Publication by VBL Therapeutics Highlights MOSPD2 as a Potential New Target for Breast Cancer Therapy

On July 10, 2018 VBL Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VBLT) reported the publication of data on the potential role of MOSPD2 in metastatic breast cancer in the International Journal of Cancer (Press release, VBL Therapeutics, JUL 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234527633]).

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VBL’s data demonstrate for the first time that MOSPD2 can play a major role in breast cancer cell migration and metastasis, and that targeting MOSPD2 may be employed to prevent the spreading of breast cancer cells. Histological analysis of specimens shows that MOSPD2 levels were correlated with the stage of tumor invasiveness, and were profoundly elevated in invasive and metastatic breast cancer, making it an attractive target for potential treatment of late-stage breast cancer.

"Our research has previously shown that MOSPD2 plays a key role in the regulation of cell motility in the immune system. The current publication further demonstrates that it also plays an important role in cancer cell metastasis, and that knock-out of MOSPD2 in tumor cells may reduce metastasis by up to 95% in certain models," said Itzhak Mendel, Ph.D., Immunology Director of VBL Therapeutics and co-author of the paper. "We continue to advance our exciting VB-600 series of antibodies targeting MOSPD2 for oncology and inflammatory indications."

At the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) conference in April this year, VBL presented a late-breaking proof-of-concept study demonstrating antibody-mediated killing of MOSPD2-expressing cancer cells. VBL research has also shown that knocking-out the MOSPD2 gene in mice could protect the animals from developing some inflammatory diseases. The Company has generated antibodies that block immune cell migration and show efficacy in a model of multiple sclerosis.

VBL is developing the VB-600 platform of biologic drug candidates for oncology and inflammatory indications. The Company plans to file an IND in this program by year-end 2019.

ArQule Announces Commencement of Proposed Public Offering of Common Stock

On July 10, 2018 ArQule, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQL) reported that it has commenced an underwritten public offering, subject to market and other conditions, to issue and sell shares of its common stock (Press release, ArQule, JUL 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234532697]). In connection with the offering, ArQule expects to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 15% of the shares of its common stock offered in the public offering. There can be no assurances as to whether or when the offering may be completed, or as to the actual size or terms of the offering. All of the shares in the offering are to be sold by ArQule.

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The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the offering to fund its core clinical programs and for general corporate purposes.

Leerink Partners is acting as sole book-running manager for the offering. Needham & Company is acting as lead manager, and Roth Capital Partners, B. Riley FBR, Inc. and JonesTrading Institutional Services LLC are acting as co-managers for the offering.

The securities described above are being offered by ArQule pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File. No. 333-213456), including a base prospectus, that was previously filed by ArQule with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and declared effective on October 5, 2016. The offering is being made only by means of a written prospectus and prospectus supplement that form a part of the registration statement. A preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website located at www.sec.gov. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the offering, when available, also may be obtained from Leerink Partners LLC, Attention: Syndicate Department, One Federal Street, 37th Floor, Boston, MA 02110, by telephone at (800) 808-7525, ext. 6132, or by email at [email protected].

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor will there be any sales of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.

Adlai Nortye Announce Global License Agreement for Buparlisib (BKM120)

On July 10, 2018 Adlai Nortye Biopharma Co., Ltd. ("Adlai Nortye" or "the Company"), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and commercializing new drugs in the field of oncology/immuno-oncology, announced today that it has entered into a Global License Agreement ("the Agreement") with Novartis Pharma AG, a global pharmaceutical company (Press release, Adlai Nortye Biopharma, JUL 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234556283]). Under the terms of the Agreement, except for certain rights maintained by Novartis Pharma AG, Adlai Nortye will have exclusive development and commercialization rights to buparlisib worldwide for all the therapeutic, prophylactic and/or diagnostic uses in humans.

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Buparlisib (BKM120) is an oral pan-PI3K inhibitor that targets all class 1 PI3K isoforms and is active in both hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. It has shown promising efficacy in combination with paclitaxel in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and has received a Fast-Track designation from the FDA.

"Combination of buparlisib and paclitaxel demonstrated improved clinical efficacy with a manageable safety profile in patients with HNSCC compared to paclitaxel alone," said Dr. Lars Birgerson, Chief Development Officer of Adlai Nortye and President & CEO of Adlai Nortye USA Inc. "We believe that buparlisib will be another key component in furthering development of our oncology pipeline, and it has great potential for future application in cancer treatment."

"Buparlisib has been extensively profiled in breast cancer and other tumor types. Buparlisib when combined with other therapies has shown impressive anti-cancer efficacy in HNSCC," said Carsten Lu, CEO of Adlai Nortye, "It has very good market prospects when combined with paclitaxel, and we are planning to carry out clinical trials of combination of buparlisib and immune check point inhibitor treatment."

Neurocrine Biosciences Announces Conference Call and Webcast of Second Quarter 2018 Financial Results

On July 10, 2018 Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: NBIX) reported that it will report second quarter financial results after the Nasdaq market closes on Tuesday, July 31, 2018 (Press release, Neurocrine Biosciences, JUL 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234527635]). Neurocrine will then host a conference call and webcast to discuss its financial results and provide a Company update that day at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time (4:30 p.m. Eastern Time).

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Participants can access the live conference call by dialing 877-876-9177 (US) or 785-424-1669 (International) using the conference ID: NBIX. The webcast can also be accessed on Neurocrine’s website under Investors at View Source A replay of the webcast will be available on the website approximately one hour after the conclusion of the event and will be archived for one month.

Tmunity Appoints Christina Coughlin, MD, PhD, as Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President

On July 10, 2018 Tmunity Therapeutics, Inc., a private clinical-stage biotherapeutics company focused on saving and improving lives by delivering the full potential of next-generation T cell immunotherapy, reported the appointment of Christina Coughlin, MD, PhD, as Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President (Press release, Tmunity Therapeutics, JUL 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234527636]). Dr. Coughlin formerly served as Chief Medical Officer at Immunocore Ltd., a British biotechnology company, where she was responsible for leading the effort to develop novel bispecific T cell receptor-based biologics for cancer immunotherapy.

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"Chris’ depth and breadth of experience in immunotherapeutic clinical development will be tremendously valuable to Tmunity," said Usman "Oz" Azam, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tmunity. "We are fortunate to have her clinical and scientific leadership as we advance our portfolio of next-generation T cell immunotherapies, targeting liquid and solid tumor cancers, through pre-clinical and Phase 1 studies."


In her role at Tmunity, Dr. Coughlin will be responsible for clinical development, program leadership and regulatory affairs.

"In addition to her great immunotherapeutic industry knowledge, Chris will also fuse the research and translational capabilities that she developed when she was part of our team at UPenn," said Carl H. June, MD, Director of the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies at the Perleman School of Medicine, and Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at the University of Pennsylvania.

During her tenure at Immunocore, Dr. Coughlin led the Company’s clinical efforts and developed a pivotal program around the gp100-specific TCR bispecific in uveal melanoma. She previously led early development programs at Novartis, including programs focused on the investigation of checkpoint inhibition and PI3’ kinase inhibition. Dr. Coughlin has both biotechnology and large pharmaceutical industry experience, having held senior medical positions at Morphotek (Eisai), Pfizer and Wyeth.

Earlier in her career, Dr. Coughlin was a physician-scientist at the University of Pennsylvania and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where she studied patient responses to tumor antigens with Dr. Robert Vonderheide in the division of Translational Research under the direction of Dr. June.

Dr. Coughlin holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Temple University and an MD and PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. She completed her residency and a hematology/oncology fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, as well as a research post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Coughlin was also elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine (London, UK).