On November 3, 2016 Geron Corporation (Nasdaq:GERN) reported that four abstracts related to the imetelstat program have been accepted for presentation at the 58th American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting and Exposition to be held in San Diego, California from December 3-6, 2016 (Press release, Geron, NOV 3, 2016, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2219235 [SID1234516217]). The abstracts were published today on the ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) website at www.hematology.org.

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Oral Presentation

One abstract containing non-clinical data on imetelstat was selected for oral presentation. These data extend previous preclinical work conducted in a patient-derived model of acute myeloid leukemia.

Title: The preclinical efficacy of a novel telomerase inhibitor, imetelstat, in AML – a randomized trial in patient-derived xenografts (Abstract #578)
Session Name: 604. Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Resistance in Myeloid Diseases: Targeting Leukemia-Initiating Cells
Session Date: Monday, December 5, 2016
Presentation Time: 7:15 a.m. PT

Poster Presentations

Three abstracts related to imetelstat were selected for presentation as posters. One abstract investigates the potential impact of imetelstat on leukemia stem cells in a non-clinical model of chronic myeloid leukemia. The second abstract reports new data on telomere length dynamics from essential thrombocythemia patients providing further support that imetelstat treatment may suppress the neoplastic clones underlying the disease. The third abstract presents an analysis of treatment patterns and outcomes of patients with myelofibrosis from the United States medical claims databases that underscores the need for additional treatment options in that disease.

Title: Telomerase Inhibition with Imetelstat Eradicates β-catenin Activated Blast Crisis Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cells (Abstract #3065)
Session Name: 632. Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Therapy: Poster II
Session Date: Sunday, December 4, 2016
Session Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. PT

Title: Dynamics of Telomere Length Reflect the Clonal Suppression Seen with the Telomerase Inhibitor Imetelstat in Patients with Essential Thrombocythemia (Abstract #1938)
Session Name: 634. Myeloproliferative Syndromes: Clinical: Poster I
Session Date: Saturday, December 3, 2016
Session Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. PT

Title: Characterization of Disease, Treatment Patterns, and Outcomes of Patients with Myelofibrosis: Analysis of 2 United States Commercial Claims Databases (Abstract #4769)
Session Name: 904. Outcomes Research – Malignant Conditions: Poster III
Session Date: Monday, December 5, 2016
Session Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. PT

In accordance with ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) policies, abstracts submitted to the ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting are embargoed from the time of submission. To be eligible for presentation at the ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, information contained in the abstract, as well as additional data and information to be presented at the Annual Meeting, may not be made public before the abstract has been presented in connection with the ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting.

About Imetelstat

Imetelstat (GRN163L; JNJ-63935937) is a potent and specific inhibitor of telomerase that is administered by intravenous infusion. This first-in-class compound, discovered by Geron, is a specially designed and modified short oligonucleotide, which targets and binds directly with high affinity to the active site of telomerase. Preliminary clinical data suggest imetelstat has disease-modifying activity by inhibiting malignant progenitor cell clones associated with hematologic malignancies in a relatively select manner. Most commonly reported adverse events in imetelstat clinical studies include fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms and cytopenias. Patients in these studies also experienced elevated liver enzymes, which resolved to normal or baseline in the majority of patients followed after imetelstat treatment was withdrawn. Imetelstat has not been approved for marketing by any regulatory authority.

About the Collaboration with Janssen

On November 13, 2014, Geron entered into an exclusive worldwide license and collaboration agreement with Janssen Biotech, Inc., to develop and commercialize imetelstat for oncology, including hematologic myeloid malignancies, and all other human therapeutics uses. Under the terms of the agreement, Geron received an upfront payment of $35 million and is eligible to receive additional payments up to a potential total of $900 million for the achievement of development, regulatory and commercial milestones, as well as royalties on worldwide net sales. All regulatory, development, manufacturing and promotional activities related to imetelstat are being managed through a joint governance structure, with Janssen responsible for these activities.