistent clinical manufacturing.

Streamlined Regulatory Pathway: The GMP PSXi013 iPSC line will be supported by a Drug Master File (DMF) submission to the US FDA to simplify the Investigational New Drug (IND) application process and accelerate clinical trial initiation.

Proven Differentiation Potential: PSXi013 demonstrates robust differentiation potential across a wide array of therapeutically relevant cell types, including but not limited to beta islets, hepatocytes, cardiomyocytes, Natural Killer (NK) cells, mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), and neuronal progenitors. This versatility makes it a powerful tool for developing treatments for a broad spectrum of diseases.

Addressing key safety concerns surrounding iPSC-based therapies, such as immunogenicity and uncontrolled proliferation, Pluristyx also offers custom manufacturing of genetically modified variants of PSXi013. These variants can incorporate hypoimmune technology to evade immune rejection, and Pluristyx’s proprietary FailSafe suicide switch technology to selectively eliminate proliferating cells, enhancing the manufacturability, safety, and efficacy of the final cell therapy product. Hypoimmune and FailSafe edits are currently available in iPSC lines for preclinical research and development and can be performed under GMP conditions upon request.

The launch of the GMP PSXi013 iPSC Master Cell Bank marks a pivotal moment in Pluristyx’s ongoing mission to accelerate the development of stem cell therapies. By providing a high-quality, low-passage iPSC line backed by comprehensive testing and regulatory support, Pluristyx is empowering researchers and developers to bring tomorrow’s cell therapies to patients today.

Pluristyx CEO Benjamin Fryer will be presenting the company and hosting one-on-one meetings during the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco next week.

Nerviano Medical Sciences S.r.l. Announces the Launch of a New Clinical Trial to Evaluate NMS-153 in Combination with Atezolizumab and Clinical Trial Supply Agreement with Roche

On January 7, 2025 Nerviano Medical Sciences S.r.l. (NMS), a clinical stage company discovering and developing innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer, reported that it has entered into a clinical trial supply agreement with Roche for provision of atezolizumab (Tecentriq)1 to be combined with the Monopolar Spindle 1 (MPS1) inhibitor NMS-153, and cGAS/STING pathway activator, for the treatment of hepatocellular cancer patients (Press release, Nerviano Medical Sciences, JAN 7, 2025, View Source [SID1234649469]).

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The new study, recently approved by health authorities, is a: "Phase II Combination Study of NMS-01940153E and Atezolizumab with or without a prior priming with low dose decitabine for the Treatment of Adult Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) Previously Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors" (EUCT Number: 2024-516737-12-00).

The trial is a Phase IIa, open-label, non-randomized, 2-part multicenter study to explore the safety, tolerability, and antitumor activity of NMS-153 administered with atezolizumab to adult patients with unresectable HCC previously treated with an approved immune checkpoint inhibitor and that have experienced clinical benefit to this treatment.

NMS has recently completed the monotherapy "Phase I/II Study on Safety and Efficacy of NMS-01940153E in Adult Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) Previously Treated with Systemic Therapy" (NCT05630937), identifying early signs of clinical activity, with an adequate safety profile.

"MPS1 inhibition has been shown to be a potent upstream re-activator of the cGAS/STING pathway in multiple cancer types, including hepatocellular carcinoma. Coupling this with decitabine to reverse tumor cell epigenetic silencing of STING, along PD-L1 blockade, is an exciting novel strategy to attempt to restore immunogenicity in treatment-refractory disease", David A. Barbie, MD, Director of the Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and NMS Scientific Advisory Board member commented.

"Our goal is to bring valid therapeutic options to liver cancer patients", said Hugues Dolgos, Pharm.D., Chief Executive Officer, NMS: "The combination of atezolizumab, a drug already approved for use in hepatocellular cancer, together with NMS-153, has strong potential since each has shown clinical activity in HCC2,3, bringing hope to improve outcomes for these patients. We sincerely thank Roche for their collaboration on the trial and for providing atezolizumab".

"Unmet medical need in hepatocellular cancer remains high and this novel combination with the MPS1 mechanism offers hope. NMS is committed to development of new therapies for cancer patients." according to Lisa Mahnke, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer, NMS.