On January 25, 2022 Gilead Sciences Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has placed a partial clinical hold on studies evaluating the combination of magrolimab plus azacitidine due to an apparent imbalance in investigator-reported suspected unexpected serious adverse reactions (SUSARs) between study arms (Press release, Gilead Sciences, JAN 25, 2022, View Source [SID1234606787]). While no clear trend in the adverse reactions or new safety signal has been identified by Gilead at this time, the partial clinical hold is being implemented by Gilead across all ongoing magrolimab and azacitidine combination studies worldwide in the best interests of patients as additional data is gathered and analyzed to address the concerns raised by FDA.

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During the partial clinical hold, screening and enrollment of new study participants will be paused in any study investigating the combination of magrolimab with azacitidine. Patients already enrolled in these clinical studies may continue to receive magrolimab and azacitidine, or placebo, and continue to be closely monitored according to the current study protocol. Gilead is currently notifying clinical investigators and global regulatory authorities about the partial clinical hold. Other magrolimab studies, or cohorts, that are not studying the combination of magrolimab plus azacitidine, will continue without any impact by the partial clinical hold.

"The safety and well-being of people enrolled in our studies is our top priority. We will share more information with the medical and patient community as soon as we can," said Merdad Parsey, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer, Gilead Sciences. "Considering the high unmet need for new medicines in myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia, we will work closely with regulatory authorities worldwide to continue the magrolimab development program appropriately. We remain confident in the potential of magrolimab across a broad range of tumors, including the other, ongoing magrolimab studies. We are grateful to those participating in our studies, their families, and the investigators for their continued contributions to the clinical program for magrolimab."

Gilead is working with regulatory authorities to determine next steps to release the partial clinical hold for new patient enrollment for the affected studies.

The studies impacted by this partial clinical hold include:

Phase 3 ENHANCE study in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS; NCT04313881)
Phase 3 ENHANCE-2 study in acute myeloid leukemia (AML; TP53 mutated patients; NCT04778397)
Phase 3 ENHANCE-3 study in unfit AML (NCT05079230)
Phase 1b study in MDS (NCT03248479)
Phase 2 study in myeloid malignancies (NCT04778410) *only the azacitidine combination cohorts
The studies not impacted include:

Phase 2 study in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (NCT02953509)
Phase 2 study in multiple myeloma (NCT04892446)
Phase 2 study in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (NCT04854499)
Phase 2 study in solid tumors (NCT04827576)
Phase 2 study in triple-negative breast cancer (NCT04958785)
Phase 2 study in colorectal cancer, planned and not currently recruiting
About Magrolimab

Magrolimab is a potential, first-in-class investigational monoclonal antibody against CD47 and a macrophage checkpoint inhibitor that is designed to interfere with recognition of CD47 by the SIRPα receptor on macrophages, with the goal of blocking the "don’t eat me" signal used by cancer cells to avoid being ingested by macrophages. Magrolimab is being developed in several hematologic cancers, including myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), as well as solid tumor malignancies.

More information about clinical trials with magrolimab is available at www.clinicaltrials.gov.

On January 25, 2022 Cure Genetics of Suzhou reported that closed a $60 million Series B round to advance clinical development of its cell therapy candidates for hematological and solid tumors (Press release, CureGenetics, JAN 25, 2022, View Source [SID1234607390]). Cure was established by CRISPR pioneers in 2016 to develop therapies for difficult-to-treat cancers and genetic diseases. Its CRISPR-mediated single or multiplex gene editing platform is aimed at producing more effective or safer cell therapy products, including universal CAR-T candidates. The financing round was led by Advantech Capital and joined by Oriza Holdings, Blue Ocean Private Equity and Qiming Venture Capital

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On January 25, 2022 Checkpoint Therapeutics, Inc. ("Checkpoint") (NASDAQ: CKPT), a clinical-stage immunotherapy and targeted oncology company, reported that James Oliviero, President and Chief Executive Officer, will participate in a fireside chat hosted by Justin Walsh, Equity Research Analyst (Biotechnology), at the B. Riley Securities’ Virtual Oncology Conference, taking place on Thursday, January 27, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. EST (Press release, Checkpoint Therapeutics, JAN 25, 2022, View Source [SID1234607409]). Checkpoint management will also participate in one-on-one meetings during the conference.

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A live webcast of the fireside chat will be available on the IR Calendar page under News & Events, located within the Investors section of Checkpoint’s website, View Source, for approximately 30 days following the meeting.

On January 25, 2022 Immix Biopharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMMX) ("ImmixBio", "Company", "We" or "Us"), a biopharmaceutical company pioneering Tissue-Specific Therapeutics (TSTx) targeting oncology and immuno-dysregulated diseases, reported data showing that IMX-110 + anti-PD-1 produced 63-day median survival in a genetic pancreatic cancer mouse model in which mice develop their own pancreatic cancer and have an intact immune system (Press release, Immix Biopharma, JAN 25, 2022, View Source [SID1234606772]). Historically, according to Winograd et al., 2015, 42-days is the median survival produced by a 4-drug combination: 2 chemotherapies (gemcitabine, nab-paclitaxel) and 2 immunotherapies (anti-PD-1, anti-CD40) in the same genetic pancreatic cancer mouse model.

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"This data highlights why we are excited to collaborate with BeiGene on our planned 2022 Phase 1b/2a combination clinical trial of IMX-110 + BeiGene anti-PD-1 tislelizumab in advanced solid tumors," said Ilya Rachman, MD PhD, CEO of ImmixBio. "We believe this upcoming combination clinical trial will allow us to rapidly expand into multiple oncology indications."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") has approved orphan drug designation ("ODD") for IMX-110 for the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma. Additionally, the FDA has approved rare pediatric disease ("RPD") designation to IMX-110 for the treatment of a life-threatening pediatric cancer in children, rhabdomyosarcoma.

In January 2021, BeiGene and Novartis entered into a collaboration and license agreement granting Novartis rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize anti-PD-1 tislelizumab in North America, Europe, and Japan in exchange for an upfront payment by Novartis of US$650 million plus royalties and milestone payments.

As of January 2022, anti-PD-1 tisleizumab has been approved or granted conditional approval in 6 cancer indications in China, including non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer ("NSCLC"), squamous NSCLC, classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, and urothelial carcinoma.

On January 25, 2022 Sierra Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRRA), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to delivering targeted therapies for rare cancers, reported that it intends to offer and sell $100.0 million of shares of its common stock in an underwritten public offering (Press release, Sierra Oncology, JAN 25, 2022, View Source [SID1234606788]). The proposed offering is subject to market and other conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the proposed offering may be completed, or as to the actual size or terms of the offering. In addition, Sierra Oncology intends to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to $15.0 million of additional shares of its common stock. Sierra Oncology intends to use the net proceeds of the offering to prepare for potential commercialization of momelotinib, clinical development activities of its other product candidates, research, clinical and process development and manufacturing of its product candidates, working capital, and capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes.

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Jefferies and Cantor are acting as the joint book-running managers for the proposed offering. LifeSci Capital, Oppenheimer & Co. and H.C. Wainwright & Co. are acting as lead managers for the proposed offering.

A shelf registration statement on Form S-3 relating to the common stock offered in the public offering described above was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on November 5, 2021 and declared effective by the SEC on November 12, 2021. A preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the proposed offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to this proposed offering may also be obtained, when available, by contacting Jefferies LLC, Attention: Equity Syndicate Prospectus Department, 520 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10022, by telephone at (877) 821-7388, or by email at [email protected]; or Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., Attention: Capital Markets, 499 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, or by email at [email protected].

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities being offered, nor shall there be any sale of the securities being offered in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.