On March 4, 2024 AnHeart Therapeutics ("AnHeart"), a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel precision therapies for people with cancer, and Innovent Biologics, Inc. ("Innovent") (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high quality medicines for the treatment of oncology, metabolic, autoimmune, ophthalmology and other major diseases, reported that the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has accepted a second New Drug Application (NDA) for taletrectinib, a next-generation ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) (Press release, AnHeart Therapeutics, MAR 4, 2024, View Source [SID1234640746]). This NDA is for taletrectinib as a first-line treatment for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have not previously been treated with ROS1 TKIs.
Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:
Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing
Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!
In 2023, China’s NMPA accepted taletrectinib’s first NDA and granted Priority Review Designation for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive NSCLC who have been previously treated with ROS1 TKIs. Both NDAs in China are based on positive results from the Phase 2 TRUST-I (NCT04395677) trial. Data from an interim analysis of TRUST-I were presented at the European Lung Cancer Congress (ELCC) 2023 and additional data from TRUST-I is planned to be presented at an upcoming medical meeting in 2024.
"I am pleased this second NDA for taletrectinib has been accepted in China. We need additional options for our patients who are newly diagnosed with advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive NSCLC that may improve upon the first-generation medicines," said Professor Caicun Zhou, Principal Investigator and Oncologist at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital.
"The acceptance of this NDA in China supports our belief in taletrectinib as a first-line treatment for people with advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive NSCLC, and we are excited by the opportunity to bring a potentially transformative medicine to people earlier in their treatment journey," said Bing Yan, MD, President, AnHeart China. "We plan to work closely with our partners at Innovent and regulatory authorities in China to continue progressing taletrectinib as part of our mission to improve the lives of people with cancer."
"Given the clinically demonstrated benefits of taletrectinib in the TRUST-I trial, we are pleased to see the second NDA accepted by the NMPA of China," said Dr. Hui Zhou, Senior Vice President of Innovent. "We will continue close communications with our partner AnHeart Therapeutics and regulatory authorities in China, hoping to bring this new generation of targeted therapy to all appropriate patients with ROS1-positive NSCLC as a standard initial treatment option."
About Taletrectinib
Taletrectinib is an oral, potent, brain penetrant, selective, next-generation potential best-in-class ROS1 inhibitor.
Taletrectinib is being evaluated for the treatment of ROS1-positive NSCLC patients in two Phase 2 trials, TRUST-I (NCT04395677) in China, and TRUST-II (NCT04919811), a global pivotal trial.
In 2022, taletrectinib was granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the CDE of China’s NMPA for the treatment of adult patients with advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive NSCLC who are ROS1 TKI naïve as well as those who have previously been treated with ROS1 TKIs.
Taletrectinib has also been granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation in the United States for the treatment of ROS1-positive NSCLC by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In 2021, AnHeart and Innovent entered into an exclusive license agreement for the co-development and commercialization of taletrectinib in Greater China, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
About ROS1-Positive NSCLC in China
More than one million people globally are diagnosed with NSCLC annually, the most common form of lung cancer. It is estimated that approximately 3% of people with NSCLC in China are ROS1-positive. There are two approved first-generation TKIs for people with newly diagnosed advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive NSCLC in China and no approved therapies for people whose ROS1-positive NSCLC has progressed following treatment with these medicines. Up to 35% of people newly diagnosed with metastatic ROS1-positive NSCLC have tumors that have spread to the brain (brain metastases), increasing up to 55% for those whose cancer has progressed following initial treatment.