On September 21, 2018 XOMA Corporation (NASDAQ: XOMA), reported that for $15.0 million, it has acquired from Agenus (NASDAQ: AGEN) a partial interest position in the rights to potential milestone and royalty payments associated with seven immuno-oncology antibodies currently being developed by Merck and Incyte under their collaborations with Agenus (Press release, Xoma, SEP 21, 2018, View Source [SID1234529553]).

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"This is an important deal reflecting our new royalty-aggregator strategy to acquire milestone and royalty payments associated with therapeutic candidates partnered by others. The basket of Agenus immuno-oncology assets is advancing in the hands of two of the leading companies in oncology drug development," said Jim Neal, Chief Executive Officer at XOMA. "These assets possess all the characteristics we have established for our business model: outstanding development partners, mid-stage to early stage assets, important therapeutic categories, and sizable royalty commitments. We believe this investment could generate potential future cash flows over an extended period from milestones and royalties on some exciting potential commercial opportunities."

The seven royalty interest antibodies are:

One Phase 1 antibody being developed by Merck on an undisclosed novel target;

Incyte’s INCAGN1876, a GITR agonist in Phase 1/2 studies;

Incyte’s INCAGN1949, an OX-40 agonist in Phase 1/2 studies;

Incyte’s INCAGN2385, a LAG-3 antagonist in Phase 1 studies;

Incyte’s INCAGN02390, a TIM-3 antagonist expected to enter the clinic in 2018; and,

Two preclinical antibodies being developed by Incyte on undisclosed targets.

Under the terms of the agreement, XOMA will receive low- to mid-single-digit royalties on future sales of these seven immuno-oncology assets. Additionally, XOMA is entitled to a portion of milestone payments associated with the assets. XOMA has drawn $7.5 million from its line of credit with Silicon Valley Bank ("SVB") to partially fund this transaction.

On September 21, 2018 Ipsen (Euronext: IPN; ADR: IPSEY) reported that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), the scientific committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), provided a positive opinion for Cabometyx (cabozantinib) as a monotherapy for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in adults who have been previously treated with sorafenib (Press release, Ipsen, SEP 21, 2018, View Source [SID1234529520]). The CHMP positive opinion will now be reviewed by the European Commission (EC), which has the authority to approve medicines for the European Union (EU).

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Alexandre Lebeaut, MD, Executive Vice President, R&D and Chief Scientific Officer,
Ipsen, said:

"The global burden of liver cancer is increasing and despite the recent introduction of new agents, it remains the second leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Following today’s positive CHMP opinion and if approved by the European Commission, Cabometyx as monotherapy will give patients with HCC a much-needed new oral therapeutic option."

Dr Lorenza Rimassa, Medical Oncology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, Milan, said:

"The medical community is pleased that the CHMP has given a positive opinion to Cabometyx for previously-treated patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The fact that Cabometyx demonstrated clinically significant benefits in both overall survival and progression-free survival in the phase 3 CELESTIAL study confirms the value it brings to this difficult treatment landscape"

The EMA filing is based on the results of the global placebo-controlled phase 3 CELESTIAL trial which met its primary endpoint of overall survival (OS), with cabozantinib providing a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in OS compared with placebo in patients with advanced HCC who have been previously treated with sorafenib. In July 2018, CELESTIAL phase 3 pivotal trial results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine1.

Today’s CHMP positive opinion follows two earlier European Commission approvals for Cabometyx in renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

On September 21, 2018 Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Kenji Yasukawa, Ph.D., "Astellas" ) reported that XOSPATA Tablets 40 mg (generic name: gilteritinib), a FLT3 (FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3) inhibitor received manufacturing and marketing approval for the treatment of FLT3 mutation-positive relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in Japan (Press release, Astellas, SEP 21, 2018, View Source [SID1234536692]).

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AML is a cancer that impacts the blood and bone marrow, and its incidence increases with age. In Japan, approximately 5,500 patients are diagnosed with AML each year1. XOSPATA has demonstrated inhibitory activity against both internal tandem duplication (ITD) and tyrosine kinase domain (TKD), FLT3 mutations that are seen in approximately one-third of patients with AML.

This approval is based on the CR/CRh2 rate results from the interim analysis of the multinational Phase 3 ADMIRAL study. In October 2015, gilteritinib was designated as one of the first products in Japan to be included in the SAKIGAKE3 designation system. A similar application for approval was filed in the United States in March, 2018 and is currently under review.

With this approval, Astellas hopes to further contribute to the health of patients suffering from AML and to support healthcare professionals involved in the treatment of AML by providing new treatment options.

Astellas reflected the impact from this approval in its financial forecasts of the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2019.

On September 21, 2018 Seattle Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGEN) reported that its collaborator, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda), has received approval from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for ADCETRIS (brentuximab vedotin) in combination with doxorubicin, vinblastine and dacarbazine (AVD) as a frontline treatment option for CD30-positive Hodgkin lymphoma patients in Japan (Press release, Seattle Genetics, SEP 21, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2368435 [SID1234529705]). As a result, Seattle Genetics will receive a milestone payment from Takeda of $10 million. The approval in Japan was based on the positive outcome from the phase 3 ECHELON-1 trial.

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"This approval marks another important milestone in expanding the ADCETRIS brand globally and redefining the way newly diagnosed Hodgkin lymphoma patients are treated around the world," said Clay Siegall, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Seattle Genetics. "ADCETRIS is approved in 71 countries and generated global sales of approximately $640 million in 2017, underscoring its progress toward becoming the foundation of therapy for patients with CD30-expressing lymphomas."

Seattle Genetics and Takeda are jointly developing ADCETRIS. Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, Seattle Genetics has U.S. and Canadian commercialization rights and Takeda has rights to commercialize ADCETRIS in the rest of the world. Seattle Genetics and Takeda are funding joint development costs for ADCETRIS on a 50:50 basis, except in Japan where Takeda is solely responsible for development costs. Seattle Genetics is entitled to receive progress- and sales-dependent milestone payments. In addition, Seattle Genetics receives tiered double-digit royalties with percentages ranging from the mid-teens to mid-twenties based on net sales of ADCETRIS within Takeda’s territories.

About Hodgkin Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a general term for a group of cancers that originate in the lymphatic system. There are two major categories of lymphoma: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Classical Hodgkin lymphoma is distinguished from other types of lymphoma by the presence of one characteristic type of cell, known as the Reed-Sternberg cell. The Reed-Sternberg cell expresses CD30. According to the Lymphoma Coalition, over 62,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma each year and approximately 25,000 people die each year from this cancer.

About ADCETRIS (brentuximab vedotin)

ADCETRIS is being evaluated broadly in more than 70 clinical trials, including the ongoing phase 3 ECHELON-2 trial in frontline peripheral T-cell lymphomas (also known as mature T-cell lymphoma), the completed phase 3 ALCANZA trial in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) and the completed ECHELON-1 trial in previously untreated Hodgkin lymphoma, as well as trials in many additional types of CD30-positive lymphomas.

ADCETRIS is an ADC comprising an anti-CD30 monoclonal antibody attached by a protease-cleavable linker to a microtubule disrupting agent, monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), utilizing Seattle Genetics’ proprietary technology. The ADC employs a linker system that is designed to be stable in the bloodstream, but to release MMAE upon internalization into CD30-expressing tumor cells.

ADCETRIS injection for intravenous infusion has received FDA approval for five indications in adult patients with: (1) previously untreated Stage III or IV classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), in combination with chemotherapy, (2) cHL at high risk of relapse or progression as post-autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) consolidation, (3) cHL after failure of auto-HSCT or failure of at least two prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimens in patients who are not auto-HSCT candidates, (4) sALCL after failure of at least one prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimen, and (5) primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (pcALCL) or CD30-expressing mycosis fungoides (MF) who have received prior systemic therapy.

Health Canada granted ADCETRIS approval with conditions for relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma and sALCL in 2013, and non-conditional approval for post-autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) consolidation treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma patients at increased risk of relapse or progression.

ADCETRIS received conditional marketing authorization from the European Commission in October 2012. The approved indications in Europe are: (1) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory CD30-positive Hodgkin lymphoma following ASCT, or following at least two prior therapies when ASCT or multi-agent chemotherapy is not a treatment option, (2) the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory sALCL, (3) for the treatment of adult patients with CD30-positive Hodgkin lymphoma at increased risk of relapse or progression following ASCT, and (4) for the treatment of adult patients with CD30-positive cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) after at least one prior systemic therapy.

ADCETRIS has received marketing authorization by regulatory authorities in 71 countries for relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma and sALCL. See select important safety information, including Boxed Warning, below.

On September 20, 2018: ENB Therapeutics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company pioneering pathways in endothelin-based oncologics, reported that it has closed its Series A private equity financing (Press release, ENB Therapeutics, SEP 21, 2018, View Source [SID1234634055]). Proceeds from the financing will be used to advance the company’s lead investigational drug compound, ENB-003,a first-in-class, selective inhibitor of the endothelin B receptor ("ETBR") through pre-clinical and early clinical development for the treatment of immunotherapy-resistant cancers.

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Remiges Ventures served as lead investor for the financing with participation from New York State Development, BioAdvance and Alexandria Ventures.

"We are extremely gratified to have attracted a leading group of investors to complete our Series A financing who recognize the potential of ENB-003 to overcome resistance to immunotherapy across multiple tumor types and indications," said Sumayah Jamal, Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer of ENB. "We have already demonstrated robust pre-clinical efficacy in relevant mouse models across multiple resistant cancers and a favorable safety profile. We now have the capital necessary to advance ENB-003 into Phase 1 clinical trials during the second half of 2019."

Taro Inaba, Managing Partner at Remiges, added, "We believe that ENB Therapeutics’ novel compounds have the potential to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapies and potentially prolong patient survival and thereby address the high unmet medical need which still exists despite the successful development and widespread use of immunotherapies. Therefore, we are very pleased to have the opportunity to support the continued clinical development of ENB-003, which could improve the lives of patients with cancer."