Advaxis Provides 2015 Half-Year Review and Outlook

On June 25, 2015 Advaxis reported it will hold a business update conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET highlighting year-to-date accomplishments and key near-term goals (Press release, Advaxis, JUN 25, 2015, View Source [SID:1234505803]). The call is intended to provide Advaxis investors and stakeholders with a recap of the Company’s achievements in the first half of 2015 and an overview of milestones anticipated throughout the remainder of the year and into 2016.

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A live broadcast of the conference call will be available by direct dial at 1-888-401-4669 in the U.S. or 1-719-325-2458 outside of the U.S.; Conference Passcode 7209396, or by live webcast available online at this URL: View Source

The call will be recorded and available for playback through July 9 by dialing 1-877-870-5176 in the U.S. and 1-858-384-5517 outside of the U.S.; Replay Passcode 7209396. In addition, the webcast will be available for replay at the URL above.

"We are pleased with our accomplishments during the past six months as we continue to strengthen our proprietary immunotherapy platform," said Daniel J. O’Connor, President and CEO of Advaxis. "In addition to the significant progress in R&D, we are financially strong and now have the resources to fully execute on and expand our clinical development programs."

UPCOMING MILESTONES

Advaxis anticipates the following operational milestones throughout the remainder of 2015 and into 2016.

Lm Technology Immunotherapy Clinical Programs:

ADXS-HPV

Commence enrollment in the Phase 3, registration quality trial, AIM2CERV.

Complete enrollment in Stage 2 of the ongoing GOG-0265 Phase 2 trial of ADXS-HPV in persistent or recurrent cervical cancer being conducted by the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG), anticipating up to 38 patients enrolled by June 30, 2016 with Final Stage 1 safety and efficacy data to be presented at an upcoming major medical meeting in 2015. Final study data (Stage 1 and 2) to be available in the first half of 2017.

Enroll the first patient this summer in a collaborative Phase 1/2 study of ADXS-HPV in combination with AstraZeneca/MedImmune’s MEDI4736 in cervical cancer and HPV-associated head and neck cancer in second half of 2015 with data available in the first half of 2016.

Complete enrollment in Part A (dose escalation) of our Phase 1 study evaluating higher doses of ADXS-HPV immunotherapy and repeat cycles of treatment with data available from Part A in 2016.

Complete enrollment of the Mount Sinai investigator-sponsored Phase 1/2 study of ADXS-HPV in patients with HPV-associated head and neck cancer. Data to be available in the first half of 2016.

Commence enrollment in a Phase 2 study in patients with HPV-associated metastatic anal cancer by year’s end with data available in the second half of 2016.

Commence enrollment in the second half of 2015 on the Phase 1/2 combination study with Incyte Corporation’s (Incyte) IDO-1 inhibitor.

ADXS-PSA

Complete enrollment in Part A (dose escalation) in the first half of 2016 in the Phase 1/2 study of ADXS-PSA as a monotherapy or in combination with Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, Keytruda (pembrolizumab), in metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Data to be available in second half of 2016.

ADXS-HER2

Enroll the first patient in a Phase 1 first-in-human trial of ADXS-HER2 in metastatic HER2 expressing solid tumors in the second half of 2015 with data to be available in the second half of 2016.
Initiate a clinical study of ADXS-HER2 in pediatric osteosarcoma in partnership with the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) in 2016.
Secure conditional license for ADXS-HER2 (also known as AT-014) for the treatment of canine osteosarcoma from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2016.

Business:

Advaxis continues to seek partnerships for its Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) Technology that will enable additional research in combination with other cancer therapies and novel immunotherapies. Advaxis currently retains full commercial rights to its programs.
Advaxis continues to explore options for retaining a Latin American partner for ADXS-HPV to collaborate on co-development and registration in this important region.

FIRST HALF 2015 REVIEW

Since issuing its previous business update in January 2015, Advaxis achieved several regulatory, clinical, business and operational milestones during the first half of 2015.

Lm Technology Immunotherapy Clinical Programs:

ADXS-HPV

GOG’s Phase 2 Study of ADXS-HPV for the Treatment of Persistent or Recurrent Cervical Cancer Achieved Stage 1 Safety and Efficacy Criteria; GOG Began Enrolling Patients in Stage 2 of the Study
On January 28, Advaxis announced that GOG-0265 Phase 2 open-label clinical study of ADXS-HPV in patients with persistent or recurrent cervical cancer with documented disease progression being conducted by the GOG, has completed its first stage and has met the predetermined safety and efficacy criteria required to proceed into the second stage of patient enrollment. The GOG began enrolling patients in Stage 2 of the ongoing Phase 2 trial and expects the study to be fully enrolled by the end of 2015.

Advaxis and GOG to Collaborate on Phase 3 Study of ADXS-HPV in High Risk, Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer; Filed a SPA
On January 7, Advaxis announced a clinical trial collaboration agreement with the GOG for a planned Phase 3 study evaluating the safety and efficacy of ADXS-HPV in high-risk, locally advanced cervical cancer. On June 15, Advaxis announced the submission of a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) request to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the Phase 3 study and plans to initiate the study by the end of 2015, depending on the length of the SPA process.

Advaxis Treated First Patient in Phase 1/2 Study of ADXS-HPV for Recurrent Cervical Cancer
On March 19, Advaxis announced that the first patient was dosed in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating higher doses and repeat cycles of ADXS-HPV in persistent, metastatic or recurrent cervical cancer, based on encouraging survival data seen previously with a lower dose in this patient population.

FDA Cleared IND for Phase 2 Study of ADXS-HPV and Incyte’s epacadostat for HPV-Associated Early Stage Cervical Cancer
On June 1, Advaxis announced the clearance of the Investigational New Drug (IND) application by the FDA to conduct a Phase 2 study of ADXS-HPV alone or in combination with Incyte’s investigational oral indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) inhibitor, epacadostat, for the treatment of early stage HPV-associated cervical cancer. The trial is expected to begin patient enrollment in the second half of 2015.

Advaxis and RTOG Foundation to Collaborate on a Pivotal Phase 2/3 Study of ADXS-HPV in Anal Cancer
On April 6, Advaxis announced entering into a clinical trial collaboration agreement with the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) Foundation to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ADXS-HPV in a pivotal Phase 2/3 anal cancer trial, which will be run by NRG Oncology.

Preliminary Data from a Phase 1/2 Study of ADXS-HPV in HPV-Associated Anal Cancer Presented at the 2015 IANS Scientific Meeting
On March 16, Advaxis announced that preliminary data from an ongoing Brown University Oncology Research Group investigator-sponsored Phase 1/2 clinical study investigating ADXS-HPV in combination with chemoradiation in HPV-associated locally advanced anal cancer were presented at the International Anal Neoplasia Society (IANS) 2015 Scientific Meeting. Based upon these preliminary data, this study has the potential to transition to a Phase 2/3 registration quality study to be conducted by RTOG.

ADXS-PSA

Advaxis and Merck Initiated Enrollment in the Phase 1/2 Study of ADXS-PSA in Combination with Anti-PD-1 Therapy KEYTRUDA, in Advanced Prostate Cancer
On April 8, Advaxis and Merck announced enrollment has commenced in the Phase 1/2 KEYNOTE-046 clinical trial evaluating ADXS-PSA as a monotherapy and in combination with Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), in previously treated mCRPC.

ADXS-HER2

FDA Accepted IND for First-in-Human Trial of ADXS-HER2; Advaxis to Initiate Phase 1b Study in Patients with Metastatic HER2 Expressing Solid Tumors
On January 22, Advaxis announced the FDA cleared its IND to conduct a Phase 1b clinical study evaluating the safety and tolerability of ADXS-HER2 as a monotherapy in patients with metastatic HER2 expressing solid tumors. The clinical trial will be the first-in-human study of ADXS-HER2 and is expected to begin patient enrollment in the summer of 2015.

Preliminary Data from Phase 1 Study of ADXS-HER2 in Canine Osteosarcoma Presented at the 2015 AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Meeting
On April 20, preliminary data from one clinical and two preclinical studies demonstrating the survival outcomes and anti-tumor effects of Advaxis’s Lm Technology immunotherapies in various settings were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2015. Data from the ongoing Phase 1 clinical study of ADXS-HER2 in combination with palliative radiation suggested that ADXS-HER2 delayed tumor progression and prolonged overall survival in 10 pet dogs with spontaneous osteosarcoma that were not candidates for primary tumor removal (amputation). The commercial rights to the veterinary indications for ADXS-HER2 have been licensed to Aratana Therapeutics.

Business & Operations:

Advaxis Completed Two Successful Rounds of Financing
Advaxis has raised approximately $140 million in fewer than two years and has approximately $100 million in cash on the balance sheet.

Advaxis Completed Leadership Hires In Core Business Functions
Advaxis’s new hires secured leadership positions in manufacturing, regulatory affairs and clinical operations. The industry experience and caliber of these executives highlights that Advaxis has become a company able to attract premier staff from the industry.

Advaxis and Sorrento Formed a Collaboration to Evaluate Combinations of Advaxis’s Lm Technology Product Candidates and Sorrento’s Immunomodulatory Antibodies
Advaxis entered into a non-exclusive research and clinical trial collaboration agreement with Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (Sorrento) to evaluate combinations of the company’s immunotherapy candidates, including ADXS-HPV, ADXS-PSA and ADXS-HER2, with Sorrento’s fully human antibodies targeting immune checkpoints, including GITR, OX40, LAG-3 and TIM-3.

Advaxis Formed a Clinical Trial Collaboration With Incyte to Evaluate Investigational Combination of Two Novel Cancer Immunotherapies for Early Stage Cervical Cancer
Advaxis established an agreement with Incyte to investigate the combination of ADXS-HPV together with Incyte’s investigational IDO1 inhibitor, epacadostat. The recently accepted IND for the Phase 2 study evaluating ADXS-HPV as a monotherapy and in combination with epacadostat in patients with early stage HPV-associated cervical cancers is expected to start in the second half of 2015.

TESARO Announces Six Abstracts to be Presented at the 2015 Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer Annual Meeting

On June 25, 2015 TESARO reported the presentation of six abstracts at the 2015 Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC/ISOO) Annual Meeting, June 25 to 27, 2015, in Copenhagen (Press release, TESARO, JUN 25, 2015, View Source [SID:1234505804]).

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Presentation Details:

Efficacy and safety of rolapitant for prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) over multiple cycles of highly- or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC; MEC)
Abstract: 11-03-O, Oral Presentation, Friday, June 26, 2015 from 5:45 PM to 7:15 PM

Impact of rolapitant on quality of life (QoL) in patients (pts) receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) and moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC)
Abstract: 11-38-P, Poster Presentation, Friday, June 26, 2015

Rolapitant for prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in non-anthracycline/cyclophosphamide (A/C) moderately emetogenic therapy (MEC)
Abstract: 11-39-P, Poster Presentation, Friday, June 26, 2015

Efficacy and safety of rolapitant for prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in patients (pts) using anthracycline-cyclophosphamide (AC)-based chemotherapy
Abstract: 11-11-P, Poster Presentation, Friday, June 26, 2015

Pharmacokinetics of rolapitant administered intravenously following single ascending and multiple ascending doses in healthy volunteers
Abstract: 11-20-P, Poster Presentation, Friday, June 26, 2015

Effect of the CYP3A4 inhibitor ketoconazole on the pharmacokinetics of rolapitant, a novel NK-1 receptor antagonist
Abstract: 11-07-P, Poster Presentation, Friday, June 26, 2015

Rolapitant is an investigational product candidate that has not been approved by any regulatory agency.

Celator® Pharmaceuticals Announces Positive Induction Response Results from Phase 3 Study of CPX-351 in Patients with High-Risk (Secondary) Acute Myeloid Leukemia

On June 24, 2015 Celator Pharmaceuticals reported final induction response rate results (complete remission plus complete remission with incomplete hematologic recovery, or CR+CRi) in the Phase 3 study comparing CPX-351 (cytarabine:daunorubicin) liposome injection to the standard of care regimen, referred to as 7+3 (conventional cytarabine and daunorubicin treatment), in patients with untreated high-risk (secondary) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (Press release, Celator Pharmaceuticals, JUN 24, 2015, View Source [SID:1234505795]). The results showed that CPX-351 produced a relative improvement in induction response rate of 43.2% (47.7% for CPX-351 vs. 33.3% for the 7+3 regimen).

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Data on overall survival, the primary endpoint, are expected in the first quarter of 2016. However, induction response rate is a key secondary endpoint in the study and has been an important surrogate of overall survival and clinical benefit in this patient population. These data validate the induction response rates observed in the Phase 2 study, which was associated with a marked improvement in overall survival.

"The results are encouraging because this is the third randomized study in which CPX-351 outperformed the control arm of cytarabine plus an anthracycline in overall response rate," said Jeffrey Lancet, M.D., Senior Member and Chief of the Leukemia/Myelodysplasia Program at Moffitt Cancer Center and lead investigator on the Phase 3 study. "With induction therapy for AML, response rate has historically served as a surrogate for overall survival, and these data suggest a clinically meaningful benefit for CPX-351 over standard chemotherapy."

Gail Roboz, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the Leukemia Program at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University and the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York added, "The magnitude of the CR+CRi rate increase is promising and we may be one step closer to having a superior treatment option for patients with this devastating disease. The improvement in response rate portends well for a clinically meaningful survival benefit."

The randomized, controlled, Phase 3 study evaluated 309 patients, aged 60-75 years, from 39 clinical centers in the U.S. and Canada, with untreated high-risk (secondary) AML. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either CPX-351 or the 7+3 regimen. In addition to induction response and overall survival, other important information, such as rate of morphologic leukemia-free state, best overall response, response duration, event-free survival, and early mortality, as well as pharmacoeconomic comparisons, will be assessed and available at the conclusion of the study. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has partnered with Celator in the development of CPX-351.

"We are very pleased with the induction response rate results. This is one of the largest trials conducted in this specific patient population, and based on the improvement seen with CPX-351, we are optimistic about the opportunity for CPX-351 to improve overall survival in this patient population," said Scott Jackson, Celator’s Chief Executive Officer. "We look forward to the continued follow up of these patients. If approved, CPX-351 will be well-positioned to become the standard of care for high-risk AML patients. Further, we believe that significant opportunities exist for the additional development of CPX-351 as the backbone of treatment for AML and other blood cancers."

Data on the primary endpoint of the study, overall survival, are expected in the first quarter of 2016.

Additional information regarding the study is available at View Source

Provectus Biopharmaceuticals Announces Abstract Available on PV-10 for Chemoablation of Liver Cancers at ESMO 17th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer

On June 24, 2015 Provectus Biopharmaceuticals reported that the abstract titled, "Phase 1 Study of PV-10 for Chemoablation of Hepatocellular Cancer and Cancer Metastatic to the Liver" to be presented at the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) 17th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer is now available online at:

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View Source

The abstract concludes "Preliminary efficacy in treatment of liver tumors with PV-10 was observed (Press release, Provectus Pharmaceuticals, JUN 24, 2015, http://www.pvct.com/pressrelease.html?article=20150624.2 [SID:1234505802]). Toxicity was transient, and treatment had acceptable tolerability. The study is continuing at three study centers with two expansion cohorts to assess response in hepatocellular carcinoma and other cancers metastatic to the liver."

Eric Wachter, PhD, Chief Technology Officer of Provectus, will be the presenter, and is scheduled to make the presentation twice during the Congress. Both presentations are scheduled for Thursday, July 2, 2015; the first is from 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. and the second from 4:55 to 5:25 p.m. local time.

Once the poster has been presented at the Congress, Provectus will provide full details of its contents to the public.

About ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) 17th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer

The ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) 17th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer is the premier global event in the field, encompassing malignancies affecting every component of the gastrointestinal tract and aspects related to the care of patients with gastrointestinal cancer, including screening, diagnosis and the latest management options for common and uncommon tumours. It has been endorsed by leading professional societies and organizations. View Source

Onconova to Host Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) Key Opinion Leader Meeting on Tuesday, June 30 in New York City

On June 23, 2015 Onconova reported that it will host a Key Opinion Leader breakfast focused on the treatment landscape for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), including the Company’s late-stage drug candidate, rigosertib, a small molecule RAS mimetic that inhibits cellular signaling (Press release, Onconova, JUN 23, 2015, View Source [SID:1234505792]). MDS is a heterogeneous group of bone marrow disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis and increased risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The event and live webcast will take place on Tuesday, June 30 from 8:00-9:30 AM Eastern Time in New York City.

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The meeting will feature presentations by Guillermo Garcia-Manero, M.D., Chief of the Section of Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Deputy Chair of Translational Research, Co-Director of the DNA Methylation Core, and Professor in the Department of Leukemia at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Lewis R. Silverman, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine in Hematology and Medical Oncology and Assistant Professor of Oncological Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The Onconova management team will also provide an overview of the Company’s clinical development work with rigosertib, including a discussion of the design of a planned global Phase 3 trial in higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (HR-MDS) and ongoing Phase 2 trials utilizing combination therapy with rigosertib and azacitidine. A Q&A session with the featured experts and management will follow the presentations.

This event is intended for institutional investors and sell-side analysts. To reserve a place, please contact Mac MacDonald at 212-915-2567 or via e-mail at [email protected]. A live webcast and subsequent replay of the event will be available at View Source

Guillermo Garcia-Manero, M.D., serves as Chief of the Section of Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Deputy Chair of Translational Research, Co-Director of the DNA Methylation Core, and Professor in the Department of Leukemia at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is also on the faculty of The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston. Dr. Garcia-Manero previously served as Co-Chair of the MDS Clinical Research Consortium. The focus of his academic and clinical efforts have been to improve outcomes for patients with MDS.

Lewis R. Silverman, M.D., is Associate Professor of Medicine in Hematology and Medical Oncology and Assistant Professor of Oncological Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS). He leads the Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Myeloproliferative Disease Program at ISMMS, where he has served as the Principal Investigator for several national clinical trials exploring treatments for patients with MDS. Dr. Silverman played an important role in the completion of the AZA-001 trial, which led to the approval of the first drug for the treatment of MDS, azacitidine (VIDAZA).