On February 26, 2021 Incyte (Nasdaq:INCY) reported the validation of the Company’s Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for retifanlimab, an intravenous PD-1 inhibitor, as a potential treatment for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic squamous cell anal carcinoma (SCAC) who have progressed on, or who are intolerant of, platinum-based chemotherapy (Press release, Incyte, FEB 26, 2021, View Source [SID1234575694]). The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) validation of the MAA confirms that the submission is sufficiently complete to begin the formal review process.

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"The EMA validation of the MAA for retifanlimab – which follows the recent U.S. Food & Drug Administration acceptance of our Biologics License Application for Priority Review – brings us closer to providing a new option for patients in Europe with this rarely studied tumor."

"While the incidence of SCAC is increasing in Europe, treatment options for advanced disease are limited in their effectiveness, and there are no approved options once patients have progressed on standard therapy," said Lance Leopold, M.D., Group Vice President, Immuno-Oncology Clinical Development, Incyte. "The EMA validation of the MAA for retifanlimab – which follows the recent U.S. Food & Drug Administration acceptance of our Biologics License Application for Priority Review – brings us closer to providing a new option for patients in Europe with this rarely studied tumor."

The MAA is based on data from the Phase 2 POD1UM-202 trial evaluating retifanlimab in previously treated patients with locally advanced or metastatic SCAC who have progressed on, or are intolerant of, standard platinum-based chemotherapy which were presented at the 2020 virtual ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Congress.

SCAC is associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) and HIV infections and accounts for almost 3% of digestive system cancers.1 In Europe, each year approximately 12,000 patients receive SCAC diagnosis.2 Patients with metastatic SCAC have a poor 5-year survival and there are no approved treatments for patients who progress on platinum therapy.3

About POD1UM-202

POD1UM-202 (NCT03597295) is a global, open-label, single-arm, multicenter, Phase 2 study evaluating retifanlimab in patients with squamous cell anal carcinoma (SCAC) who have progressed on, or who are intolerant of, platinum-based chemotherapy. Retifanlimab 500 mg is administered intravenously every 4 weeks.

The primary endpoint is objective response rate (ORR) as determined by independent central review using RECIST v1.1. Secondary endpoints include additional measures of clinical benefit ‒ duration of response (DOR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS); safety and pharmacokinetics.

For more information about the study, please visit View Source

About POD1UM

The POD1UM (PD1 Inhibitor Clinical Program in Multiple Malignancies) clinical trial program for retifanlimab includes POD1UM-202, POD1UM-303 in SCAC along with and benchmarking studies in endometrial cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma and other solid tumors. A Phase 3 trial in NSCLC (POD1UM-304) is also enrolling, as are studies in combination with epacadostat, pemigatinib, and other development compounds in the Incyte portfolio.

About Retifanlimab

Retifanlimab (formerly INCMGA0012), an investigational intravenous anti-PD1 antibody, is currently under evaluation in registration-directed trials as a monotherapy for patients with microsatellite instability-high endometrial cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma and squamous cell anal carcinoma (SCAC); and in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Retifanlimab has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of anal cancer, and the Biologics License Application for retifanlimab has been accepted for Priority Review.

In 2017, Incyte entered into an exclusive collaboration and license agreement with MacroGenics, Inc. for global rights to retifanlimab. In 2019, Incyte and Zai Lab announced a collaboration and license agreement for the development and commercialization of retifanlimab in Greater China.