On December 10, 2020 Immutep Limited (ASX: IMM; NASDAQ: IMMP) a biotechnology company developing novel immunotherapy treatments for cancer and autoimmune diseases, reported that its Chinese partner, EOC Pharma will commence a new Phase II clinical trial in up to 152 metastatic breast cancer patients in China (Press release, EOC Pharma, DEC 10, 2020, View Source [SID1234572640]).

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Similar to Immutep’s AIPAC study, the EOC Pharma trial will be a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II clinical study with the study endpoints including progression free survival, overall survival and overall response rate. It is expected take place across 20 clinical trial sites in China over 24 months and will evaluate Immutep’s lead product candidate eftilagimod alpha ("efti", designated EOC202 in China) in combination with paclitaxel in HER2-negative/HR positive metastatic breast cancer patients who have progression after endocrine therapy.

EOC Pharma has received positive scientific advice from the Chinese competent authority, the Chinese National Medical Products Administration, enabling the first patient in to be enrolled and dosed in the trial in Q1 of calendar year 2021.

EOC Pharma CEO, Xiaoming Zou, said: "Breast cancer is now the most common cancer in Chinese women, with more than 1.6 million people being diagnosed and 1.2 million people dying of the disease each year1. It is very important that we find new ways to enhance paclitaxel chemotherapy which continues to be a standard of care for HER2-negative/HR positive metastatic breast cancer patients. Immutep’s recent encouraging interim AIPAC results give us hope we can boost the body’s immune system to deliver better outcomes to patients."

Immutep CEO Marc Voigt said: "EOC Pharma shares our growing excitement about the potential for the combination of efti with paclitaxel chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer. Our ongoing AIPAC study evaluating the same combination is already reporting very encouraging data, including a statistically significant survival benefit of 7.1 months in patients under 65 years of age and 9.4 months for patients with a low starting monocyte count. EOC Pharma’s new trial in China brings this innovative new treatment much closer to market for metastatic breast cancer patients."

EOC Pharma is the exclusive licensee of efti from Immutep for the Chinese market. Under its agreement with Immutep, it will make further milestone payments to the Company if efti achieves specific development milestones as well as undisclosed royalties on sales and is also required to fund the Chinese development of efti.

Webcast Details
Immutep will discuss the recent AIPAC data in a global webcast for investors. Details are as follows:

Date & Time: Friday 11 December at 8.30 am Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT)
Register: View Source
Questions: Investors are invited to submit questions in advance via [email protected].

A replay of the webcast will also be available at www.immutep.com from the day after the event.