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TuHURA Biosciences and Kineta Present Updated Results from Kineta’s Phase I-II Study of KVA12123 and TuHURA’s Mechanism of IFx-Hu2.0 Responses After Anti-PD-1 Therapy Failure in Advanced Melanoma at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting

On April 28, 2025 TuHURA Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:HURA) ("TuHURA"), a Phase 3 immune-oncology company developing novel technologies to overcome resistance to cancer immunotherapy, reported on poster presentations of Kineta Inc.’s ("Kineta") KVA12123 novel anti-VISTA antibody and TuHURA’s IFx-Hu2.0 in advanced melanoma and at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL (Press release, TuHURA Biosciences, APR 28, 2025, View Source [SID1234652249]).

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In the first poster presentation, (CT041/20) TuHURA and Kineta provided updated results from VISTA-101, a Phase I-II first-in-human study of KVA12123 alone and in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors (NCT05708950). The poster, was presented by Thierry Guillaudeux, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Kineta. KVA12123 was found to be generally safe and well tolerated in all monotherapy and combination arms, with no dose-limiting toxicities observed. Additionally, KVA12123 demonstrated a favorable pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) profile at all dose levels, including:

At 1,000mg every two weeks, KVA12123 demonstrated greater than dose proportional PK profile exceeding 90% VISTA receptor occupancy, providing important PK data for determining recommended Phase 2 dose.
No dose limiting toxicities were observed in the study, including at the 1,000mg dose level, among the 24 patients treated in the monotherapy or in the 17 patients in the combination with pembrolizumab arms
"We are pleased to have Thierry present the latest data from the KVA12123 program, a valuable drug candidate that TuHURA will acquire following the closure of the proposed merger with Kineta which is currently targeted for the end of Q2 2025. TuHURA’s exclusivity payment last July allowed Kineta the ability to restart and complete the Phase I study providing important data regarding receptor occupancy and other PK, PD and translational biomarker data at the previously unstudied 1,000mg dose level. The study demonstrated in excess of 90% VISTA receptor occupancy over the entire Q2W dosing interval where PK simulations would predict similar receptor occupancy even at 750mg Q2W dosing, which we believe will be the recommended Phase 2 dose and schedule", stated James Bianco, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of TuHURA Biosciences.

Dr. Bianco continued, "Our primary interest in VISTA is its potential in immunologic tolerance in a variety of blood related cancers. Recent scientific data demonstrates that NPM1 mutation, present in 30% to 35% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) results in the high expression of VISTA on leukemic blasts. This is believed to be the mechanism by which leukemia escapes immune recognition and attack and is responsible for high rate of treatment failures in AML. We look forward to evaluating the VISTA inhibiting antibody in a Phase 2 randomized study in relapsed AML, which we expect to initiate in the fourth quarter of 2025 based on the anticipated closing of the proposed merger with Kineta."

TuHURA also announced that the Markowitz Lab at Moffitt Cancer Center also presented a poster of TuHURA’s IFx-Hu2.0 in patients with advanced treatment refractory Melanoma who, like patients in TuHURA’s Phase 1b Merkel cell carcinoma trial, progressed while on CPI therapy. The data demonstrated that, among heavily pre-treated patients with advanced Melanoma who were resistant to anti-PD-1-based therapy, following IFx-Hu2.0, three of four patients achieved clinically meaningful, durable anti-tumor responses following re-administration of a CPI.

"Demonstration of the development of antibody specific response to the Emm55 bacterial protein expressed on the surface of the tumor cell following IFx-Hu2.0 in the phase 1 study and an abscopal effect in murine model of melanoma is consistent with the data generated in patients with advanced cutaneous malignancies like melanoma or Merkel cell carcinoma," noted Dr. Bianco. "We look forward to that anticipated initiation of our Phase 3 accelerated approval trial in first line treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma targeted for later this quarter."

In the second poster presentation relating to IFx-Hu2.0 entitled: "Mechanistic Insights into IFx- Hu2.0 Responses in the First Human Trial After Prior Anti-PD-1 Therapy Failure," (3428/23) IFx-Hu2.0’s first-in-human study demonstrated stimulation of an innate immune response, with increased T cell and B cell production in peripheral blood compared to tumor tissue. This innate immune activation underscores the potential of IFx-Hu2.0 to generate tumor specific activate T and B cells for patients who are resistant to anti-PD-1 CPIs. Additionally, IFx-Hu2.0 was generally safe and well tolerated, with only mild Grade 1 and Grade 2 adverse events, largely injection site reactions.

As previously announced, on December 11, 2024, TuHURA entered into a definitive agreement with Kineta, Inc. (OTC Pink: KANT) ("Kineta"), in which TuHURA agreed to acquire Kineta, including the rights to Kineta’s novel KVA12123 antibody, for a combination of cash and shares of TuHURA common stock via a merger transaction upon the terms and conditions and subject to the conditions set forth in TuHURA’s Form 8-K filed on December 12, 2024. The merger is currently targeted to close in Q2 2025 pending the satisfaction of certain closing conditions.

Tempest Presents New Amezalpat MOA Data Reinforcing Its Potential as Novel Cancer Treatment at the 2025 AACR Annual Meeting

On April 28, 2025 Tempest Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TPST), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-classi targeted and immune-mediated therapeutics to fight cancer, reported that a presentation of new data supporting the immune component of amezalpat’s purported dual mechanism of action that reinforces its potential as a novel cancer treatment at the 2025 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting (Press release, Tempest Therapeutics, APR 28, 2025, View Source [SID1234652248]).

"The data presented at the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting show that amezalpat reduced tumor promoting immunosuppression by M2 macrophages and T regulatory cells resulting in immune activation. These data support the immune-mediated anti-cancer activity of the proposed dual MOA of amezalpat," said Sam Whiting, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer and head of R&D at Tempest, "and are consistent with clinical data showing promising results in patients with HCC, RCC and CCA including in combination with approved immunotherapy. The results reinforce amezalpat’s novel and potentially first-in-class profile as a cancer therapy."

Amezalpat is an inhibitor of PPAR-alpha, the key regulator of fatty acid oxidation (FAO), which is a key metabolic pathway used by immunosuppressive macrophages and regulatory T cells (Tregs). Both cell populations are associated with poor prognosis in multiple cancer indications. Data presented demonstrated that amezalpat inhibits the development of these cells from precursor populations and is associated with reduced mitochondrial mass, the site of FAO, in immunosuppressive macrophages. Additionally, treatment of Tregs or immunosuppressive macrophages with amezalpat in the presence of tumor and cytotoxic T cells decreases anti-inflammatory cytokine production, indicating blockade of immune suppression that likely contributes to the efficacy of amezalpat observed in clinical trials.

About Amezalpat

Amezalpat is an oral, small molecule, selective PPAR⍺ antagonist. Data suggests that amezalpat treats cancer by targeting tumor cells directly and by modulating immune suppressive cells and angiogenesis in the tumor microenvironment. In a global randomized phase 1b/2 study of amezalpat in combination with atezolizumab and bevacizumab in first-line patients with advanced HCC, the amezalpat arm showed clinical superiority across multiple study endpoints, including overall survival in both the entire population and key subpopulations, when compared to atezolizumab and bevacizumab alone, the standard of care. These randomized data were supported by additional positive results observed in the Phase 1 clinical trial in patients with heavily pretreated advanced solid tumors, including renal cell carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma.

SELLAS Unveils Breakthrough Preclinical Data Highlighting Efficacy of SLS009 in TP53 Mutated AML at the 2025 AACR Conference

On April 28, 2025 SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SLS) ("SELLAS" or the "Company"), a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for a broad range of cancer indications, reported that preclinical efficacy of SLS009 in TP53 mutated Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) cells are being presented in a poster session at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) taking place from April 25th – 30th at McCormick Place Convention Center, Chicago, IL (Press release, Sellas Life Sciences, APR 28, 2025, View Source [SID1234652247]).

Patients with TP53–mutated AML continue to face extremely poor outcomes, even with intensive chemotherapy or the addition of stem cell transplantation. Preclinical data suggest that SLS009, a highly selective CDK9 inhibitor, can induce apoptosis downstream of p53 by targeting critical proteins such as MCL-1 and survivin, regardless of p53 status. Immunoblot analysis reveals near-complete removal of these proteins in treated cells within 8 hours of exposure to SLS009. Furthermore, the treatment reduced TP53-mutated leukemia cell populations by up to 97% in combination with azacitidine–venetoclax, and by up to 80% as monotherapy.

"These findings are an exciting step forward in addressing one of the most challenging subsets of AML," said Angelos Stergiou, MD, ScD h.c., President and Chief Executive Officer of SELLAS. "The ability of SLS009 to overcome TP-53 driven resistance in preclinical models, combined with the positive data we have seen in our ongoing Phase 2 AML program, including a response in a patient with a TP53 mutation, gives us hope that we may one day offer an effective therapeutic option to patients with AML who have long been underserved."

SLS009 is currently in Phase 2 clinical trials in patients with relapsed or refractory (r/r) AML following venetoclax-based regimens, including patients with TP53-mutated leukemia. Recently announced data revealed that r/r AML patients receiving 30 mg of SLS009 BIW achieved a mOS of 8.8 months for all patients, while the mOS in AML myelodysplasia-related-changes (MRC) patients reached 8.9 months – far surpassing the historical benchmark of 2.5 months. Among patients with mutation ASXL1, 4/6 (67%) responded; among those with RUNX1 3/5 (60%) responded, and among those with TP53 1/3 (33%) responded. In addition, there were 3 patients with adverse karyotypes, and 1 responded.

"Over the past decade we’ve seen significant progress in the treatment of AML, particularly with the introduction of the venetoclax/azacitidine regimen, the use of targeted agents, and safer application of haploidentical stem cell transplants," said Dr Phillip Amrein, MD, Clinical Investigator, Massachusetts General Hospital, Assistant Professor of Medicine Harvard Medical School, the senior author of the study. "Yet, leukemias characterized by TP53 remain a major area of unmet need, with poor outcomes even with bone marrow transplantation. The preclinical findings suggest that CDK9 inhibition might have the potential to overcome this resistance and restore sensitivity to existing therapies, offering a promising new path forward for high-risk patient populations."

Poster presentation details:

Title: CDK9 inhibition enhances apoptosis of TP53 mutated AML when combined with standard chemotherapy

Session Date and Time: Monday, April 28, 20025, 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon

Session Title: CDK9 inhibition enhances apoptosis of TP53 mutated AML when combined with standard chemotherapy

Location: Poster Section 17

Poster Board #: 1626

The poster will be available on SELLAS websites following the session.

SLS009 is currently being investigated in a Phase 2 open-label, single-arm, multi-center study designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of SLS009 in combination with venetoclax and azacitidine, including AML patients with ASXL1 mutations. Initial clinical safety and efficacy data are available. In addition, the study aims to identify biomarkers for the target patient population and enrichment for further trials. For more information on the study, visit clinicaltrial.gov identifier NCT04588922.

Lynozyfic™ (linvoseltamab) Approved in the European Union for the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma

On April 28, 2025 Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) reported that the European Commission (EC) has granted conditional marketing approval of Lynozyfic (linvoseltamab) to treat adults with relapsed and refractory (R/R) multiple myeloma (MM) (Press release, Regeneron, APR 28, 2025, View Source [SID1234652246]). The indication is specific to those who have received at least three prior therapies, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, and have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy. Lynozyfic is a bispecific antibody designed to bridge B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) on MM cells with CD3-expressing T cells to facilitate T-cell activation and cancer-cell killing.

Lynozyfic is the first BCMAxCD3 therapy approved that can be dosed every four weeks due to a response-adapted regimen if a very good partial response (VGPR) or better is achieved following completion of at least 24 weeks of therapy. The regimen includes monitoring in close proximity of a qualified treatment center for safety during the step-up dosing period (one 24-hour period after the first step-up dose and another 24-hour period after the second step-up dose, if certain safety events occur).

"Despite treatment advances, patients with multiple myeloma inevitably endure relapses, reduced responses to subsequent therapies, and increasingly shorter remissions. For those who develop relapsed and refractory disease after having been exposed to the three major drug classes, it’s important to have new therapies with different mechanisms of action like linvoseltamab," said Paula Rodriguez-Otero, M.D., Department of Hematology, Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain. "In a clinical trial, linvoseltamab demonstrated compelling and impressive efficacy with the potential for complete remission in this patient population, including those with high disease burden. Furthermore, its response-adapted schedule will provide patients a convenient treatment option."

The EC approval is based on results from the pivotal LINKER-MM1 trial (n=117 at the 200 mg dose of Lynozyfic), which demonstrated robust and durable responses in patients with R/R MM. Results showed a 71% objective response rate (ORR), with 50% of patients achieving a complete response (CR) or better, as determined by an independent review committee. The minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity rate in patients achieving a CR or stringent CR was 41% (24 of 58 patients; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 29 to 55). The median duration of response (DOR) was 29 months (95% CI: 19 to not estimable).

The most frequent adverse reactions were musculoskeletal pain (52%), cytokine release syndrome (CRS; 46%), neutropenia (43%), cough (42%), diarrhea (39%), anemia (38%), fatigue (36%), pneumonia (32%), and upper respiratory tract infection (30%). The majority of CRS cases were Grade 1 (35%) or Grade 2 (10%), and there was one case of Grade 3 CRS (0.9%) and no cases of ≥Grade 4 CRS. The median time to first CRS onset was 11 hours (range: -1.1 to 184 hours), with the median time to resolution within 1 day (16 hours; range: 1-96 hours). Grade 3 immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS; 2.6%) and infections that were Grade 3 or 4 (36%) or fatal (4%) also occurred.

"Lynozyfic is our second approved bispecific antibody – in this case for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma patients – reinforcing our relentless commitment to transforming cancer care for those who need it most," said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., Board co-Chair, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron. "We are excited by the potential of Lynozyfic and its differentiated clinical profile, dosing and administration. Given the strength of the data, we are pursuing a robust clinical development program exploring its use – in earlier lines of therapy as monotherapy and in novel combinations – with the hope of further advancing care for patients."

In the U.S., the FDA accepted for review the Biologics License Application for linvoseltamab in adults with R/R MM with a target action date of July 10, 2025.

About Multiple Myeloma
As the second most common blood cancer, there are over 35,000 new cases of MM diagnosed in Europe and 187,000 new cases of MM diagnosed globally every year. The disease is characterized by the proliferation of cancerous plasma cells (MM cells) that crowd out healthy blood cells in the bone marrow, infiltrate other tissues and cause potentially life-threatening organ injury. Despite treatment advances, MM is not curable and while current treatments are able to slow the progression of the cancer, most patients will ultimately experience cancer progression and require additional therapies.

About the Lynozyfic (linvoseltamab) Clinical Development Program
Lynozyfic as monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with R/R MM who have received at least three prior therapies, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, and have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy. For complete product information, please see the Summary of Product Characteristics that can be found on www.ema.europa.eu in due course.

The ongoing, open-label, multicenter Phase 1/2 dose-escalation and dose-expansion LINKER-MM1 trial is investigating linvoseltamab in more than 300 enrolled patients with R/R MM. The Phase 1 dose-escalation portion of the trial – which is now complete – primarily assessed safety, tolerability and dose-limiting toxicities across nine dose levels of linvoseltamab and explored different administration regimens. The ongoing Phase 2 dose expansion portion is assessing the safety and anti-tumor activity of linvoseltamab, with the primary endpoint of ORR. Key secondary endpoints include DOR, progression-free survival, rate of MRD negative status and overall survival.

Eligibility in the Phase 2 portion requires patients to have received at least three prior lines of therapy or have triple-class refractory MM. Linvoseltamab is administered with an initial step-up dosing regimen followed by the full 200 mg dose administered weekly. After week 14, all patients transition to every two-week dosing. A response-adapted regimen further enables patients to shift to every four-week dosing if they achieve a VGPR or better and have completed at least 24 weeks of therapy. The regimen requires a total of two 24-hour hospitalizations for safety monitoring.

Linvoseltamab is being investigated in a broad clinical development program exploring its use as a monotherapy as well as in combination regimens across different lines of therapy in MM, including earlier lines of treatment, as well as plasma cell precursor disorders. They include evaluating linvoseltamab in a Phase 1b trial (LINKER-MM2) in combination with other cancer treatments in R/R MM as well as a Phase 3 confirmatory trial (LINKER-MM3) as a monotherapy in R/R MM. For more information on Regeneron’s clinical trials in blood cancer, visit the clinical trials website, or contact via [email protected] or 844-734-6643.

Lynozyfic™ (linvoseltamab) Approved in the European Union for the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma

In the U.S., the FDA accepted for review the Biologics License Application for linvoseltamab in adults with R/R MM with a target action date of July 10, 2025.