On April 10, 2018 H3 Biomedicine Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company specializing in the discovery and development of next-generation cancer medicines using its data science and precision chemistry product engine, reported that two presentations at the upcoming 2018 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, being held April 14–18, 2018 in Chicago (Press release, H3 Biomedicine, APR 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234525249]). Both presentations underscore the Company’s scientific leadership in RNA splicing, including the identification of somatic mutations in cancer for the discovery and development of novel therapies.

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Oral Presentation / Education Session – Saturday, April 14; 2:00 – 2:25 p.m. (CDT)
Discovery of H3B-8800: A novel, orally bioavailable, small molecule SF3b modulator
Location: Room S103 – McCormick Place South (Level 1)
Presenter: Dominic Reynolds, Ph.D., Vice President of Chemistry, H3 Biomedicine Inc.

Poster Presentation – Tuesday, April 17; 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (CDT)
Comprehensive genomic profiling of hematologic malignancies identifies recurrent somatic splicing factor mutations in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and multiple myeloma (MM)
Abstract 3406, Location: Main Exhibit Hall, Section 17, Poster Board 18

This poster presentation is related to a multi-year, ongoing collaboration between H3 Biomedicine and Foundation Medicine, Inc. (NASDAQ:FMI) for the discovery and development of precision medicines in oncology.

About H3B-8800
Splicing modulation is one of several research focus areas of H3 Biomedicine. A Phase 1 trial is underway in patients with hematologic malignancies for H3B-8800, the company’s first spliceosome pathway-targeting cancer therapeutic. H3B-8800 is a potent, selective and orally bioavailable small molecule modulator of wild-type and mutant SF3b complex, a splicing factor gene. The study is evaluating the safety and preliminary efficacy of H3B-8800 in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) who carry mutations in splicing factor genes. In February 2018, H3 published preclinical data in Nature Medicine demonstrating that H3B-8800 modulates RNA splicing and shows preferential antitumor activity in a range of spliceosome-mutant cancer models.

On April 10, 2018 VBL Therapeutics (Nasdaq:VBLT), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class treatments for cancer, reported that the Company will present new data on MOSPD2, a novel target for Bi-specific Ab mediated killing of tumor cells, at the 2018 Annual American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Meeting, to be held April 14-18, 2018 at McCormick Place North/South in Chicago, Illinois (Press release, VBL Therapeutics, APR 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234525248]).

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Poster Presentation Details:

Late-Breaking Research: Immunology 1
Date: Monday, April 16, 2018
Time: 8:00 am – 12:00 noon
Session Location: Poster Section 45

On April 10, 2018 Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:KPTI), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation to the Company’s lead, oral Selective Inhibitor of Nuclear Export (SINE) compound selinexor for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least three prior lines of therapy (Press release, Karyopharm, APR 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234525246]). The FDA’s statement, consistent with the design of Karyopharm’s Phase 2b STORM study, noted that the three prior lines of therapy include regimens comprised of an alkylating agent, a glucocorticoid, Velcade (bortezomib), Kyprolis (carfilzomib), Revlimid (lenalidomide), Pomalyst (pomalidomide) and Darzalex (daratumumab). In addition, the patient’s disease must be refractory to at least one proteasome inhibitor (Velcade or Kyprolis), one immunomodulatory agent (Revlimid or Pomalyst), glucocorticoids and to Darzalex, as well as to the most recent therapy. The Company expects to report top-line data from the STORM study at the end of April 2018.

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The FDA’s Fast Track program facilitates the development of drugs intended to treat serious conditions and that have the potential to address unmet medical needs. A drug program with Fast Track status is afforded greater access to the FDA for the purpose of expediting the drug’s development, review and potential approval. In addition, the Fast Track program allows for eligibility for Accelerated Approval and Priority Review, if relevant criteria are met, as well as for Rolling Review, which means that a drug company can submit completed sections of its New Drug Application (NDA) for review by FDA, rather than waiting until every section of the NDA is completed before the entire application can be submitted for review.

"The designation of Fast Track for selinexor represents important recognition by the FDA of the potential of this anti-cancer agent to address the significant unmet need in the treatment of patients with penta-refractory myeloma that has continued to progress despite available therapies," said Sharon Shacham, PhD, MBA, Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Karyopharm. "We are fully committed to working closely with the FDA as we continue development of this potential new, orally-administered treatment for patients who currently have no other treatment options of proven benefit."

About the Phase 2b STORM Study

In the multi-center, single-arm Phase 2b STORM (Selinexor Treatment of Refractory Myeloma) study, approximately 122 patients with heavily pretreated, penta-refractory myeloma receive 80mg oral selinexor twice weekly in combination with 20mg low-dose dexamethasone, also dosed orally twice weekly. Patients with penta-refractory disease are those who have previously received an alkylating agent, a glucocorticoid, two immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) (Revlimid (lenalidomide) and Pomalyst (pomalidomide)), two proteasome inhibitors (PIs) (Velcade (bortezomib) and Kyprolis (carfilzomib)), and the anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody Darzalex (daratumumab), and their disease is refractory to at least one PI, at least one IMiD, Darzalex, glucocorticoids and their most recent anti-myeloma therapy. Overall response rate is the primary endpoint of the study, with duration of response and clinical benefit rate being secondary endpoints. All responses will be adjudicated by an Independent Review Committee (IRC).

About Selinexor

Selinexor (KPT-330) is a first-in-class, oral Selective Inhibitor of Nuclear Export (SINE) compound. Selinexor functions by binding with and inhibiting the nuclear export protein XPO1 (also called CRM1), leading to the accumulation of tumor suppressor proteins in the cell nucleus. This reinitiates and amplifies their tumor suppressor function and is believed to lead to the selective induction of apoptosis in cancer cells, while largely sparing normal cells. To date, over 2,300 patients have been treated with selinexor, and it is currently being evaluated in several mid- and later-phase clinical trials across multiple cancer indications, including in multiple myeloma in a pivotal, randomized Phase 3 study in combination with Velcade (bortezomib) and low-dose dexamethasone (BOSTON), in combination with low-dose dexamethasone (STORM) and as a potential backbone therapy in combination with approved therapies (STOMP), and in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (SADAL), and liposarcoma (SEAL), among others. Additional Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 studies are ongoing or currently planned, including multiple studies in combination with one or more approved therapies in a variety of tumor types to further inform Karyopharm’s clinical development priorities for selinexor. Additional clinical trial information for selinexor is available at www.clinicaltrials.gov.

On April 10, 2018 Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: HALO), a biotechnology company developing novel oncology and drug-delivery therapies, reported that it will webcast its Quarterly Update Conference Call for the first quarter 2018 on Thurs., May 10 at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT. Dr. Helen Torley, president and chief executive officer, will lead the call (Press release, Halozyme, APR 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234525245]). On the same date, Halozyme will release financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018 following the close of trading.

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The call will be webcast live through the "Investors" section of Halozyme’s corporate website and a recording will be made available following the close of the call. To access the webcast and additional documents related to the call, please visit the Investors page of www.halozyme.com approximately fifteen minutes prior to the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software. The live call may be accessed by dialing (877) 410-5657 (domestic callers) or (334) 323-7224 (international callers) using passcode 769890. A telephone replay will be available after the call by dialing (877) 919-4059 (domestic callers) or (334) 323-0140 (international callers) using replay ID number 68917761.

On April 10, 2018 BeiGene, Ltd. (NASDAQ:BGNE), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative molecularly targeted and immuno-oncology drugs for the treatment of cancer, reported that the first patient was dosed in a global Phase 2 clinical trial of tislelizumab, an investigational anti-PD-1 antibody, in patients with previously treated advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC or liver cancer) (Press release, BeiGene, APR 10, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2341754 [SID1234525244]).

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"We have made great progress in the development of tislelizumab with three global Phase 3 trials now enrolling patients. Along with our partner, Celgene, we are encouraged by this progress and excited for the development opportunity of tislelizumab globally," commented John V. Oyler, Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of BeiGene.

"This potentially registration-enabling trial of tislelizumab is expected to help us further understand its safety and efficacy with respect to the line of treatment in which it is administered to patients with advanced liver cancer. For these patients, as well as for patients in the concurrent front-line Phase 3 study of tislelizumab as compared to sorafenib, we are hopeful that tislelizumab will provide a new treatment option for a patient population with significant unmet needs," commented Amy Peterson, M.D., Chief Medical Officer for Immuno-Oncology of BeiGene.

The Phase 2, multi-center trial is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tislelizumab in patients who were previously treated for unresectable HCC. Approximately 225 patients will be enrolled at approximately 75 cancer centers internationally including Greater China (including Taiwan), the United States, and Europe. Patients will receive a 200 mg dose every three weeks.

The trial’s primary endpoint is overall response rate (ORR) evaluated by an Independent Review Committee (IRC), and secondary endpoints include duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), disease control rate (DCR) and clinical benefit rate (CBR) assessed by IRC, and overall survival. Additional secondary endpoints include investigator assessed ORR, DOR, PFS, DCR and CBR, safety and tolerability and health-related quality of life.

"I look forward to evaluating tislelizumab for patients with advanced liver cancer, for whom the expected median survival is typically less than one year. Patients who have either not seen benefit from their front-line or even second-line treatments, or who may have lost an initial response, could potentially respond to tislelizumab. We are excited to build upon the knowledge base we have from the dose expansion cohort of patients with HCC from its Phase 1 trial," said Professor Ann-Lii Cheng, M.D., Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and Superintendent of the Cancer Center of National Taiwan University and principal investigator of the trial.

For more information about the trial, patients and physicians should email BeiGene at [email protected].

About Hepatocellular Carcinoma

HCC is a major global health problem, accounting for 85-90 percent of all reported cases of liver cancer.i Liver cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer, with an estimated 782,000 new cases per year worldwide; it was also the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality, responsible for an estimated 746,000 deaths.ii China accounts for approximately 50 percent of both new HCC cases and HCC-related deaths worldwide.ii

About Tislelizumab

Tislelizumab (BGB-A317) is an investigational humanized monoclonal antibody that belongs to a class of immuno-oncology agents known as immune checkpoint inhibitors. It is designed to bind to PD-1, a cell surface receptor that plays an important role in downregulating the immune system by preventing the activation of T-cells. Tislelizumab has demonstrated high affinity and specificity for PD-1. It is potentially differentiated from the currently approved PD-1 antibodies in an engineered Fc region, which is believed to minimize potentially negative interactions with other immune cells, based on preclinical data. Tislelizumab is being developed as a monotherapy and in combination with other therapies for the treatment of a broad array of both solid tumor and hematologic cancers. BeiGene and Celgene Corporation have a global strategic collaboration for the development of tislelizumab in solid tumor cancers outside of Asia (except Japan).