On October 3, 2018 Immutep Limited (ASX: IMM; NASDAQ: IMMP) ("Immutep" or "the Company"), a biotechnology company developing novel immunotherapy treatments for cancer and autoimmune diseases, reported that clinical data on the company’s lead product candidate eftilagimod alpha ("efti" or "IMP321"), a soluble LAG-3Ig fusion protein based on the LAG-3 immune control mechanism, will be presented at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper) Annual Meeting being held November 7-11, 2018, in Washington, D.C (Press release, Immutep, OCT 3, 2018, View Source [SID1234529718]).

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Abstract titles and authors are:

Title: Results from a Phase I dose escalation trial (TACTI-mel) with the soluble LAG-3 protein (IMP321, eftilagimod alpha) together with pembrolizumab in unresectable or metastatic melanoma

Authors: Victoria Atkinson; Frederic Triebel; Christian Mueller; Chrystelle Brignone; Melissa Eastgate; Amitesh Roy; Adnan Khattak; Andrew Haydon

Title: A multicenter, phase II study in patients with first line NSCLC, or recurrent PD-X refractory NSCLC or with recurrent HNSCC receiving Eftilagimod Alpha in combination with Pembrolizumab (TACTI-002)

Authors: Martin Forster; Frederic Triebel; Christian Mueller; Chrystelle Brignone; Tatsiana Skrahina

The exact time of Immutep’s presentation and further details will be available closer to the conference date.

On October 3, 2018 Tomorrow, William Hearl, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc., will participate in a panel discussion on advanced therapeutics for oncology at the 18th Annual Biotech in Europe Forum. Dr. Hearl will discuss the potential capabilities of Immunomic’s UNiversal Intracellular Targeted Expression (UNITE) investigational technology as a comprehensive platform for precision immuno-oncology and beyond (Press release, Immunomics, OCT 3, 2018, View Source [SID1234529955]). Immunomic’s nucleic acid vaccines have the potential to use the body’s natural biochemistry to develop a broad immune response, including antibody production, cytokine release and critical immunological memory. This approach could put UNITE at the crossroads of immunotherapies in a number of illnesses, including cancer.

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Immunomic’s lysosomal targeting technology is currently being employed in a Phase II clinical trial as a cancer immunotherapy. The company is pursuing research in the early stages of three other specific oncology applications: hepatitis B and hepatocellular carcinoma, Epstein-Barr virus driven cancers, such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and human papilloma virus driven cancers.

On October 3, 2018 Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) reported that axicabtagene ciloleucel (formerly KTE-C19) has been granted Orphan Drug designation by the Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) for the treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), primary mediastinal (thymus) large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL), high-grade B-cell lymphoma (HGBL) and transformed follicular lymphoma (TFL), which are aggressive forms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) (Press release, Daiichi Sankyo, OCT 3, 2018, View Source [SID1234530246]).

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"Receiving Orphan Drug designation is an important step in expediting the development of axicabtagene ciloleucel in Japan and underscores the unmet needs of patients with these aggressive forms of relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphomas," said Kouichi Akahane, PhD, MBA, Executive Officer, Head of Oncology Function, R&D Division, Daiichi Sankyo. "This designation represents the third Orphan Drug designation granted for an investigational therapy in our oncology pipeline, demonstrating our commitment to transforming innovative science into value for patients. We look forward to working closely with the Japan Health Authority to bring this important cell therapy to patients in Japan as soon as possible."

The Japan MHLW Orphan Drug designation system is designed to promote research activities and support the development of orphan drugs for serious, difficult-to-treat diseases that affect fewer than 50,000 patients in Japan, and for which significant unmet medical need exists. An investigational therapy can qualify for Orphan Drug designation if there is no approved alternative treatment option or if there is high efficacy or safety compared to existing treatment options expected. Therapies receiving Orphan Drug designation qualify for several measures intended to support development including, but not limited to, guidance and subsidies for research and development activities, priority consultation for clinical development and priority review of applications.

Axicabtagene ciloleucel is a chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) therapy directed against CD19 (a cell membrane protein), which harnesses a patient’s own immune system to fight certain types of B-cell lymphoma. In January 2017, Daiichi Sankyo received exclusive development, manufacturing and commercialization rights for axicabtagene ciloleucel in Japan from California-based Kite Pharma, Inc., a Gilead company. Based on the results of a Phase 1/2 study (ZUMA-1), axicabtagene ciloleucel has been approved in the U.S. and Europe. A Phase 2 study similar to the ZUMA-1 study is currently being planned in Japan.

On October 2, 2018 Nordic Nanovector ASA (OSE: NANO) reported that an abstract reporting data from the Phase 1/2a LYMRIT 37-01 study investigating Betalutin (177Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan) in patients with relapsed/refractory indolent non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (iNHL) has been accepted for a poster presentation at the 60th Annual Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting & Exposition (1-4 December 2018, San Diego, CA) (Press release, Nordic Nanovector, OCT 2, 2018, View Source [SID1234553494]).

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Title: LYMRIT 37-01: A phase I/II study of 177Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan (Betalutin) antibody-radionuclide-conjugate (ARC) for the treatment of relapsed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) – Analysis with 6-month follow-up

Authors: A. Kolstad, et al.

The Company will also have two non-clinical posters: one presenting Betalutin and one presenting the investigational anti-CD37 radioimmunoconjugate 212Pb-NNV003, which is under evaluation in a research collaboration between Nordic Nanovector and Orano Med (formerly AREVA Med).

Cell Cycle Kinase Inhibitors Potentiate the Effect of 177Lu-lilotomab Satetraxetan in Treatment of Aggressive Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Authors: G.R. Rødland et al.

Targeted Alpha Therapy with 212Pb-NNV-003 for the Treatment of CD37 Positive B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL)

Authors: A. Saidi et al.

The abstracts will be published on 1 November 2018 at 09:00am Eastern time at View Source

On October 2, 2018 Compass Therapeutics, a biotechnology company committed to the ambitious goal of comprehensively drugging the human immune system, reported that it has been named by FierceBiotech as one of 2018’s Fierce 15 biotechnology companies, designating it as one of the most promising private biotech companies in the industry (Press release, Compass Therapeutics, OCT 2, 2018, View Source [SID1234529744]).

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Compass, which completed its $132 million Series A financing this year, is forging a new approach to identifying antibody drug candidates that engage all targets in the biologically complex human immune synapse. The company’s antibody discovery platform enables the rapid identification of therapeutic candidates that engage with a broad range of epitopes and its StitchMabs bispecific screening platform enables the empirical, high-throughput identification of novel synergistic combinations and bispecifics. To date, the company’s integrated R&D approach has generated therapeutic candidates for more than 30 targets in cancer, inflammation and autoimmune disease. More than 15 of them are now advancing through preclinical development.

"We’re honored that the editors of FierceBiotech have recognized Compass for our pioneering approach to antibody-based therapeutics," said Thomas Schuetz, M.D., Ph.D., the company’s co-founder and chief executive officer. "We believe our empirical, unbiased approach to drug discovery will lead to therapeutics with new mechanisms to modulate the human immune system."

The Fierce 15 celebrates the spirit of being "fierce"— championing innovation and creativity, even in the face of intense competition. Selection to the list is based on factors including the strength of a company’s technology, partnerships and venture backers and its competitive market position.