On June 2, 2018 Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AGIO), a leader in the field of cellular metabolism to treat cancer and rare genetic diseases, reported new efficacy and safety data from the ongoing Phase 1 dose-escalation and expansion study evaluating single agent oral ivosidenib (TIBSOVO; AG-120) in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (R/R AML) and an isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (IDH1) mutation (Press release, Agios Pharmaceuticals, JUN 2, 2018, View Source [SID1234527054]). The data were presented in an oral session at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting. Ivosidenib is an investigational, first-in-class, oral, targeted inhibitor of the mutant IDH1 enzyme under FDA priority review for IDH1m R/R AML patients with a PDUFA action date of August 21, 2018.

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Agios also announced the publication in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) of data from the ongoing ivosidenib Phase 1 study in patients with advanced hematological malignancies and an IDH1 mutation. The NEJM manuscript, which was published online today and will appear in the June 21, 2018 print issue, provides analyses from the dataset presented at the 2017 American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, with a data cutoff date of May 12, 2017.

"The findings presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) demonstrate that single agent ivosidenib induced durable responses, in some cases with IDH1-mutation clearance, and led to favorable responses compared with historical patient outcomes in a high-risk, molecularly-defined R/R AML population," said Daniel Pollyea, M.D., M.S., study investigator and clinical director of leukemia services at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. "Additional clinical benefits included transfusion independence and, in responding patients, reductions in advanced-grade infections and febrile neutropenia, indicating immune system recovery with functional neutrophils."

"These data provide additional clinical and translational observations beyond the 2017 ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) presentation, including preliminary data suggesting that R/R AML patients with IDH1-mutation clearance in bone marrow who have achieved CR/CRh have prolonged remission durations and overall survival versus those without IDH1-mutation clearance," said Chris Bowden, M.D., chief medical officer of Agios. "We believe the compelling single-agent efficacy coupled with a tolerable safety profile validate the potential for ivosidenib to be a first-in-class therapy for patients with R/R AML and an IDH1 mutation."

Data Presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper)

A total of 258 patients with advanced hematologic malignances and an IDH1 mutation were treated in the Phase 1 study. Enrollment to the study is closed. Complete safety and efficacy data are reported in 179 patients with R/R AML whose ivosidenib starting dose was 500 mg once daily. The median age is 67 (ranging from 18-87), and the median number of prior therapies is two (ranging from one to six). Of these patients, 33% had secondary AML and 24% had prior transplants. The data cutoff for the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) presentation was November 10, 2017.

Safety Data
As of the data cut-off, a safety analysis conducted for 179 treated R/R AML patients showed that ivosidenib demonstrates a favorable safety profile that is consistent with previously reported data for all 258 patients. The most common adverse events (AEs) of any grade > 25% regardless of causality were diarrhea (33.5%), leukocytosis (31.3%), nausea (31.3%), febrile neutropenia (29.1%), fatigue (28.5%) and electrocardiogram (ECG) QT prolonged (25.7%). Adverse events of interest were the following:

8% reported Grade ≥3 leukocytosis, which was managed with hydroxyurea.
10% reported Grade ≥3 ECG QT prolongation. Ivosidenib dose was reduced in two patients and held in 13 patients (for any grade of ECG QT prolongation).
10.6% reported IDH-differentiation syndrome (IDH-DS) of any grade, which was managed with corticosteroids and diuretics. Six patients had their dose temporarily held, no patients required dose reductions.
No AEs of interest lead to any permanent treatment discontinuations or deaths.
Efficacy Data
Data from 179 R/R AML patients demonstrated an overall response rate (ORR) of 41.9% (75 of 179 patients) and a combined complete remission (CR) and CR with partial hematologic recovery (CRh) rate of 31.8% [95% CI 25.1, 39.2] which is the primary endpoint of the study.

The CR rate was 24% (43 of 179 patients) [95% CI 18.0, 31.0] and the CRh rate was 7.8% (14 of 179 patients). CRh is defined as <5% of blasts in the bone marrow, no evidence of disease and partial recovery of peripheral blood counts (ANC >500/microliter and platelets >50,000/microliter).
Median duration of response was 10.1 months [95% CI 6.5, 22.2] for patients who achieved a CR, 8.2 months [95% CI 5.6, 12.0] for patients who achieved a CR/CRh and 6.5 months [95% CI 5.5, 10.1] for all patients who responded.
Median time to first response was 1.9 months (0.8-4.7) for all patients who responded and median time to CR/CRh was 2.0 months [95% CI 0.9, 5.6].
Transfusion independence, defined as an absence of transfusions for at least 56 consecutive days on treatment, was observed across all response categories.
Of the patients who were transfusion dependent at baseline and achieved a CR, all became independent of platelet transfusions and 88.2% became independent of RBC transfusions during any 56-day post baseline period.
Of the patients who were transfusion dependent at baseline and achieved a CRh, 75% became independent of platelet transfusions and 77.8% became independent of RBC transfusions during any 56-day post baseline period.
Achievement of transfusion independence was also seen among non-CR/CRh responders and non-responders.
Patients who achieved CR and CRh had lower rates of exposure-adjusted febrile neutropenia and Grade ≥3 infections during ivosidenib treatment than patients in other response categories.
Translational Findings
IDH1 mutation clearance, defined as absence of the IDH1 mutation with a sensitivity of 0.02–0.04% (2-4 x10-4), was observed in 23% (11/47) of patients with R/R AML who achieved CR or CRh and had molecular data available, including 28% (10/36) of patients with CR and 1/11 patients with CRh. Preliminary data suggest that R/R AML patients with IDH1-mutation clearance in bone marrow mononuclear cells who have achieved CR/CRh have prolonged remission durations and overall survival versus those without IDH1-mutation clearance.

About Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)
AML, a cancer of blood and bone marrow characterized by rapid disease progression, is the most common acute leukemia affecting adults. Undifferentiated blast cells proliferate in the bone marrow rather than mature into normal blood cells. AML incidence significantly increases with age, and the median age of diagnosis is 68. The vast majority of patients do not respond to chemotherapy and progress to relapsed/refractory AML. The five-year survival rate for AML is approximately 27 percent. IDH1 mutations are present in about 6 to 10 percent of AML cases.

On June 2, 2018 Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:DCPH), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on addressing key mechanisms of tumor drug resistance, reported the presentation today of updated data from its ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial of DCC-2618, the company’s broad-spectrum KIT and PDGFRα inhibitor, in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2018, in Chicago, Illinois and provided additional clinical and regulatory updates on DCC-2618 (Press release, Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, JUN 2, 2018, View Source [SID1234527070]).

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Suzanne George, M.D. Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Clinical Director, Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute presented the poster titled "Mutational Profile of Drug Resistant GIST Patients Enrolled in the Phase 1 Study of DCC-2618". In addition to describing the mutational profile of KIT in GIST patients, the poster includes details of locally-read Objective Response Rates (ORR) and Disease Control Rates (DCR) as assessed by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) in second, third, and fourth and fourth line plus GIST patients that received DCC-2618 at doses of ≥100mg daily for at least one 28-day cycle prior to February 2, 2018:

The combined 24% ORR and 80% 3-month DCR in second and third line patients receiving DCC-2618 at doses of ≥100mg per day exceeds previously published results of registrational trials for the currently approved therapies for second line (sunitinib) and third line (regorafenib), which have reported ORRs of 7.0% and 4.5%, respectively, and levels of disease control of 60% and 53%, respectively.

"The preliminary data presented today on DCC-2618’s activity in second and third line GIST patients is very encouraging and supports the planned initiation later this year of our Phase 3 trial, INTRIGUE, in second line GIST patients," said Michael D. Taylor, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Deciphera. "The mutational profiling data across second, third and fourth line GIST patients observed in the Phase 1 study also demonstrates the need for the broadest spectrum of KIT inhibition in all GIST patients who previously received imatinib."

"We are very pleased with the results presented today demonstrating DCC-2618’s potential to provide improved clinical benefit for not only heavily pre-treated patients, but also for second and third line GIST patients," said Oliver Rosen, M.D. Chief Medical Officer of Deciphera. "Combined with the tolerability data presented at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) in April 2018, these results demonstrate the potential of DCC-2618 as an effective and well tolerated therapy for a wide range of GIST patients."

Highlights from the poster presentation include:

Initial Objective Response Rates and Disease Control Rates with DCC-2618 at Doses of ≥100mg Daily in Second and Third Line GIST Patients Exceed Previously Published Results of Registrational Trials for Currently Approved Therapies, as well as the Results Observed in Heavily Pre-Treated GIST Patients Receiving DCC-2618:
24% ORR with DCC-2618 observed to date in second and third line GIST patients is higher than that reported for sunitinib in second line patients (7.0%) or regorafenib in third line patients (4.5%).
These interim results show improved ORR and 3-month DCR in second line GIST patients treated with DCC-2618 compared to fourth and fourth line plus GIST patients treated with DCC-2618.
Mutational Profiling Data Across Second, Third and Fourth Line GIST Patients Demonstrates the Breadth of KIT Mutations in GIST and the Ability of DCC-2618 to Reduce KIT Mutant Allele Frequency (MAF):
Resistance mutations in KIT in exons 13, 14, 17 and 18, or a combination thereof, occurs in second, third and, fourth and fourth line plus patients.
The KIT mutational profile in both tumors and plasma at baseline in GIST patient supports the need for a broad-spectrum KIT inhibitor in all post-imatinib lines of therapy.
57 of 73 patients (78%) receiving DCC-2618 at doses of ≥100 mg daily demonstrated reductions in KIT MAF of more than 50%.
In addition, the company is providing the following clinical and regulatory updates on DCC-2618:

Planned Initiation of a Phase 3 Trial in Second Line GIST Patients in 2018
Preliminary efficacy results in second line patients together with recently presented tolerability data at the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of 150mg QD support the planned, randomized Phase 3 trial, INTRIGUE, in second line GIST.
Following discussions with regulatory authorities in the United States and in Europe, the company has designed INTRIGUE as a randomized, multicenter, open-label, Phase 3 trial in second line GIST. This registration study is expected to enroll approximately 350 patients who will be randomized 1:1 to either DCC-2618 or sunitinib, the current standard of care in second line; with median progression free survival as the primary endpoint.
Interim Results with DCC-2618 at Doses of ≥100mg Daily Demonstrate Robust Clinical Activity in Heavily Pretreated GIST Patients, Including Patients Previously Treated with the Investigational Agent avapritinib (BLU-285):
10 patients with KIT-driven GIST who previously received avapritinib were enrolled and treated with DCC-2618 as of January 31, 2018.
6 out of 10 (60%) of these patients achieved stable disease as best response by RECIST during treatment with DCC-2618. In addition, one patient achieved stable disease following intra-patient dose escalation to 150mg BID.
5 out of 10 (50%) of these patients were on study as of April 18, 2018.
3 out of 10 (30%) of these patients received DCC-2618 for more than six months. Two of these patients achieved continued stable disease and remain on study as of April 18, 2018. The third patient with progressive disease was dose escalated and was reported as off study as of April 18, 2018.
A copy of the poster presentation will be available on the Science section of the Deciphera website under "Presentations and Publications" at www.deciphera.com.

About DCC-2618

DCC-2618 is a KIT and PDGFRα kinase switch control inhibitor in clinical development for the treatment of KIT and/or PDGFRα-driven cancers, including gastrointestinal stromal tumors, or GIST, systemic mastocytosis, or SM, and glioblastoma multiforme. DCC-2618 was specifically designed to improve the treatment of GIST patients by inhibiting a broad spectrum of mutations in KIT and PDGFRα. DCC-2618 is a KIT and PDGFRα inhibitor that blocks initiating and secondary KIT mutations in exons 9, 11, 13, 14, 17, and 18, involved in GIST as well as the primary D816V exon 17 mutation involved in SM. DCC-2618 also inhibits primary PDGFRα mutations in exons 12, 14 and 18, including the exon 18 D842V mutation, involved in a subset of GIST.

On June 2, 2018 Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: PBYI), a biopharmaceutical company, reported that interim results from the Phase Ib/II FB-10 clinical trial of Puma’s investigational drug PB272 (neratinib) given in combination with the antibody drug conjugate T-DM1 (Kadcyla, ado-trastuzumab emtansine) were presented at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting that is currently taking place in Chicago (Press release, Puma Biotechnology, JUN 2, 2018, View Source [SID1234527104]). The presentation entitled, "NSABP FB-10: Phase IB Dose-Escalation Study Evaluating the Combination of Trastuzumab Emtansine (T-DM1) with Neratinib in Women with Metastatic HER2-Positive Breast Cancer" was selected for a poster presentation.

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The FB-10 study is an open-label, single arm study with a dose escalation phase and an expanded cohort phase to evaluate patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer who had previously been treated with chemotherapy and the combination of trastuzumab (Herceptin) and pertuzumab (Perjeta). The primary aim of the Phase Ib portion of the study is to determine the safety and tolerability of the two-drug combination. The primary aim of the Phase II portion of the study is to demonstrate efficacy at the recommended Phase II dose of T-DM1 and neratinib. Study treatment during the Phase Ib portion consisted of the standard dose of T-DM1 at 3.6 mg/kg administered intravenously every 3 weeks and neratinib administered orally at escalating doses of 120, 160, 200 and 240 mg per day continuously. Primary diarrhea prophylaxis with high dose loperamide was administered to all patients. As of the date of the presentation, the study had enrolled 27 patients. Total study enrollment will be a maximum of 63 patients.

For the 20 patients who were evaluable for efficacy, the interim objective response (CR/PR) rate was 60%. More specifically, the efficacy results from the trial demonstrated that 3 patients had a complete response (CR); 9 patients had a partial response (PR); 2 patients had stable disease (SD); and 6 patients had progressive disease (PD). In addition, the poster presentation is available on the Puma Biotechnology website.

The interim safety results of the 27 patients with available safety assessments showed that the most frequently observed grade 3 adverse events were diarrhea, nausea, thrombocytopenia and hypertension. More specifically, grade 3 diarrhea was reported in 6 patients (22%), grade 3 nausea was reported in 3 patients (11%), grade 3 thrombocytopenia was reported in 4 patients (15%), and grade 3 hypertension was reported in 3 patients (11%). There was 1 dose limiting toxicity (DLT) at the 120 mg dose (1 of 6 patients), 3 DLTs at the 200 mg dose (3 of 8 patients) and 2 DLTs at the 240 mg dose (2 of 3 patients). There was no DLT for the 10 patients enrolled at the 160 mg dose. The Phase II portion of the trial is being conducted at the recommended Phase II dose of 160 mg of neratinib per day.

Dr. Jame Abraham, Director of the Breast Oncology Program at Taussig Cancer Institute, Professor of Medicine at Cleveland Clinic, and principal investigator of the study, said, "We are encouraged by these initial findings and we look forward to continuing to enroll patients in the Phase II portion of the trial to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of the combination of T-DM1 and neratinib in this patient population."

Alan H. Auerbach, Chief Executive Officer and President of Puma Biotechnology, said, "We are pleased to see the high interim objective response rate of the combination of T-DM1 and neratinib in this study’s patient population who were previously treated with both pertuzumab and trastuzumab. We look forward to continued enrollment in the Phase II portion of this trial."

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

NERLYNX (neratinib) tablets, for oral use

INDICATIONS AND USAGE: NERLYNX is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the extended adjuvant treatment of adult patients with early-stage HER2 overexpressed/amplified breast cancer, to follow adjuvant trastuzumab-based therapy.

CONTRAINDICATIONS: None

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS:

Diarrhea: Aggressively manage diarrhea occurring despite recommended prophylaxis with additional antidiarrheals, fluids, and electrolytes as clinically indicated. Withhold NERLYNX in patients experiencing severe and/or persistent diarrhea. Permanently discontinue NERLYNX in patients experiencing Grade 4 diarrhea or Grade ≥ 2 diarrhea that occurs after maximal dose reduction.
Hepatotoxicity: Monitor liver function tests monthly for the first 3 months of treatment, then every 3 months while on treatment and as clinically indicated. Withhold NERLYNX in patients experiencing Grade 3 liver abnormalities and permanently discontinue NERLYNX in patients experiencing Grade 4 liver abnormalities.
Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: NERLYNX can cause fetal harm. Advise patients of potential risk to a fetus and to use effective contraception.
ADVERSE REACTIONS: The most common adverse reactions (≥ 5%) were diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, vomiting, rash, stomatitis, decreased appetite, muscle spasms, dyspepsia, AST or ALT increase, nail disorder, dry skin, abdominal distention, epistaxis, weight decreased and urinary tract infection.

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Puma Biotechnology, Inc. at 1-844-NERLYNX (1-844-637-5969) and www.NERLYNX.com or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch

DRUG INTERACTIONS:

Gastric acid reducing agents: Avoid concomitant use with proton pump inhibitors (PPI) and H2-receptor antagonists. Separate NERLYNX by 3 hours after antacid dosing.
Strong or moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors: Avoid concomitant use.
Strong or moderate CYP3A4 inducers: Avoid concomitant use.
P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrates: Monitor for adverse reactions of narrow therapeutic agents that are P-gp substrates when used concomitantly with NERLYNX.
USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS:

Lactation: Advise women not to breastfeed.
Please see Full Prescribing Information for additional safety information.

The recommended dose of NERLYNX is 240 mg (six 40 mg tablets) given orally once daily with food, continuously for one year. Antidiarrheal prophylaxis should be initiated with the first dose of NERLYNX and continued during the first 2 months (56 days) of treatment and as needed thereafter.

To help ensure patients have access to NERLYNX, Puma has implemented the Puma Patient Lynx support program to assist patients and healthcare providers with reimbursement support and referrals to resources that can help with financial assistance. More information on the Puma Patient Lynx program can be found at www.NERLYNX.com or 1-855-816-5421.

On June 2, 2018 Jounce Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:JNCE), a clinical-stage company focused on the discovery and development of novel cancer immunotherapies and predictive biomarkers, reported that its preliminary data from its ongoing Phase 1/2 ICONIC trial, an adaptive design, open-label trial evaluating JTX-2011 alone and in combination with nivolumab in patients with advanced solid tumors (Press release, Jounce Therapeutics, JUN 2, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2352867 [SID1234527089]). Safety and preliminary clinical activity data from all evaluable patients across multiple tumor types will be presented in an oral presentation today, Saturday, June 2, 2018 at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL.

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"We are encouraged by the early signal of clinical activity in heavily pre-treated patients, accompanied by an ICOS pharmacodynamic biomarker. We believe that this biomarker may help guide further development of JTX-2011," said Elizabeth Trehu, M.D., chief medical officer of Jounce Therapeutics. "Importantly, JTX-2011 continues to be safe and well-tolerated both as a single agent and in combination with nivolumab. We look forward to continuing clinical evaluation of JTX-2011, including initiation of new combination dose escalation cohorts within the ICONIC trial of JTX-2011."

The ICONIC study (ICOS AgONist Antibody for Immunotherapy in Cancer Patients) is an open label, dose escalation and expansion clinical study of JTX-2011 alone and in combination with a fixed dose of nivolumab in patients with advanced solid tumors. Patients were heavily pre-treated with approximately 65 percent having received 3 or more prior therapies (i.e. 4th line or greater); approximately 65 percent discontinued during the first three cycles. The adaptive design includes Parts A and B (Phase 1), and C and D (Phase 2), with the Phase 2 cohorts enriched for high ICOS expression. The data presented today include preliminary efficacy data from all evaluable patients as of an April 4, 2018 cut-off date. The Phase 1 portion of ICONIC was a dose escalation study to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D). The patients in Phase 2 received JTX-2011 0.3 mg/kg every 3 weeks alone or in combination with nivolumab 240 mg every 3 weeks. Preliminary efficacy evaluation included tumor reductions and RECIST (response evaluation criteria in solid tumors) responses.

Summary of JTX-2011 ICONIC Data

Safety

JTX-2011 was well tolerated alone and in combination with nivolumab 240 mg every 3 weeks. The overall safety profile observed was consistent with previously reported data from the Phase 1 portion of the ICONIC trial.
Clinical Activity

Gastric Cancer

A RECIST partial response (PR) with JTX-2011 monotherapy was observed in 1 of 8 Phase 2 patients (7 PD-1 inhibitor naïve, including PR), ongoing at 8.5+ months.
Two RECIST PRs with JTX-2011 plus nivolumab were observed in 1 of 4 Phase 1 patients (all PD-1 inhibitor naïve) and 1 of 28 Phase 2 patients (22 PD-1 inhibitor naïve, including PR), ongoing at 11+ and 4+ months, respectively.
Disease control(1) was observed in 10 of 28 and tumor reductions were observed in 8 of 28 Phase 2 patients treated with JTX-2011 plus nivolumab, including both PD-1 inhibitor naïve and PD-1 inhibitor failures.
Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)

A RECIST PR with JTX-2011 plus nivolumab was observed in 1 of 17 Phase 2 patients (16 PD-1 inhibitor naïve, including PR), ongoing at 4+ months.
Disease control was observed in 3 of 17 and tumor reductions were observed in 2 of 17 Phase 2 patients treated with JTX-2011 plus nivolumab, all PD-1 inhibitor naïve.
Head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) PD-1 inhibitor failures

Disease control was observed in 2 of 16 and tumor reductions were observed in 1 of 16 Phase 2 patients treated with JTX-2011 plus nivolumab, all PD-1 inhibitor failures, of whom over 50 percent were refractory(2) to prior PD-1 inhibitors.
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) PD-1 inhibitor failures

Disease control was observed in 7 of 12 and tumor reductions were observed in 4 of 12 Phase 2 patients treated with JTX-2011 plus nivolumab, all PD-1 inhibitor failures.
(1) Disease control= confirmed PR + SD ≥ 9 weeks
(2) Refractory= best response to prior PD-1 inhibitor was progressive disease

Biomarkers

In a preliminary analysis of evaluable fresh pre-treatment biopsies, rates of disease control and tumor reduction appear higher in subjects with high ICOS scores.
An ICOS pharmacodynamic biomarker (emergence of peripheral blood ICOS high CD4 T cell population) appears to associate with anti-tumor activity.
Present in 7 of 7 subjects with target lesion PRs
Absent in 10 of 10 subjects with progressive disease
Based on preliminary signals of clinical activity associated with an ICOS pharmacodynamic biomarker, Jounce is advancing clinical evaluation of JTX-2011. The next steps for the program include continuing to evaluate the ongoing data and the initiation of two new dose escalation cohorts within the ICONIC trial of JTX-2011, one in combination with ipilimumab and one in combination with pembrolizumab. The new ipilimumab combination cohort may enable Jounce to explore a new combination mechanism that is supported by clinical and pre-clinical research. Exploration with pembrolizumab at its approved q3w dose and schedule may allow the Company to evaluate JTX-2011in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor in earlier lines of therapy.

"We look forward to evaluating the new additional combinations with JTX-2011. From our founding science, the platform we have built, and the team we have in place, we believe we are well positioned to optimize the development of JTX-2011," said Richard Murray, Ph.D., chief executive officer and president of Jounce Therapeutics. "We are grateful to all of the patients who have participated in our trial, their families, our investigators and their study teams. This was a complex biomarker heavy trial that was well executed by the Jounce team."

ICONIC Enrollment Status
Phase 1 has completed enrollment and Phase 2 is nearing completion of enrollment. Given the pace of enrollment of the combination cohorts in gastric cancer, TNBC, HNSCC, NSCLC and the overall quantity of the data collected, Jounce made the decision to stop recruitment of other solid tumors and of the more slowly enrolling monotherapy and melanoma combination cohorts.

Jounce Therapeutics to Host Event and Webcast
Jounce Therapeutics will host an investor and analyst event beginning at 6:30 p.m. CT (7:30 p.m. ET) with a live webcasted presentation beginning at 7:00 p.m. CT (8:00 p.m. ET), on Monday, June 4, 2018. To access the live webcast, please visit the "Events & Presentations" page in the Investors and Media section of the company’s website at www.jouncetx.com. The webcast will be archived and made available for replay on the company’s website approximately two hours after the call and will be available for 30 days thereafter.

About JTX-2011
Jounce’s lead product candidate, JTX-2011, is a monoclonal antibody that binds to and activates ICOS, the Inducible T cell CO­Stimulator, a protein on the surface of certain T cells. Preclinical data support that JTX-2011 may have a dual mechanism of action that stimulates anti-tumor T effector cells, and also reduces the immunosuppressive T regulatory cells in the tumor microenvironment. The company is developing JTX-2011 to treat solid tumors as a single agent and in combination with other therapies.

On June 2, 2018 Odonate Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ODT), a pharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of best-in-class therapeutics that improve and extend the lives of patients with cancer, reported that results from a multicenter Phase 2 study of tesetaxel, administered orally as a single agent to patients with HER2 negative, hormone receptor (HR) positive, metastatic breast cancer (MBC), were presented at the 2018 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois(Poster Board #123; Abstract #1042) (Press release, Odonate Therapeutics, JUN 2, 2018, View Source [SID1234527106]).

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In this Phase 2 study (Study TOB203), 38 patients with HER2 negative, HR positive, MBC received tesetaxel orally as a single agent once every 3 weeks (Q3W) at a starting dose of 27 mg/m2. Eighty-seven percent (87%) had visceral disease, 74% previously received at least one endocrine therapy, 68% previously received neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy and 53% previously received a taxane-containing regimen. Objective response rate (ORR) based on Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 with confirmation no less than 4 weeks after initial response was the primary endpoint.

In all 38 patients, the confirmed response rate was 45%. The confirmed response rate was consistent across subgroups. Forty-four percent (44%) of patients who did not previously receive a taxane-containing regimen achieved a confirmed response, compared to 45% of patients who previously received a taxane-containing regimen. Median duration of response was 10.9 months, and median progression-free survival was 5.4 months.

Neutropenia was the most common Grade ≥3 adverse event and occurred in 25% of the 24 patients who were not dose-escalated beyond the 27 mg/m2 starting dose (the dose selected for CONTESSA, our ongoing Phase 3 study (Poster Board #184a; Abstract #TPS1106); in these patients, febrile neutropenia occurred in 1 patient (4%) and Grade ≥3 neuropathy occurred in 1 patient (4%). There were no hypersensitivity reactions or drug-related deaths, and the rate of Grade 2 alopecia (hair loss) was 18%.

"Despite recent advances in the treatment of advanced breast cancer, there remains a significant need for new therapies that allow patients to maintain a better quality of life," said Joyce O’Shaughnessy, M.D., Celebrating Women Chair in Breast Cancer Research, Baylor University Medical Center, Texas Oncology and Chair, Breast Cancer Research, US Oncology.

"Tesetaxel’s significant single-agent activity, once-every-three-week oral dosing and low rates of neuropathy and hair loss could make this investigational agent a unique treatment option for patients, if approved," said Andrew Seidman, M.D., Attending Physician and Associate Chair, Academic Administration, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) and Professor of Medicine, Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College. "We look forward to further characterizing tesetaxel’s therapeutic profile in CONTESSA, an ongoing Phase 3 study."

About Tesetaxel

Tesetaxel is an investigational, orally administered chemotherapy agent that belongs to a class of drugs known as taxanes, which are widely used in the treatment of cancer. Tesetaxel has several potential therapeutic advantages over currently available taxanes, including: oral administration with a low pill burden and a patient-friendly dosing regimen; no history of hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions; and significant activity against chemotherapy-resistant tumors. More than 500 patients have been treated with tesetaxel in clinical studies. In patients with metastatic breast cancer, tesetaxel was shown to have significant, single-agent antitumor activity in two, multicenter, Phase 2 studies.

About CONTESSA

CONTESSA is a multinational, multicenter, randomized, Phase 3 study of tesetaxel, an investigational, orally administered taxane, in patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer (LA/MBC). CONTESSA is comparing tesetaxel dosed orally at 27 mg/m2 on the first day of a 21-day cycle plus a reduced dose of capecitabine (1,650 mg/m2/day dosed orally on days 1-14 of a 21-day cycle) to the approved dose of capecitabine alone (2,500 mg/m2/day dosed orally on days 1-14 of a 21-day cycle) in approximately 600 patients randomized 1:1 with HER2 negative, hormone receptor (HR) positive LA/MBC previously treated with a taxane in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting. Capecitabine is an oral chemotherapy agent that is considered a standard-of-care treatment in LA/MBC. Where indicated, patients must have received endocrine therapy with or without a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitor. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival (PFS) assessed by an Independent Radiologic Review Committee (IRC). CONTESSA’s secondary efficacy endpoints are overall survival, objective response rate (ORR) assessed by IRC and disease control rate assessed by IRC. To learn more, please visit www.contessastudy.com.