On May 29, 2020 Hutchison China MediTech Limited ("Chi-Med") (Nasdaq/AIM: HCM) reported that the New Drug Application ("NDA") for savolitinib for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer ("NSCLC") with MET Exon 14 skipping mutations has been accepted for review by the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) (Press release, Hutchison China MediTech, MAY 29, 2020, https://www.chi-med.com/savolitinib-china-nda-acceptance-for-nsclc-with-met-exon-14-skipping/ [SID1234558657]).

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The NDA is supported by data from an open-label, Phase II registration study. Interim data were presented on the first 50 treated patients at the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in September 2019. An updated analysis with 70 patients in the study will be presented by Professor Shun Lu as part of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) ("ASCO") 2020 Virtual Scientific Meeting, available on May 29, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time ("Phase II Study of Savolitinib in Patients with Pulmonary Sarcomatoid Carcinoma and Other Types of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Harboring MET Exon 14 Skipping Mutations", abstract #9519).

"With today’s NDA acceptance, savolitinib is one step closer to benefitting a specific group of NSCLC patients who have limited treatment options today and we are very proud of that. After many years of collaboration with AstraZeneca, we hope that this NDA is the first of many globally for savolitinib." Mr Christian Hogg, Chief Executive Officer of Chi-Med, commented.

It is estimated that 2-3% of NSCLC patients have MET Exon 14 skipping mutations, which predicts poor prognosis.[i] Annual incidence of lung cancer in China accounted for 37.0% of the world’s annual incidence of lung cancer in 2018.[ii]

In 2011, Chi-Med entered into a global licensing and joint development and commercialization agreement with AstraZeneca (LSE, STO, NYSE: AZN) for savolitinib. Savolitinib’s global development plan includes NSCLC and kidney cancer, and additional MET-driven tumors are being explored.

About Savolitinib
Savolitinib is a small molecule inhibitor of MET, a receptor tyrosine kinase enzyme which has been shown to function abnormally in many types of solid tumors. It was developed as a potent and highly selective oral inhibitor. In clinical studies to date, involving over 1,000 patients, savolitinib has shown promising clinical efficacy in patients with MET gene alterations in multiple tumor types with an acceptable safety profile.

Savolitinib in NSCLC:
Phase II in MET Exon 14 deletion NSCLC (NCT02897479) – NDA accepted and data to be presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2020.

SAVANNAH Phase II study of savolitinib in combination with Tagrisso in patients who have progressed following Tagrisso due to MET amplification (NCT03778229) – The SAVANNAH study is a single-arm, open-label study in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation positive NSCLC patients following first- or second-line Tagrisso therapy.

Savolitinib in kidney cancer:
CALYPSO Phase II of savolitinib in combination with Imfinzi PD-L1 inhibitor in renal cell carcinoma ("RCC") (NCT02819596) – The CALYPSO study is an investigator initiated open-label Phase I/II study of savolitinib in combination with Imfinzi, an anti-PD-L1 antibody owned by AstraZeneca. The study is evaluating the safety and efficacy of the savolitinib/Imfinzi combination in patients with papillary RCC ("PRCC") and clear cell RCC.

SAVOIR Phase III in MET-positive PRCC (NCT03091192) – In December 2018, enrollment was terminated in SAVOIR, a global Phase III registration study of savolitinib monotherapy compared with sunitinib monotherapy in MET-positive PRCC. The early termination was driven by factors external to the SAVOIR study. Data from the approximately 60 patients randomized in SAVOIR prior to termination matured during 2019 and will be presented by Professor Toni K. Choueiri at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2020 Virtual Scientific meeting in an oral abstract session, available on May 29, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time ("SAVOIR: A Phase III Study of Savolitinib Versus Sunitinib in Patients with MET-driven Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma", abstract #5002). Based on these data, AstraZeneca and Chi-Med are actively evaluating the opportunity to restart clinical work in PRCC for monotherapy savolitinib.

Savolitinib in other cancer indications:
Investigator-initiated studies of savolitinib have been undertaken in gastric cancer, prostate cancer and colorectal cancer.