On May 17, 2018 Alexo Therapeutics, a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing therapies to block the CD47 checkpoint mechanism, reported it has initiated ALX148 combination dosing with targeted antibody therapies in its Phase 1 clinical program in patients with advanced solid tumors and lymphoma (Press release, Alexo Therapeutics, MAY 17, 2018, View Source [SID1234526778]). The Company will present updated data on ALX148 at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL.

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Poster Presentation Information
Title: A Phase 1 Study of ALX148, a CD47 Blocker, Alone and in Combination with Established Anti-Cancer Antibodies in Patients with Advanced Malignancy and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Session Name: Developmental Therapeutics-Immunotherapy
Session Date: June 04, 2018
Presentation Time: 8:00am – 11:30am CT
Abstract Number: 3068

"The initiation of ALX148 combination cohorts marks the next important milestone in Alexo’s development," said Sophia Randolph M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer of Alexo Therapeutics. "ALX148 is designed to enhance the efficacy of antibody-based therapies, while avoiding the dose-limiting toxicities that have been seen with other CD47-targeted approaches in the clinic. ALX148 is generally well tolerated in patients with advanced tumors and exhibits favorable pharmacokinetics and CD47 target occupancy at doses evaluated. No maximum tolerated dose of ALX148 was reached. With broad therapeutic potential across many types of cancer, we are eager to now be evaluating ALX148 in combination with select anti-cancer therapeutic antibodies."

The ALX148 Phase 1 clinical trial is a two-part study that evaluates the safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of ALX148. Enrollment to the single-agent dose escalation phase is complete and the combination therapy portion in which ALX148 is administered with approved anti-cancer antibodies is ongoing. Clinical data will be presented at the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2018 Annual Meeting. For more information about the Phase 1 study, please visit clinicaltrials.gov, identifier number NCT03013218.

About ALX148
ALX148 is a fusion protein comprised of an engineered high affinity CD47 binding domain of SIRPα linked to an inactive Fc region of human immunoglobulin. ALX148 potently and specifically binds CD47 and blocks its interaction with SIRPα, thus inhibiting a key immune checkpoint mechanism exploited by cancer cells. In preclinical studies, ALX148 bridges innate and adaptive immunity to enhance anti-tumor response in combination with targeted anti-cancer antibodies and checkpoint inhibitors with no adverse effect on CD47-expressing normal blood cells. ALX148 is currently being investigated in a Phase 1 study in combination with checkpoint inhibitors and targeted anti-cancer antibodies (NCT03013218)

On May 17, 2018 Veru Inc. (NASDAQ: VERU), a urology and oncology biopharmaceutical company, reported the publication of data from preclinical studies of VERU-111, a novel oral alpha and beta tubulin inhibitor, showing potent activity in a highly resistant model of human prostate cancer (Press release, Veru, MAY 17, 2018, View Source [SID1234529113]). An abstract of the data was published as part of the upcoming 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in Chicago.

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Oral VERU-111 was evaluated in the 22Rv1 prostate cancer model, which represents a highly resistant and aggressive form of the disease possessing androgen receptor splice variants that are commonly found in prostate cancer resistant to hormonal approaches like abiraterone and enzalutamide. In the same model, docetaxel administered by injection did not have significant effect on tumor growth. Animals receiving docetaxel lost weight on the study, a surrogate for toxicity, whereas those on VERU-111 either maintained or gained weight while receiving the drug.

"The findings in this clinically relevant model of prostate cancer provide us with additional support and enthusiasm for evaluating VERU-111 in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial, which is scheduled to commence later this year. This is an animal model in which few drugs have been shown to be active. In addition, VERU 111 may be effective against other tumor types known to be sensitive to taxanes that are already FDA approved," said Mario Eisenberger, MD, the Dale Hughes Professor of Oncology at The Johns Hopkins University.

"Oral VERU-111 has shown positive and encouraging signs to become an important therapeutic option for a particularly challenging form of prostate cancer. We are studying VERU-111 in multiple other cancers, the data of which is also being published at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) this year. We have begun performing the required toxicity studies and our IND submission and first clinical studies are planned for later this year," said Mitchell Steiner, M.D., Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Veru.

About VERU-111
VERU-111 is a novel oral therapy targeting alpha and beta tubulin for the treatment of metastatic prostate, breast, endometrial, ovarian, and other cancers. In 2017, there were approximately 161,000 new cases of prostate cancer in the U.S. and about 25% of these men will die from the disease. In the U.S., 5% of men with prostate cancer will have metastatic cancer and up to 30% of men with high-risk, localized prostate cancer will develop metastatic cancer following initial therapy. The median survival of patients with metastatic prostate cancer ranges from 3.2 to 4.5 years. For these men, the 1st line therapy is androgen deprivation therapy, or medical castration. Although most will initially respond, nearly all these patients will progress to metastatic castration resistant prostate and have a poor prognosis with an average survival of 1.5 years. New 2nd line hormonal agents, like XTANDI (enzalutamide) and ZYTIGA (abiraterone/prednisone) have resulted in an additional four to five months of average survival, but nearly all men on these agents will develop progressive metastatic prostate cancer.

Drugs like VERU-111 that target tubulin, the subunits of microtubules, have been shown to be the most effective targeted cytotoxic chemotherapy for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer. Microtubules are critical for cancer cell replication to stimulate genes for cancer cell proliferation. Docetaxel and cabazitaxel are examples of FDA-approved chemotherapy drugs that are given intravenously (IV) that target tubulin to treat metastatic prostate cancer. Although effective, the challenges for this class of chemotherapy drugs, also known as taxanes, include that they must be given intravenously (IV) and that the cancer cells develop resistance to taxanes. There are also serious safety concerns with IV taxanes which include serious hypersensitivity reactions, myelosuppression and neurotoxicity such as peripheral neuropathy and muscle weakness.

Unlike taxanes which bind to just the beta subunit of tubulin, VERU-111 binds strongly to both the alpha and beta subunits of tubulin. VERU-111 has: high oral bioavailability; less resistance as it does not interact with multiple drug resistance proteins so it cannot be pumped out of the cancer cell; minimal drug to drug interactions and high activity against many tumor types including: prostate cancer resistant to drugs like enzalutamide, AR-V7 positive and taxanes, as well as triple negative breast cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, and melanoma. In preclinical studies, VERU-111 appears to have less toxicity and less suppression of white blood cells compared to taxanes and other chemotherapy agents.

Production of the VERU-111 active pharmaceutical ingredient and preclinical safety toxicology studies required for an IND are expected to be completed in 2018. We anticipate filing an IND in 2018 and Phase 1/2 studies are planned for late 2018. Phase 1 studies of VERU-111 are planned in men who have metastatic prostate cancer that has progressed while taking androgen deprivation therapy and abiraterone or enzalutamide as well as in patients with metastatic breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. In the U.S., there is a $5 billion annual market for 2nd line hormone therapies for prostate cancer and a $4.8 billion annual market for IV-given taxanes and vinca alkaloids chemotherapies (docetaxel $1 billion and cabazitaxel $500 million in prostate cancer) per Decision Resources Group and Allied Market Research. Second line hormonal therapies like enzalutamide and abiraterone/prednisone have almost complete cross-resistance and should not be used in sequence for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer. VERU-111 could be substituted for IV given docetaxel and cabazitaxel antitubulin chemotherapies. VERU-111 could also be developed as an oral dosing alternative to chemotherapies for the treatment of metastatic breast, endometrial and ovarian cancers as these tumors that responded to IV taxane chemotherapies.

On May 17, 2018 NantHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ-GS: NH), a next-generation, evidence-based, personalized healthcare company, reported that its management will be presenting at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2018 Health Care Conference on Thursday, May 17, 2018, at 11:20 a.m. PT in Las Vegas (Press release, NantHealth, MAY 17, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2349532 [SID1234526743]).

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On May 17, 2018 Blueprint Medicines Corporation (NASDAQ: BPMC), a leader in discovering and developing targeted kinase medicines for patients with genomically defined diseases, reported two data presentations supporting plans for rapid development of avapritinib, a selective KIT and PDGFRα inhibitor, in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and systemic mastocytosis (SM) (Press release, Blueprint Medicines, MAY 17, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2349637 [SID1234526761]).

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Data from a retrospective natural history study of previously treated patients with advanced PDPGFRα D842V-driven GIST will be presented in a poster session at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois on June 1-5, 2018. In addition, updated data from Blueprint Medicines’ Phase 1 EXPLORER trial of avapritinib in patients with advanced SM will be presented in a poster session at the 23rd Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) (Free EHA Whitepaper) in Stockholm, Sweden on June 14-17, 2018.

The accepted abstracts are listed below and are now available online on the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) and EHA (Free EHA Whitepaper) conference websites, respectively: View Source and View Source

2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting

Presentation Title: A retrospective natural history study of patients (pts) with PDGFRα D842V mutant advances gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) previously treated with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)
Session Title: Sarcoma
Session Date & Time: Saturday, June 2, 2018 from 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. CT (9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET)
Abstract Number: 11533
Poster Board Number: 278
Location: Hall A, McCormick Place

23rd Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) (Free EHA Whitepaper)

Presentation Title: Avapritinib (BLU-285), a Selective KIT Inhibitor, is Associated with High Response Rate and Tolerable Safety Profile in Advanced Systemic Mastocytosis (AdvSM): Results of a Phase 1 Study
Session Title: Myeloproliferative neoplasms – Clinical
Session Date & Time: Friday, June 15, 2018 from 17:30 – 19:00 CEST (11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET)
Abstract Number: PF612
Location: Poster Area, Stockholmsmässan

On May 17, 2018 Obsidian Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company dedicated to the development of next-generation cell and gene therapies with pharmacologic operating systems, reported that the company presented preclinical data on its regulated IL12 and IL15 programs at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) (Free ASGCT Whitepaper) in Chicago, IL (Press release, Obsidian Therapeutics, MAY 17, 2018, View Source [SID1234526779]).

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Obsidian is developing CAR-T therapies that incorporate Destabilizing Domains (DDs) to regulate expression of immune cytokines, thereby providing pharmacologic control over these potent but potentially toxic molecules. DDs are small, fully-human protein domains that confer conditional stability to a fused payload protein that is engineered into a cell or gene therapy product. IL12 and IL15 are two important immune cytokines that play important roles in tumor response to adoptive cell therapy but which require precise control to optimize their therapeutic benefit.

"IL12 and IL15 are critical factors that promote CAR-T cell expansion, persistence, and penetration into solid tumors," said Vipin Suri, Ph.D., Vice President of Discovery of Obsidian. "However, unregulated expression of these cytokines by CAR-T or other adoptively-transferred cells can potentially compromise safety and efficacy. Obsidian’s technology allows the treating physician to control expression of IL12 and IL15 via the use of safe, FDA-approved small-molecule drugs, and the preclinical data we present today demonstrate the elegance and effectiveness of this approach."

Highlights of the two preclinical presentations follow:

Abstract number 113: Exogenous In Vitro and In Vivo Regulation of Interleukin-12 Secretion from T Cells Using Destabilizing Domain Technology
Presenter: Dexue Sun

Session: Cancer – Immunotherapy, Cancer Vaccines I

Construction of a single-chain regulated IL12 using a DD derived from FKBP
Demonstration of small molecule-regulated expression of IL12 in a variety of cell types including primary human T cells
Use of different promoters to tune expression level of the regulated cytokine
Demonstration of in vivo regulation of IL12 in adoptively transferred T cells
Development of a CD19 CAR construct co-expressing regulated IL12, with in vitro data showing effective performance of the regulated cytokine cassette
Abstract number 133: Dose dependent exogenous regulation of membrane bound Interleukin-15-Interleukin-15 receptor alpha fusion protein for adoptive T-cell therapy
Presenter: Christopher Reardon
Session: Cancer – Targeted Gene & Cell Therapy I

Design of regulated membrane-bound IL15-IL15 Receptor Alpha (mbIL15) fusion construct incorporating DDs for pharmacologic control with small molecule ligands
Construction of mbIL15-DD construct incorporating human DDs, regulated by FDA-approved small-molecule drugs
Dose- and time-dependent regulation of mbIL15 expression in multiple cell types
Regulation of mbIL15 expression on primary human T cells in vivo
About Destabilizing Domains

Obsidian uses Destabilizing Domains (DDs) to enable pharmacologic regulation of protein activity for next-generation cell and gene therapies. Obsidian’s DDs are small, fully-human protein domains that confer conditional stability to a fused payload protein. In the absence of a specific small-molecule ligand, the fusion protein is rapidly degraded, whereas in the presence of the ligand, the fusion protein becomes stable and functional. Obsidian uses this approach to equip engineered cells with controllable functions that can be precisely tuned by the administration of non-immunosuppressive, small-molecule medicines that are readily available and dispensed by the treating physician.