EpimAb Biotherapeutics Announces IND Filing for EMB01 in China and the US

On September 14, 2018 EpimAb Biotherapeutics, an emerging Shanghai-based biopharmaceutical company specializing in bispecific antibodies, reported that it has filed an IND for its most advanced therapeutic development candidate EMB01 (Press release, EpimAb Biotherapeutics, SEP 14, 2018, View Source [SID1234529512]). The applications were simultaneously submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in China to investigate the treatment of solid tumors with EpimAb’s novel bispecific antibody.

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"Advancing our first compound into the clinic just three years after founding the company is a significant and transformational milestone for EpimAb," commented Chengbin Wu, PhD, CEO and founder of EpimAb Biotherapeutics. "This achievement proves that our FIT-Ig technology delivers bispecific antibodies with drug-like properties and manufacturing efficiency that can rapidly be advanced into clinical trials. We are now eager to learn how these novel drug candidates can impact patients’ lives."

EMB01 is a bispecific antibody based on EpimAb’s proprietary FIT-Ig (Fabs-In-Tandem Immunoglobulin) technology to generate bispecific molecules with superior properties. EMB01 simultaneously targets two receptors, which are widely expressed on cancer cells, EGFR and cMET, with a unique and synergistic mechanism and has shown significant and long-lasting activity in multiple preclinical solid tumor models. EpimAb initiated formal preclinical development in May 2017 and since then successfully completed all requirements for IND filing.

While EMB01 is progressing towards the clinic, EpimAb is advancing several biologics creating a proprietary pipeline based on its FIT-Ig platform. These earlier-stage assets are focused on immuno-oncology approaches in areas of high medical need in cancer.

US FDA approves Lumoxiti (moxetumomab pasudotox-tdfk) for certain patients with relapsed or refractory hairy cell leukaemia

On September 14, 2018 AstraZeneca and MedImmune, its global biologics research and development arm, reported that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Lumoxiti (moxetumomab pasudotox-tdfk) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) who have received at least two prior systemic therapies, including treatment with a purine nucleoside analog (Press release, AstraZeneca, SEPT 14, 2018, View Source [SID1234529431]). Lumoxiti is not recommended in patients with severe renal impairment (CrCl ≤ 29 mL/min).2 The Phase III trial results demonstrated 75% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 64, 84) of patients receiving Lumoxiti achieved an overall response; 30% (95% CI: 20, 41) had a durable complete response.2,3

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Dave Fredrickson, Executive Vice-President, Global Head Oncology Business Unit, said: "Today’s FDA approval of Lumoxiti represents a significant milestone for people living with hairy cell leukaemia, a rare blood cancer that can result in serious and life-threatening conditions. For patients, this approval provides the first FDA-approved medicine for this condition in more than 20 years."

Robert J. Kreitman, MD, Senior Investigator, Head of Clinical Immunotherapy Section, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, and Principal Investigator of the Phase III clinical trial, said: "While many patients with hairy cell leukaemia experience a remission with current treatments, 30% to 40% will relapse five to ten years after their first treatment.4 With subsequent treatments, durations of response diminish and toxicities accumulate, and few approved treatment options exist.5,6 Moxetumomab pasudotox represents a promising non-chemotherapeutic agent for HCL, addressing an unmet medical need for physicians and their patients."

Lumoxiti was approved under FDA Priority Review.7 The approval is based on data from the Phase III single-arm, open-label ‘1053’ trial of Lumoxiti monotherapy in 80 patients who have received at least two prior therapies, including a purine nucleoside analog.3 The primary endpoint of the trial was durable complete response.3 Summary of key results from the trial, as determined by a blinded independent central review:2

Efficacy measure

Result %, (95% CI)

Durable complete response ratea,b

30% (20, 41)

Overall response ratec

75% (64, 84)

Complete response rated

41% (30, 53)

Partial response ratee

34% (24, 45)

Haematologic remission rateb

80%

a Durable complete response is defined as patients who achieved complete response with haematologic remission for a duration of more than 180 days

b Haematologic remission is defined as haemoglobin > 11g/dL, neutrophils > 1500/mm3, platelets > 100,000/mm3 without transfusions or growth factor for at least 4 weeks

c Overall response rate is defined as best overall response of complete response or partial response

d Complete response is defined as clearing of the bone marrow of hairy cells by routine haematoxylin and eosin stain, radiologic resolution of pre-existing lymphadenopathy and/or organomegaly, and haematologic remission

e Partial response is defined as ≥ 50% decrease or normalisation (< 500/mm3) in peripheral blood lymphocyte count, reduction of pre-existing lymphadenopathy and/or organomegaly, and haematologic remission

The median time to haematologic remission was 1.1 months (range: 0.2 to 13).2 At data cut-off, the median duration of complete response was not yet reached after a median 16.7 months of follow-up.2

Capillary leak syndrome (CLS) and haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), including life-threatening cases of each, have been reported among patients treated with Lumoxiti. In the combined safety database of 129 HCL patients treated with Lumoxiti, Grade 3 or 4 CLS occurred in 1.6% and 2% of patients, respectively. Grade 3 or 4 HUS occurred in 3% and 0.8% of patients, respectively.2

In the ‘1053’ trial of 80 patients, the most common Grade 3 or 4 adverse reactions (reported in at least ≥ 5% of patients) were hypertension, febrile neutropenia, and HUS. HUS was the most common adverse reaction leading to discontinuation (5%). The most common adverse reactions (≥ 20%) of any grade were infusion related reactions (50%), oedema (39%), nausea (35%), fatigue (34%), headache (33%), pyrexia (31%), constipation (23%), anaemia (21%), and diarrhoea (21%). The most common laboratory abnormalities (≥ 20%) of any grade were creatinine increased, ALT increased, hypoalbuminaemia, AST increased, hypocalcaemia, hypophosphataemia, haemoglobin decreased, neutrophil count decreased, hyponatreamia, blood bilirubin increased, hypokalaemia, GGT increased, hypomagnesaemia, platelet count decreased, hyperuricaemia, and alkaline phosphate increased.2

The recommended dose of Lumoxiti is 0.04 mg/kg administered as an intravenous infusion over 30 minutes on days 1, 3, and 5 of each 28-day cycle up to 6 cycles, disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity.2

Notes to Editors
About hairy cell leukaemia

Hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) is a rare, chronic, and slow-growing leukaemia in which the bone marrow overproduces abnormal B cell lymphocytes.8,9 HCL can result in serious and life-threatening conditions, including infections, bleeding and anaemia.10 Approximately 1,000 people are diagnosed with HCL in the US each year.11 While many patients initially respond to treatment, 30% to 40% will relapse five to ten years after their first treatment.4 With no established standard of care and very few treatments available, there remains significant unmet medical need for people with relapsed or refractory HCL.4,8

About Lumoxiti

Lumoxiti (moxetumomab pasudotox, formerly CAT8015 or HA22) is a CD22-directed cytotoxin and a first-in-class treatment in the US for adult patients with relapsed or refractory hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) who have received at least two prior systemic therapies, including treatment with a purine nucleoside analog. Lumoxiti is not recommended in patients with severe renal impairment (CrCl ≤ 29 mL/min).2 It comprises the CD22 binding portion of an antibody fused to a truncated bacterial toxin; the toxin inhibits protein synthesis and ultimately triggers apoptotic cell death.2 Lumoxiti has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA for the treatment of HCL.

About the ‘1053’ Phase III trial

The ‘1053’ trial is a single-arm, multicentre Phase III clinical trial assessing the efficacy, safety, immunogenicity and pharmacokinetics of moxetumomab pasudotox monotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory HCL who have received at least two prior therapies, including one purine nucleoside analog. The trial was conducted in 80 patients across 34 sites in 14 countries. The primary endpoint was durable complete response (CR), defined as CR with haematologic remission (blood count normalisation) for >180 days. Secondary outcome measures included overall response rate, relapse free survival, progression-free survival, time to response, safety, pharmacokinetic and immunogenic potential.7

Early discovery of moxetumomab pasudotox was led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The collaboration between NCI and MedImmune, AstraZeneca’s global biologics research and development arm, is an example of how scientific partnerships can lead to important advances for cancer patients.

INSYS Therapeutics to Present at Janney Healthcare Conference

On September 14, 2018 INSYS Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: INSY), a leader in the development, manufacture and commercialization of pharmaceutical cannabinoids and spray technology, reported that Saeed Motahari, president and chief executive officer, will present at the upcoming Janney Montgomery Scott 2018 Healthcare Conference as follows (Press release, Insys Therapeutics, SEPT 14, 2018, View Source [SID1234529432]):

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Date: Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018
Time: 9:05 a.m. Eastern Time
Location: New York, N.Y.
The presentation will be webcast live at the aforementioned time, and archived for 90 days thereafter, via the Investors section of company’s website at View Source, under Presentations & Events. Accessible at the same webpage, the presentation slides will be available during and after the conference.

SELLAS Receives Orphan Medicinal Product Designation Approval by the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products of the European Medicines Agency for Galinpepimut-S for the Treatment of Patients with Multiple Myeloma

On September 13, 2018 SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:SLS) ("SELLAS" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel cancer immunotherapies for a broad range of cancer indications, reported that the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has approved orphan medicinal product designation (OMPD) for galinpepimut-S (GPS), the Company’s lead product candidate, for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) (Press release, Sellas Life Sciences, SEP 13, 2018, View Source [SID1234529423]). GPS is licensed from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and targets the Wilms Tumor 1 (WT1) protein, which is present in an array of tumor types. GPS has also been granted orphan drug designation and fast track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of MM.

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"This OMPD endorsement by the COMP of the EMA for GPS in MM complements the orphan designation awarded by the US FDA for this product in the same indication," said Angelos Stergiou, MD, ScD h.c., President and Chief Executive Officer of SELLAS. "The results from our open-label Phase 2 study reinforce the potential of GPS to serve as a therapy for high-risk MM patients in the post-autotransplant maintenance setting. The innovative nature and unique mechanism of action for GPS provide a promising potential addition to the current arsenal of therapies in this indication. We continue to work closely with the FDA and EMA, as well as multiple myeloma KOLs to further advance the clinical development of GPS in this malignancy and look forward to gaining further insights on the potential therapeutic role of GPS in high-risk MM patients."

The EMA orphan medicinal product designation is granted to medicines being developed for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of a life-threatening or chronically debilitating condition with a prevalence of not more than five in 10,000 people in the European Union. Orphan designations are granted by decisions of the European Commission based on opinions from the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products within EMA. EMA orphan drug designation benefits include protocol assistance, access to the EU centralized authorization procedure, reduced EU regulatory filing fees and 10 years of market exclusivity across the EU.

About the Phase 2 Trial of GPS in Multiple Myeloma

The open-label Phase 2 study consisted of 19 patients with multiple myeloma who had high-risk cytogenetics at initial diagnosis and remained at least minimal residual disease (MRD)-positive after a successful autologous stem cell transplant ("ASCT"). GPS was administered to patients in the study who achieved a stable disease or better status (per International Myeloma Working Group criteria) following ASCT. GPS was evaluated as consolidation therapy (on top of lenalidomide or bortezomib) to potentially stimulate a highly-specific immune response against WT1 in order to prevent or delay myeloma progression. Median progression-free survival (PFS) of 23.6 months was reported in this high-risk disease setting, compared to historically inferior outcomes while on an immunomodulatory drug (IMID) or proteasome inhibitor post-ASCT maintenance. Median overall survival has not been reached to date. GPS stimulated time-dependent and robust CD4+ T cell or CD8+ T cell immune responses (IRs) specific for all four WT1 peptides within GPS, two of which are heteroclitic (mutated, by design). In addition, GPS stimulated similar IRs against the two counterpart native peptides. The IRs were confirmed in up to 91% of patients across HLA allele types, with multivalent IRs emerging in up to 64% of patients. Multifunctional cross-epitope T cell reactivity was observed in 75% of patients to antigenic epitopes against which hosts were not specifically immunized, in a pattern akin to epitope spreading. A link of clinical activity to antigen-specific immune responses was suggested.

About Galinpepimut-S (GPS)

GPS is a heteroclitic multivalent, multi-peptide cancer immunotherapeutic agent composed of four peptides, addressing over 20 epitopes, and derived from the WT1 protein, which has been ranked by the National Cancer Institute as a top priority among cancer antigens for immunotherapy. Importantly, because the WT1 antigen is overexpressed in many malignancies, and is not found in most normal tissues, GPS has the potential to be a broad immunotherapy, effective across a multitude of diverse cancer types and patient populations.

ProMIS Neurosciences Appoints James Kupiec, MD as Chief Medical Officer

On September 13, 2018 ProMIS Neurosciences, Inc. (TSX: PMN; OTCQB: ARFXF), a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of antibody therapeutics selectively targeting toxic oligomers implicated in the development of neurodegenerative diseases, reported the appointment of James Kupiec, MD, to the position of Chief Medical Officer (Press release, ProMIS Neurosciences, SEP 13, 2018, View Source [SID1234529443]). In this newly created role, reporting to both the Executive Chairman and CEO, Dr. Kupiec will lead ProMIS’ clinical development programs, in particular the initiation of clinical trials of PMN310 for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in the second half of 2019.

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"We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Kupiec to our senior management team," said ProMIS Executive Chairman, Eugene Williams. "Jim’s expertise and experience as an accomplished leader of clinical development programs in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders will be a great source of strength for ProMIS. He will not only provide outstanding clinical trial leadership but will also play a significant role in interaction with regulatory authorities, key neuroscience opinion leaders and potential pharmaceutical partners."

Dr. Kupiec is a physician-scientist with over two decades of broad, hands-on experience in translational, early- and late-stage neuroscience drug development in the pharmaceutical industry.

"I am thrilled to join the ProMIS leadership team at this critical stage," said Dr. Kupiec. "ProMIS’ innovative approach selectively targeting toxic oligomers for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders is unique and provides a real opportunity for transformative, novel therapies. I am delighted to contribute to the advancement of the ProMIS clinical pipeline."

Dr. Kupiec most recently served as VP, Global Clinical Leader for Parkinson’s Disease, and Clinical Head of the Neuroscience Research Unit in Cambridge for Pfizer, Inc. He joined Pfizer in 2000 after seven years at Sanofi-Synthelabo, and two years with Ciba-Geigy Pharmaceuticals. During his career at Pfizer, he had extensive governance, business development, alliance and leadership responsibilities. Much of his work during the last decade has focused on developing potential disease modifying and symptomatic therapies for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, including monoclonal antibodies. As project leader and Clinical Head, Dr. Kupiec created and implemented global drug development strategies, met with worldwide regulatory authorities, and chaired numerous joint development committees with other pharmaceutical companies.

He earned his BS with Honors in Biochemistry at Stony Brook University and his MD from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed his residency training at the Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester School of Medicine, and is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.