PharmaCyte Biotech CEO in Thailand to Oversee Production of Final Clinical Trial Material for IND Submission

On June 10, 2019 PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. (OTCQB: PMCB), a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing targeted cellular therapies for cancer and diabetes using its signature live-cell encapsulation technology, Cell-in-a-Box, reported that its Chief Executive Officer, Kenneth L. Waggoner, and his team are now in Bangkok, Thailand (Press release, PharmaCyte Biotech, JUN 10, 2019, View Source [SID1234536964]). They have been attending meetings on site at Austrianova’s GMP manufacturing facility. Production of PharmaCyte’s clinical trial material for the treatment of locally advanced, non-metastatic, inoperable pancreatic cancer (LAPC) is already underway.

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On Tuesday, June 11, Mr. Waggoner and PharmaCyte’s consultant cellular biologist, David A. Judd, will observe and assist the team from Austrianova, if needed, as they continue their work to produce the necessary clinical trial material for PharmaCyte’s planned clinical trial for LAPC.

PharmaCyte’s Chief Executive Officer, Kenneth L. Waggoner, said of the necessity to be on the ground at the GMP production facility, "We are at a very crucial point on our path to a clinical trial. The production of our clinical trial material is vital to our success in the clinic, and it is vital to advancing our clinical development timeline. We need the testing of the finished cancer product to get underway. The data from those tests should enable us to complete our Investigational New Drug application (IND). After the changes Austrianova made to the manufacturing process, about which we have already reported, we are back on track. We’ll be here in Thailand overseeing the production runs that will produce the clinical trial material PharmaCyte needs to continue its journey to the clinic."

Also, a film crew will be on hand to document the company’s manufacturing process for the production of a video that will tell PharmaCyte’s pancreatic cancer therapy story in its entirety.

As a reminder, Mr. Judd has a broad array of experience in development of cell culture media for many primary cells and cell lines and is particularly knowledgeable in the growth of HEK-293 cells. He has developed manufacturing processes, cell assays, biochemical analysis, cell culture processes and downstream recovery strategies for over 35 years, 30 of which have been with a major biotechnology company in the United States.

Oncternal Therapeutics Completes Reverse Merger with GTx, Inc.

On June 10, 2019 Oncternal Therapeutics, Inc., (Nasdaq: ONCT) a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing potential first-in-class product candidates for cancers with critical unmet medical need, reported that the reverse merger with GTx, Inc., closed on June 7, 2019 (Press release, GTx, JUN 10, 2019, View Source [SID1234536962]). The combined company will operate under the name Oncternal Therapeutics, Inc., and its shares will commence trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange on June 10, 2019, under the ticker symbol "ONCT."

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"We believe that the closing of the merger signifies a transformative event that will provide Oncternal with the opportunity to achieve its next level of corporate growth as we continue to advance our promising oncology drug candidates through development," said James Breitmeyer, M.D., Ph.D., Oncternal’s President and CEO. "We recently presented updated interim data from an ongoing clinical study of our investigational monoclonal antibody, cirmtuzumab, at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, and we look forward to achieving a number of exciting milestones in our development programs in the future."

Pursuant to the merger, all of Oncternal’s outstanding shares of common stock and securities convertible into or exercisable for Oncternal’s common stock were converted into GTx common stock and securities convertible into or exercisable for GTx common stock. Immediately following the completion of the merger, the former stockholders of Oncternal held approximately 77.5% of the outstanding shares of common stock of the combined company. In addition to retaining an ownership interest representing approximately 22.5% of the outstanding shares of common stock of the combined company, the GTx stockholders of record as of immediately prior to the effective time of the merger received contingent value rights (CVR) entitling the holders to receive, in the aggregate, 75% of any net proceeds derived from the grant, sale or transfer of rights to GTx’s selective androgen receptor degrader (SARD) and selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) technology during the term of the CVR and, if applicable, to receive royalties on the sale of any SARD products by the combined company during the term of the CVR.

Oncternal’s development pipeline consists of the following programs:

Oncternal’s lead program, cirmtuzumab, is an investigational, potential first-in-class anti-receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) monoclonal antibody. Cirmtuzumab is currently in a Phase 1/ 2 clinical trial in combination with ibrutinib for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Last week, the company presented interim data from the study at the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2019 Annual Meeting. In addition, an investigator-initiated Phase 1 clinical trial of cirmtuzumab in combination with paclitaxel for women


with metastatic breast cancer is being conducted at the University of California San Diego (UC San Diego) School of Medicine. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has provided funding to support the cirmtuzumab development program.

TK216, an investigational, potential first-in-class small molecule designed to inhibit the biological activity of E26 transformation-specific (ETS) oncoproteins, is being evaluated alone and in combination with vincristine in a Phase 1 clinical trial in patients with relapsed or refractory Ewing sarcoma, a rare pediatric cancer. Oncternal is also planning a Phase 1 clinical trial in patients with relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

A ROR-1 targeted chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) program is in preclinical development in collaboration with UC San Diego for hematologic cancers and solid tumors.

CStone and Bayer announce global collaboration to evaluate PD-L1 monoclonal antibody CS1001 in combination with regorafenib

On June 9, 2019 CStone Pharmaceuticals ("CStone"; HKEX: 2616) reported that the company has entered into a global clinical collaboration with China focus with Bayer HealthCare LLC to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK) and antitumor activity of its PD-L1 monoclonal antibody CS1001 in combination with Bayer’s regorafenib, an oral multi-kinase inhibitor (targeting VEGFR, FGFR, CSF1R, etc.), as a treatment for multiple cancers including gastric cancer (Press release, CStone Pharmaceauticals, JUN 9, 2019, View Source [SID1234536959]). This is the first global proof of concept study carried out as a collaboration between the two companies. CStone will be the study sponsor and Bayer will provide regorafenib throughout the clinical trial program.

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Professor Lin Shen, Vice President at the Peking University Cancer Hospital, commented: "At present, patients with advanced gastric cancer lack safe and effective therapies. Preclinical and clinical evidence suggest that the combination of PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies with multi-kinase inhibitors that target VEGFR can induce significant synergistic anti-tumor effects. We hope this combination therapy can provide a new treatment option for patients suffering from gastric cancer and other serious malignancies."

CS1001 is one of CStone’s backbone immuno-oncology pipeline candidates, having demonstrated that it is well-tolerated and has promising anti-tumor activities across a variety of tumor types in clinical studies. Currently, CS1001 is being evaluated in 7 clinical trials, including 5 pivotal trials. Regorafenib is approved in over 90 countries for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and in more than 80 countries for the second-line treatment of advanced hepatocellular (HCC).

Dr. Frank Jiang, CStone Chairman and CEO, commented: "We are very pleased that Bayer has chosen CStone as its partner and recognizes CS1001’s potential. We hope, by complementing our two companies’ pipelines via this combination therapy, that we can develop better cancer treatments for patients. In addition, this collaboration will be a big step forward for CStone’s global strategy when we generate positive data."

Scott Z. Fields, M.D., Senior Vice President and Head of Oncology Development at Bayer’s Pharmaceutical Division said: "Combining multi-kinase inhibitors, such as regorafenib, with checkpoint inhibitors is a rising trend in cancer therapy in order to find new solutions for the many treatment gaps that still remain for patients. We look forward to collaborating with CStone, an innovative biopharmaceutical company, and exploring regorafenib’s potential."

About CS1001

CS1001 is an investigational anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody being developed by CStone. Authorized by the U.S.-based Ligand Corporation, CS1001 was generated by the OMT transgenic animal platform, which can produce fully human antibodies in one step. As a fully human, full-length anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody, CS1001 mirrors natural G-type immune globulin 4 (IgG4) human antibody, which can potentially reduce the risk of immunogenicity and toxicities in patients, a unique advantage over similar drugs.

CS1001 has completed a Phase I dose-escalation study in China and has demonstrated promising anticancer activity and good tolerance. CS1001 is currently being evaluated in multiple clinical trials including a bridging phase I trial in the USA, a multi-arm phase Ib study, two pivotal Phase II studies and three Phase III studies in China in various cancer types, respectively. It has not been approved by any health authority for marketing.

About Regorafenib (Stivarga)

Regorafenib is an oral multi-kinase inhibitor that potently blocks multiple protein kinases involved in tumor angiogenesis (VEGFR1, -2, -3, TIE2), oncogenesis (KIT, RET, RAF-1, BRAF), metastasis (VEGFR3, PDGFR, FGFR) and tumor immunity (CSF1R).

Regorafenib is approved under the brand name Stivarga in more than 90 countries worldwide, including the U.S., countries of the EU, China and Japan for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). The product is also approved in more than 80 countries including the U.S., Japan, countries of the EU as well as China for the second-line treatment of advanced hepatocellular (HCC).

Regorafenib is a compound developed by Bayer. In 2011, Bayer entered into an agreement with Onyx, now an Amgen subsidiary, under which Onyx receives a royalty on all global net sales of regorafenib in oncology.

Five Prime Therapeutics to Present at Two Upcoming Healthcare Conferences

On June 9, 2019 Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: FPRX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing innovative immuno-oncology protein therapeutics reported that Aron Knickerbocker, Chief Executive Officer, is scheduled to present at the following two investor conferences (Press release, Five Prime Therapeutics, JUN 9, 2019, View Source [SID1234536958]):

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The Raymond James Life Sciences and MedTech Conference, on Wednesday, June 19th at 1:15pm ET / 10:15am PT
The 2019 Bank of Montreal Prescriptions for Success Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, June 25th at 3:00pm ET / 12:00pm PT
The presentations will be webcast and may be accessed at the "Events & Presentations" section of the Company’s website at: View Source Five Prime will maintain an archived replay of the webcast on its website for 30 days after the conference.

Moderna to Present at Goldman Sachs 40th Annual Global Healthcare Conference

On June 7, 2019 Moderna, Inc., (Nasdaq: MRNA) a clinical stage biotechnology company pioneering messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines to create a new generation of transformative medicines for patients, reported that Stephane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer, and Lorence Kim, M.D., Chief Financial Officer, will present at the Goldman Sachs 40th Annual Global Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET) (Press release, Moderna Therapeutics, JUN 7, 2019, View Source [SID1234536957]).

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A live webcast of the presentation will be available under "Events and Presentations" in the Investors section of the Moderna website at View Source A replay of the webcast will be archived on Moderna’s website for 30 days following the presentation.