On September 30, 2020 Verastem, Inc. (Nasdaq:VSTM) (also known as Verastem Oncology), a biopharmaceutical company committed to advancing new medicines for patients battling cancer, reported that it has completed the sale of Verastem’s COPIKTRA (duvelisib), a marketed oral inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and the first FDA-approved dual inhibitor of PI3K-delta and PI3K-gamma, to Secura Bio, Inc (Press release, Verastem, SEP 30, 2020, View Source [SID1234567809]).
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In consideration for the COPIKTRA assets, Verastem received from Secura Bio $70 million in cash. Additionally, Verastem is eligible to receive up to a total deal value of $311 million if certain regulatory and sales-based milestones are successfully met by Secura Bio and COPIKTRA’s other rest-of-world partners. Verastem will also receive low double-digit royalties on net sales over $100 million in the U.S., Europe and the United Kingdom. Secura Bio has assumed all operational and financial responsibility for COPIKTRA program activities, including commercialization efforts in the United States and Europe, ongoing clinical trials, development and commercialization partnerships with Yakult, CSPC and Sanofi and existing royalty obligations.
Verastem’s sale of COPIKTRA to Secura Bio follows Verastem’s previously announced new strategic direction focused on development of its RAF/MEK inhibitor (VS-6766) and FAK inhibitor (defactinib) program in KRAS mutant (KRASmt) solid tumors. Verastem’s first potential indications for the VS-6766 and defactinib combination will be in low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC) and KRASmt non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
"This transaction delivers clear benefits for both Verastem Oncology and Secura Bio. At Verastem, we will now focus all of our efforts and resources on development of the VS-6766 and defactinib combination in LGSOC and KRASmt NSCLC," said Brian Stuglik, Chief Executive Officer of Verastem Oncology. "The ongoing Phase 1/2 FRAME study continues to provide encouraging data and we plan to commence registration-directed clinical trials in LGSOC and KRASmt NSCLC by the end of 2020."
MTS Health Partners, L.P and Ropes & Gray LLP acted as advisors to Verastem Oncology on this transaction.
About VS-6766
VS-6766 (formerly known as CH5126766, CKI27 and RO5126766) is a unique inhibitor of the RAF/MEK signaling pathway. In contrast to other MEK inhibitors in development, VS-6766 blocks both MEK kinase activity and the ability of RAF to phosphorylate MEK. This unique mechanism allows VS-6766 to block MEK signaling without the compensatory activation of MEK that appears to limit the efficacy of other inhibitors.
About Defactinib
Defactinib (VS-6063) is an oral small molecule inhibitor of FAK and PYK2 that is currently being evaluated as a potential combination therapy for various solid tumors. The Company has received Orphan Drug designation for defactinib in ovarian cancer and mesothelioma in the US, EU and Australia. Preclinical research by Verastem Oncology scientists and collaborators at world-renowned research institutions has described the effect of FAK inhibition to enhance immune response by decreasing immuno-suppressive cells, increasing cytotoxic T cells, and reducing stromal density, which allows tumor-killing immune cells to enter the tumor.1,2
About the VS-6766/Defactinib Combination
RAS mutant tumors are present in ~30% of all human cancers, have historically presented a difficult treatment challenge and are often associated with significantly worse prognosis. Challenges associated with identifying new treatment options for these types of cancers include resistance to single agents, identifying tolerable combination regimens with MEK inhibitors and new RAS inhibitors in development addressing only a minority of all RAS mutated cancers.
The combination of VS-6766 and defactinib has been found to be clinically active in patients with KRAS mt tumors. In an ongoing investigator-initiated Phase 1/2 FRAME study, the combination of VS-6766 and defactinib is being evaluated in patients with LGSOC, KRASmt NSCLC and colorectal cancer (CRC). Updated interim data from this study presented at the 2nd Annual RAS-Targeted Drug Development Summit in September 2020 demonstrated a 56% overall response rate and long duration of therapy among patients with KRAS-G12 mt LGSOC. Based on an observation of higher response rates seen in NSCLC patients with KRAS-G12V mutations in the study, Verastem will also be further exploring the role of VS-6766 and defactinib in KRAS-G12V NSCLC. The FRAME study was expanded in August 2020 to include new cohorts in pancreatic cancer, KRASmt endometrial cancer and KRAS-G12V NSCLC.