Ipsen receives validation from European Medicines Agency for the application of a new indication for Cabometyx® (cabozantinib) for first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma in adults

On September 8, 2017 Ipsen (Euronext: IPN; ADR: IPSEY) reported that the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the European regulatory authority, has validated the application for variation to the Cabometyx (cabozantinib) marketing authorization for the addition of a new indication in first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (Press release, Ipsen, SEP 8, 2017, View Source [SID1234520422]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The filing is based on the results of CABOSUN, a phase II trial demonstrating that Cabometyx prolongs progression free survival (PFS) in treatment-naive patients with intermediate- or poor-risk aRCC compared to sunitinib, the standard of care for more than 10 years. If approved, Cabometyx would be the first and only single-agent treatment to demonstrate superior clinical efficacy over the standard of care in both first line (vs. sunitinib) and second line (vs. everolimus) aRCC.

Alexandre Lebeaut, MD, Executive Vice-President, R&D, Chief Scientific Officer, Ipsen, said: "The filing is based on the results of CABOSUN, a phase II trial demonstrating that Cabometyx prolongs progression free survival (PFS) in a statistically and clinically meaningful way in treatment-naive patients with intermediate- or poor-risk advanced RCC compared to sunitinib, the standard of care for more than 10 years. Ipsen’s commitment to oncology and developing innovative therapies for cancer patients is stronger than ever. We continue to be excited about our partnership with Exelixis to investigate new indications for cabozantinib."

In September 2016, Cabometyx was approved in the EU for the treatment of aRCC in adults following prior vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted therapy. As of today, Cabometyx is commercially available for the treatment of eligible patients with advanced RCC in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, The Netherlands, Spain and UK.

About advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma

With the incidence predicted to rise 22% by 2020, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) threatens to become one of the fastest growing cancers in the world.[i] Targeted therapies including tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) of the VEGF receptor (VEGFR) introduced a decade ago, significantly transformed the treatment landscape of aRCC.[ii]

The American Cancer Society’s 2017 statistics cite kidney cancer as one of the top ten most commonly diagnosed forms of cancer among both men and women in the U.S.[iii] Clear cell RCC is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults.[iv] If detected in its early stages, the five-year survival rate for RCC is high. For patients with advanced- or late-stage metastatic RCC, however, the five-year survival rate is only 12% with no identified cure for the disease.[v] Approximately 30,000 patients in the U.S. and 68,000 globally require treatment.[vi]

The majority of clear cell RCC tumors have lower than normal levels of a protein called von Hippel-Lindau, which leads to higher levels of MET, AXL, and VEGF.[vii]–[viii] These proteins promote tumor angiogenesis (blood vessel growth), growth, invasiveness, and metastasis.[ix], [x], [xi], [xii] MET and AXL may provide escape pathways that drive resistance to VEGF receptor inhibitors. xii – xv

About Cabometyx (cabozantinib)

Cabometyx is the tablet formulation of cabozantinib. Its targets include MET, AXL, and VEGFR receptors in tumor cells. In preclinical models, cabozantinib has been shown to inhibit the activity of these receptors, which are involved in normal cellular function and pathologic processes such as tumor angiogenesis, invasiveness, metastasis, and drug resistance. Cabometyx is available in 20 mg, 40 mg, or 60 mg doses. The recommended dose is 60 mg orally, once daily.

On April 25, 2016, the FDA approved Cabometyx tablets for the treatment of patients with aRCC who have received prior anti-angiogenic therapy. On August 16, 2017, Ipsen’s partner Exelixis has submitted a U.S. supplemental new drug application for cabometyx (cabozantinib) for the treatment of previously untreated advanced kidney cancer. On September 9, 2016, the European Commission approved Cabometyx tablets for the treatment of aRCC in adults who have received prior vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted therapy in the European Union, Norway, and Iceland. On September 8, 2017, the EMA validated the application for Cabometyx for the treatment in first line aRCC.

About the CABOSUN study

On May 23, 2016, Exelixis announced that CABOSUN met its primary endpoint, demonstrating a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in PFS compared with sunitinib in patients with intermediate- or poor-risk aRCC per IMDC (International Metastatic RCC Carcinoma Database Consortium) criteria as determined by investigator assessment. CABOSUN was conducted by The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology as part of Exelixis’ collaboration with the NCI-CTEP. These results were first presented by Dr. Toni Choueiri at the meeting of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) 2016, and published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (Choueiri, JCO, 2017).[xiii]

On June 19th 2017 Exelixis announced that the analysis of the review by a blinded independent radiology review committee (IRC) has confirmed the primary efficacy endpoint results of investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) from the CABOSUN randomized phase 2 trial of cabozantinib as compared with sunitinib in patients with previously untreated advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with intermediate- or poor-risk disease per the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) criteria. Per the IRC analysis, cabozantinib demonstrated a clinically meaningful and statistically significant reduction in the rate of disease progression or death as measured by PFS. The incidence of adverse events (any grade) and the incidence of grade 3 or 4 adverse events between cabozantinib and sunitinib were comparable.

CABOSUN is a randomized, open-label, active-controlled phase II trial that enrolled 157 patients with aRCC determined to be intermediate- or poor-risk per IMDC criteria. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive cabozantinib (60 mg once daily) or sunitinib (50 mg once daily, four weeks on followed by two weeks off). The primary endpoint was PFS. Secondary endpoints included overall survival and objective response rate. Eligible patients were required to have locally advanced or metastatic clear-cell RCC, ECOG performance status 0-2, and had to be intermediate- or poor-risk per IMDC criteria (Heng, JCO, 2009).[xiv] Prior systemic treatment for RCC was not permitted.

Foundation Medicine to Present Validation Data for Its Assay Measuring Tumor Mutational Burden in Blood (bTMB), a New, Non-Invasive Predictor of Response to Immunotherapy

On September 8, 2017 Foundation Medicine, Inc. (NASDAQ:FMI) reported presentations at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting highlighting validation data for its novel assay to measure tumor mutational burden from blood (bTMB) (Press release, Foundation Medicine, SEP 8, 2017, View Source [SID1234520421]). These presentations will highlight retrospective data analysis from Roche/Genentech’s Phase II POPLAR and Phase III OAK studies that enabled analytic and clinical validation for the bTMB assay. The studies demonstrate that high bTMB as measured by Foundation Medicine’s assay is associated with response to atezolizumab in individuals with previously-treated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), potentially offering a new option to expand personalized care options for patients with advanced cancer.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Based on these findings, Foundation Medicine also announced today that its bTMB assay will be integrated as part of Roche/Genentech’s prospective, randomized Phase III Blood First Assay Screening Trial (BFAST) as a companion diagnostic assay to investigate bTMB as a non-invasive biomarker of response to first-line atezolizumab in advanced NSCLC patients.

"Foundation Medicine has previously shown that measuring tumor mutational burden from tissue samples can help reliably predict responses to immunotherapies. However, a critical need exists for measuring TMB via a non-invasive solution for cancer patients for whom tissue is not available or when a biopsy is not feasible," said Vincent Miller, M.D., chief medical officer at Foundation Medicine. "Our data at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) provide the first evidence that response to immunotherapy can be predicted using only a blood sample and we’re pleased that we recently received FDA clinical trial approval for the Phase III study to validate bTMB as a biomarker in first-line immunotherapy. Based on the study results, we expect further development of our bTMB assay as a companion diagnostic, providing an important predictive and complementary solution to FoundationACT liquid biopsy, and ultimately enabling physicians to make informed selection of targeted or immunotherapy treatments in the absence of tissue."

In the studies presented at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper), Foundation Medicine’s bTMB assay was analytically validated to determine TMB with high precision and accuracy from as little as one percent tumor content in a blood sample. The assay was used to retrospectively analyze a total of 794 plasma samples from the Phase II POPLAR and Phase III OAK clinical trials. The analysis showed that atezolizumab demonstrated a clear benefit for overall survival. Additionally, there was a correlation between patients with high bTMB in those studies and longer progression-free survival (PFS) when treated with atezolizumab. In addition, bTMB was not found to correlate with PD-L1 expression levels as measured by tissue-based immunohistochemistry, suggesting that bTMB, like tissue TMB, provides independent and critical predictive information in addition to the information furnished by PD-L1 testing.

The bTMB assay validation presentations will take place during the following times:

Abstract #1295O — Blood-based biomarkers for cancer immunotherapy: Tumor mutational burden in blood (bTMB) is associated with improved atezolizumab (atezo) efficacy in 2L+ NSCLC (POPLAR and OAK), Sept 8, 4:00pm – 5:30pm, Madrid Auditorium (Oral Presentation)

Abstract #102P — Analytic validation of a next generation sequencing assay to identify tumor mutational burden from blood (bTMB) to support investigation of an anti-PD-L1 agent, atezolizumab, in a first line non-small cell lung cancer trial (BFAST), Sept 11, 1:15pm – 2:15pm, Hall 8 (Poster Presentation)

In totality, the company and its collaborators will present a total of 19 studies at the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, including three oral presentations, seven poster discussions and nine posters, which support the integration of comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) and biomarkers such as tissue- and blood-based TMB to help guide personalized cancer care. These new data include insights into the landscape of tissue-based TMB across various types of cancer, which may help further stratify molecular subtypes of disease and guide more personalized treatment. Results will be presented from a study of more than 80,000 solid tumors, a study of more than 22,000 gastrointestinal cancers and a study of more than 2,000 melanoma cases (the largest known cohort of metastatic melanoma cases with comprehensive genomic profiling released to date). Together these results reveal pan-tumor and disease-specific alterations that may inform rational selection of immunotherapy.

Furthermore, new studies show the prevalence of TMB in subtypes of certain cancers where immunotherapy is not often considered, such as breast and thymic cancers. These findings may help expand the utility of TMB into new indications.

The European Society for Medical Oncology Annual Meeting will be held from September 8-12, 2017 in Madrid, Spain.

Data Presented at ESMO 2017 Further Evaluate Role of ABRAXANE® for Patients with Historically Challenging Cancers

On September 8, 2017 Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ:CELG) reported that data from multiple studies evaluating investigational uses of ABRAXANE (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension) (albumin-bound) will be presented during the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) 2017 Annual Meeting between September 8-12 in Madrid, Spain (Press release, Celgene, SEP 8, 2017, View Source [SID1234520420]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"The data presented at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) highlight investigational uses of ABRAXANE to potentially treat patients with particularly challenging diseases, either alone or in combination with other agents," said Nadim Ahmed, President, Hematology and Oncology for Celgene. "Through these data, we are able to continue advancing our understanding and treatment of these cancers especially in patient populations with historically limited treatment options."

In advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), abstracts from three studies in the ABOUND program continue to evaluate investigational uses of ABRAXANE. ABOUND 2L+ is a Phase II trial evaluating second-line monotherapy or combination treatment with an immune checkpoint inhibitor or epigenetic therapy. ABOUND.SQM is a Phase III study evaluating ABRAXANE as combination treatment with carboplatin as induction therapy for those with squamous disease. ABOUND 70+ is a Phase IV study evaluating the first-line treatment of ABRAXANE + carboplatin in patients 70 years and older.

Additionally, updated data from the Phase II LAPACT study evaluating the investigational use of ABRAXANE in patients with locally advanced, non-resectable pancreatic cancer will be presented.

Selected abstracts include*:

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract LBA48; Oral; Friday, September 8, 4:00 p.m., Madrid Auditorium, ABOUND.2L+: nab-paclitaxel (nap-P) +/- CC-486 or durvalumab in previously treated patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (Morgensztern)

Abstract 1369P; Poster; Saturday, September 9, 1:15 p.m., Hall 8, nab-Paclitaxel/carboplatin (nab-P/C) induction therapy in squamous (SCC) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): interim safety results from ABOUND.sqm (Gridelli)

Abstract 1366P; Poster; Saturday, September 9, 1:15 p.m., Hall 8, Effect of nab-paclitaxel/carboplatin (nab-P/C) induction therapy on quality of life (QoL) of patients with squamous (SCC) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (ABOUND.sqm) (Ponce Aix)

Abstract 1367P; Poster; Saturday, September 9, 1:15 p.m., Hall 8, Quality of Life (QoL) in Elderly NSCLC Patients (pts) Treated with nab-Paclitaxel/Carboplatin (nab-P/C) in the ABOUND.70+ Trial (Langer)

Pancreatic Cancer

Abstract 622PD; Poster Discussion; Monday, September 11, 4:30 p.m., Cordoba Auditorium, nab-Paclitaxel (nab-P) plus gemcitabine (G) for patients (Pts) with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC): Interim efficacy and safety results from the Phase 2 LAPACT Trial (Philip)

Abstract 730P; Poster; Saturday, September 9, 1:15 p.m., Hall 8, Interim Health-Related Quality of Life (QoL) From LAPACT, a Phase 2 Trial of nab-Paclitaxel (nab-P) Plus Gemcitabine (G) for Patients (pts) With Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (LAPC) (Portales)

In advanced NSCLC, Abraxane is not approved for use as monotherapy or in combination with CC-486 or durvalumab. Abraxane is also not approved for use as a second-line therapy in advanced NSCLC. Abraxane is not approved for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. The safety and efficacy of the agents and/or uses under investigation have not been established. There is no guarantee that the agents will receive health authority approval or become commercially available in any country for the uses being investigated.

*All times Central European Standard Time (CEST)

A complete listing of abstracts can be found on the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) website at View Source

About ABRAXANE (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension) (albumin-bound)

ABRAXANE is an albumin-based nanotechnology therapy approved for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, advanced non-small cell lung cancer and metastatic pancreatic cancer in the United States, Europe and other markets around the world. It contains albumin-bound paclitaxel nanoparticles and is manufactured using patented nab technology. ABRAXANE is formulated with albumin, a human protein, and is free of solvents.

ABRAXANE was first approved in January 2005 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of breast cancer after failure of combination chemotherapy for metastatic disease or relapse within 6 months of adjuvant chemotherapy. Prior therapy should have included an anthracycline unless clinically contraindicated. In Europe, ABRAXANE was approved in January 2008 as monotherapy for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in adult patients who have failed first-line treatment for metastatic disease and for whom standard, anthracycline containing therapy is not indicated. ABRAXANE is now approved in more than 50 countries for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

In October 2012, ABRAXANE was approved by the FDA for the first-line treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), in combination with carboplatin, in patients who are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation therapy. ABRAXANE is also approved for the treatment of NSCLC in Argentina, Australia, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore.

In September 2013, the FDA approved ABRAXANE as first-line treatment of patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, in combination with gemcitabine. In December 2013, ABRAXANE in combination with gemcitabine was approved for first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas in Europe. ABRAXANE is also approved for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer in more than 40 countries.

Important Safety Information

WARNING – NEUTROPENIA

• Do not administer ABRAXANE therapy to patients who have baseline neutrophil counts of less than 1500 cells/mm3. In order to monitor the occurrence of bone marrow suppression, primarily neutropenia, which may be severe and result in infection, it is recommended that frequent peripheral blood cell counts be performed on all patients receiving ABRAXANE

• Note: An albumin form of paclitaxel may substantially affect a drug’s functional properties relative to those of drug in solution. DO NOT SUBSTITUTE FOR OR WITH OTHER PACLITAXEL FORMULATIONS

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Neutrophil Counts

ABRAXANE should not be used in patients who have baseline neutrophil counts of < 1500 cells/mm3
Hypersensitivity

Patients who experience a severe hypersensitivity reaction to ABRAXANE should not be rechallenged with the drug
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Hematologic Effects

Bone marrow suppression (primarily neutropenia) is dose-dependent and a dose-limiting toxicity of ABRAXANE. In clinical studies, Grade 3-4 neutropenia occurred in 34% of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), 47% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and 38% of patients with pancreatic cancer
Monitor for myelotoxicity by performing complete blood cell counts frequently, including prior to dosing on Day 1 (for MBC) and Days 1, 8, and 15 (for NSCLC and for pancreatic cancer)
Do not administer ABRAXANE to patients with baseline absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) of less than 1500 cells/mm3
In the case of severe neutropenia ( < 500 cells/mm3 for 7 days or more) during a course of ABRAXANE therapy, reduce the dose of ABRAXANE in subsequent courses in patients with either MBC or NSCLC
In patients with MBC, resume treatment with every-3-week cycles of ABRAXANE after ANC recovers to a level > 1500 cells/mm3 and platelets recover to a level > 100,000 cells/mm3
In patients with NSCLC, resume treatment if recommended at permanently reduced doses for both weekly ABRAXANE and every-3-week carboplatin after ANC recovers to at least 1500 cells/mm3 and platelet count of at least 100,000 cells/mm3 on Day 1 or to an ANC of at least 500 cells/mm3 and platelet count of at least 50,000 cells/mm3 on Days 8 or 15 of the cycle
In patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, withhold ABRAXANE and gemcitabine if the ANC is less than 500 cells/mm3 or platelets are less than 50,000 cells/mm3 and delay initiation of the next cycle if the ANC is less than 1500 cells/mm3 or platelet count is less than 100,000 cells/mm3 on Day 1 of the cycle. Resume treatment with appropriate dose reduction if recommended
Nervous System

Sensory neuropathy is dose- and schedule-dependent
The occurrence of Grade 1 or 2 sensory neuropathy does not generally require dose modification
If ≥ Grade 3 sensory neuropathy develops, withhold ABRAXANE treatment until resolution to Grade 1 or 2 for MBC or until resolution to ≤ Grade 1 for NSCLC and pancreatic cancer followed by a dose reduction for all subsequent courses of ABRAXANE
Sepsis

Sepsis occurred in 5% of patients with or without neutropenia who received ABRAXANE in combination with gemcitabine
Biliary obstruction or presence of biliary stent were risk factors for severe or fatal sepsis
If a patient becomes febrile (regardless of ANC), initiate treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics
For febrile neutropenia, interrupt ABRAXANE and gemcitabine until fever resolves and ANC ≥1500 cells/mm3, then resume treatment at reduced dose levels
Pneumonitis

Pneumonitis, including some cases that were fatal, occurred in 4% of patients receiving ABRAXANE in combination with gemcitabine
Monitor patients for signs and symptoms and interrupt ABRAXANE and gemcitabine during evaluation of suspected pneumonitis
Permanently discontinue treatment with ABRAXANE and gemcitabine upon making a diagnosis of pneumonitis
Hypersensitivity

Severe and sometimes fatal hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylactic reactions, have been reported
Patients who experience a severe hypersensitivity reaction to ABRAXANE should not be rechallenged with this drug
Hepatic Impairment

Because the exposure and toxicity of paclitaxel can be increased with hepatic impairment, administration of ABRAXANE in patients with hepatic impairment should be performed with caution
Patients with hepatic impairment may be at an increased risk of toxicity, particularly from myelosuppression, and should be monitored for development of profound myelosuppression
For MBC and NSCLC, the starting dose should be reduced for patients with moderate or severe hepatic impairment
For pancreatic adenocarcinoma, ABRAXANE is not recommended for patients with moderate to severe hepatic impairment (total bilirubin > 1.5 x ULN and AST ≤10 x ULN)
Albumin (Human)

ABRAXANE contains albumin (human), a derivative of human blood
Use in Pregnancy: Pregnancy Category D

ABRAXANE can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman
If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while receiving this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus
Women of childbearing potential should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant while receiving ABRAXANE
Use in Men

Men should be advised not to father a child while receiving ABRAXANE
ADVERSE REACTIONS

Randomized Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) Study

The most common adverse reactions (≥20%) with single-agent use of ABRAXANE vs paclitaxel injection in the MBC study are alopecia (90%, 94%), neutropenia (all cases 80%, 82%; severe 9%, 22%), sensory neuropathy (any symptoms 71%, 56%; severe 10%, 2%), abnormal ECG (all patients 60%, 52%; patients with normal baseline 35%, 30%), fatigue/asthenia (any 47%, 39%; severe 8%, 3%), myalgia/arthralgia (any 44%, 49%; severe 8%, 4%), AST elevation (any 39%, 32%), alkaline phosphatase elevation (any 36%, 31%), anemia (any 33%, 25%; severe 1%, < 1%), nausea (any 30%, 22%; severe 3%, < 1%), diarrhea (any 27%, 15%; severe < 1%, 1%) and infections (24%, 20%), respectively
Sensory neuropathy was the cause of ABRAXANE discontinuation in 7/229 (3%) patients
Other adverse reactions of note with the use of ABRAXANE vs paclitaxel injection included vomiting (any 18%, 10%; severe 4%, 1%), fluid retention (any 10%, 8%; severe 0%, < 1%), mucositis (any 7%, 6%; severe < 1%, 0%), hepatic dysfunction (elevations in bilirubin 7%, 7%), hypersensitivity reactions (any 4%, 12%; severe 0%, 2%), thrombocytopenia (any 2%, 3%; severe < 1%, < 1%), neutropenic sepsis ( < 1%, < 1%), and injection site reactions ( < 1%, 1%), respectively. Dehydration and pyrexia were also reported
Renal dysfunction (any 11%, severe 1%) was reported in patients treated with ABRAXANE (n=229)
In all ABRAXANE-treated patients (n=366), ocular/visual disturbances were reported (any 13%; severe 1%)
Severe cardiovascular events possibly related to single-agent ABRAXANE occurred in approximately 3% of patients and included cardiac ischemia/infarction, chest pain, cardiac arrest, supraventricular tachycardia, edema, thrombosis, pulmonary thromboembolism, pulmonary emboli, and hypertension
Cases of cerebrovascular attacks (strokes) and transient ischemic attacks have been reported
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Study

The most common adverse reactions (≥20%) of ABRAXANE in combination with carboplatin are anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, alopecia, peripheral neuropathy, nausea, and fatigue
The most common serious adverse reactions of ABRAXANE in combination with carboplatin for NSCLC are anemia (4%) and pneumonia (3%)
The most common adverse reactions resulting in permanent discontinuation of ABRAXANE are neutropenia (3%), thrombocytopenia (3%), and peripheral neuropathy (1%)
The most common adverse reactions resulting in dose reduction of ABRAXANE are neutropenia (24%), thrombocytopenia (13%), and anemia (6%)
The most common adverse reactions leading to withholding or delay in ABRAXANE dosing are neutropenia (41%), thrombocytopenia (30%), and anemia (16%)
The following common (≥10% incidence) adverse reactions were observed at a similar incidence in ABRAXANE plus carboplatin-treated and paclitaxel injection plus carboplatin-treated patients: alopecia (56%), nausea (27%), fatigue (25%), decreased appetite (17%), asthenia (16%), constipation (16%), diarrhea (15%), vomiting (12%), dyspnea (12%), and rash (10%); incidence rates are for the ABRAXANE plus carboplatin treatment group
Adverse reactions with a difference of ≥2%, Grade 3 or higher, with combination use of ABRAXANE and carboplatin vs combination use of paclitaxel injection and carboplatin in NSCLC are anemia (28%, 7%), neutropenia (47%, 58%), thrombocytopenia (18%, 9%), and peripheral neuropathy (3%, 12%), respectively
Adverse reactions with a difference of ≥5%, Grades 1-4, with combination use of ABRAXANE and carboplatin vs combination use of paclitaxel injection and carboplatin in NSCLC are anemia (98%, 91%), thrombocytopenia (68%, 55%), peripheral neuropathy (48%, 64%), edema peripheral (10%, 4%), epistaxis (7%, 2%), arthralgia (13%, 25%), and myalgia (10%, 19%), respectively
Neutropenia (all grades) was reported in 85% of patients who received ABRAXANE and carboplatin vs 83% of patients who received paclitaxel injection and carboplatin
Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Study

Among the most common (≥20%) adverse reactions in the phase III study, those with a ≥5% higher incidence in the ABRAXANE/gemcitabine group compared with the gemcitabine group are neutropenia (73%, 58%), fatigue (59%, 46%), peripheral neuropathy (54%, 13%), nausea (54%, 48%), alopecia (50%, 5%), peripheral edema (46%, 30%), diarrhea (44%, 24%), pyrexia (41%, 28%), vomiting (36%, 28%), decreased appetite (36%, 26%), rash (30%, 11%), and dehydration (21%, 11%)
Of these most common adverse reactions, those with a ≥2% higher incidence of Grade 3-4 toxicity in the ABRAXANE/gemcitabine group compared with the gemcitabine group, respectively, are neutropenia (38%, 27%), fatigue (18%, 9%), peripheral neuropathy (17%, 1%), nausea (6%, 3%), diarrhea (6%, 1%), pyrexia (3%, 1%), vomiting (6%, 4%), decreased appetite (5%, 2%), and dehydration (7%, 2%)
Thrombocytopenia (all grades) was reported in 74% of patients in the ABRAXANE/gemcitabine group vs 70% of patients in the gemcitabine group
The most common serious adverse reactions of ABRAXANE (with a ≥1% higher incidence) are pyrexia (6%), dehydration (5%), pneumonia (4%), and vomiting (4%)
The most common adverse reactions resulting in permanent discontinuation of ABRAXANE were peripheral neuropathy (8%), fatigue (4%), and thrombocytopenia (2%)
The most common adverse reactions resulting in dose reduction of ABRAXANE are neutropenia (10%) and peripheral neuropathy (6%)
The most common adverse reactions leading to withholding or delay in ABRAXANE dosing are neutropenia (16%), thrombocytopenia (12%), fatigue (8%), peripheral neuropathy (15%), anemia (5%), and diarrhea (5%)
Other selected adverse reactions with a ≥5% higher incidence for all-grade toxicity in the ABRAXANE/gemcitabine group compared to the gemcitabine group, respectively, are asthenia (19%, 13%), mucositis (10%, 4%), dysgeusia (16%, 8%), headache (14%, 9%), hypokalemia (12%, 7%), cough (17%, 7%), epistaxis (15%, 3%), urinary tract infection (11%, 5%), pain in extremity (11%, 6%), arthralgia (11%, 3%), myalgia (10%, 4%), and depression (12%, 6%)
Other selected adverse reactions with a ≥2% higher incidence for Grade 3-4 toxicity in the ABRAXANE/gemcitabine group compared to the gemcitabine group are thrombocytopenia (13%, 9%), asthenia (7%, 4%), and hypokalemia (4%, 1%)
Postmarketing Experience With ABRAXANE and Other Paclitaxel Formulations

Severe and sometimes fatal hypersensitivity reactions have been reported with ABRAXANE. The use of ABRAXANE in patients previously exhibiting hypersensitivity to paclitaxel injection or human albumin has not been studied
There have been reports of congestive heart failure, left ventricular dysfunction, and atrioventricular block with ABRAXANE, primarily among individuals with underlying cardiac history or prior exposure to cardiotoxic drugs
There have been reports of extravasation of ABRAXANE. Given the possibility of extravasation, it is advisable to monitor closely the ABRAXANE infusion site for possible infiltration during drug administration
DRUG INTERACTIONS

Caution should be exercised when administering ABRAXANE concomitantly with medicines known to inhibit or induce either CYP2C8 or CYP3A4
USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

Nursing Mothers

It is not known whether paclitaxel is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk and because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants, a decision should be made to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother
Pediatric

The safety and effectiveness of ABRAXANE in pediatric patients have not been evaluated
Geriatric

A higher incidence of epistaxis, diarrhea, dehydration, fatigue, and peripheral edema was found in patients 65 years or older who received ABRAXANE for MBC in a pooled analysis of clinical studies
Myelosuppression, peripheral neuropathy, and arthralgia were more frequent in patients ≥65 years of age treated with ABRAXANE and carboplatin in NSCLC
Diarrhea, decreased appetite, dehydration, and epistaxis were more frequent in patients 65 years or older compared with patients younger than 65 years old who received ABRAXANE and gemcitabine in adenocarcinoma of the pancreas
Renal Impairment

There are insufficient data to permit dosage recommendations in patients with severe renal impairment or end stage renal disease (estimated creatinine clearance < 30 mL/min)
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

Do not administer ABRAXANE to any patient with total bilirubin greater than 5 x ULN or AST greater than 10 x ULN
For MBC and NSCLC, reduce starting dose in patients with moderate to severe hepatic impairment
For adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, do not administer ABRAXANE to patients who have moderate to severe hepatic impairment
Dose reductions or discontinuation may be needed based on severe hematologic, neurologic, cutaneous, or gastrointestinal toxicity
Monitor patients closely
Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNING.

Please refer to the Summary of Product Characteristics for full European prescribing information.

New Randomized Data From CMB305 + Checkpoint Inhibitor Study Demonstrate Greater Clinical Benefit and Immune Response

On September 8, 2017 Immune Design (Nasdaq:IMDZ), a clinical-stage immunotherapy company focused on oncology, reported that an interim analysis of its ongoing, randomized Phase 2 trial showed that NY-ESO-1+ soft tissue sarcoma (STS) patients receiving the combination of CMB305 and Genentech’s checkpoint inhibitor, atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ), experienced greater clinical benefit and immune response than those receiving atezolizumab alone (Press release, Immune Design, SEP 8, 2017, View Source [SID1234520409]). The data will be presented in a poster discussion session at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) 2017 Congress, September 8-12, 2017 in Madrid, Spain.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

This fully enrolled trial is evaluating the safety, immunogenicity and efficacy of CMB305 in combination with atezolizumab (C+A, n=45), or atezolizumab alone (A, n=43), in a total of 88 patients with locally advanced, relapsed, or metastatic NY-ESO-1+ synovial sarcoma or myxoid/round-cell liposarcoma. Data to be presented at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) summarize patients evaluated in an interim analysis in a data cut as of July 21, 2017, with analysis divided into two groups: pre-specified interim analysis (n=36) and full study population (n=88).

Patient Characteristics:

Patients receiving CMB305 plus atezolizumab have more advanced disease than those receiving atezolizumab alone, including:

Metastatic Disease: 98% (C+A) vs. 79% (A)
≥2 prior lines of systemic anti-cancer therapy: 61% (C+A) vs. 49% (A)
≥2 lesions at time of study entry: 96% (C+A) vs. 84% (A)
Grade 3 disease at diagnosis: 47% (C+A) vs. 33% (A)
Greater Clinical Benefit with Combination of CMB305 and Atezolizumab:

Interim analysis data (n=36) show that patients receiving CMB305 plus atezolizumab experienced greater clinical benefit than those receiving atezolizumab alone.

Disease Control Rate (Partial Responses (PR) + Stable Disease (SD)): 61%, including 1 PR (C+A) vs. 28% with no PRs (A)
Median Progression Free Survival (PFS): 2.6 months (C+A) vs. 1.4 months (A)
Time to Next Treatment (TTNT): 9 months (C+A) vs. 6.3 months (A)
Overall survival: as of the collection date, overall survival data are immature (median duration of observation is less than six months); Immune Design intends to present survival data in 2018 once all patients approach at least one year of follow up.
In the full study population (n=88), the trend of greater clinical benefit on the combination arm remains consistent for the entire patient population:

Disease Control Rate: 57% (3 PRs total, 1 unconfirmed) (C+A) vs. 38% (0 responses) (A)
More Robust Immune Response with Combination of CMB305 and Atezolizumab:

Patients in the full study population (n=88) who received the combination of CMB305 and atezolizumab demonstrated stronger anti-NY-ESO-1 immune responses compared to those receiving atezolizumab alone (samples evaluable from (n=60/88)), including:

Induced anti-NY-ESO-1 T cells: 52% (C+A) vs. 17% (A)
Induced anti-NY-ESO-1 antibodies: 52% (C+A) vs. 0% (A)
Induced antigen spreading: 19% (C+A) vs. 0% (A)
Biomarker Analysis Shows Continued Link Between Induced Immune Response and Clinical Benefit:

In an exploratory analysis, a trend towards improved overall survival was observed in patients with an induced immune response (T cells or antibodies) who received CMB305 plus atezolizumab.

Induced anti-NY-ESO-1 T cells: 78% reduction in mortality rate, as compared to patients without induced T cells [HR=0.22, log-rank p value=0.043]
Induced anti-NY-ESO-1 antibodies: 87% reduction in mortality rate, as compared to patients without induced antibodies [HR=0.13, log-rank p value=0.025]
This trend of improved overall survival in patients with induced immune response was not observed in the atezolizumab-only arm.
In addition, pretreatment tumor biopsies available from 70 patients show both an absent or very low level of PD-L1 expression and CD8 T cell infiltration, further supporting that these subtypes of STS are "cold" tumors.

Positive Safety Profile with Combination of CMB305 and Atezolizumab:

This combination was observed to be well tolerated, and there were no new safety signals in either arm.

"We believe the greater clinical benefit and more robust immune response shown in the combination study arm supports the hypothesis that the combination of an appropriately-designed, next-generation cancer vaccine such as CMB305 with a checkpoint inhibitor is important to produce clinical benefit in a cold tumor such as STS, where checkpoint inhibitors otherwise may have limited efficacy," said Carlos Paya, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Immune Design. "In addition, we are pleased to observe the trend towards longer overall survival in patients with an induced anti-NY-ESO-1 immune response, further supporting the positive CMB305 monotherapy data we presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) in June."

Atezolizumab is a monoclonal antibody being developed by Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, and is designed to target and bind to a protein called PD-L1 (programmed death ligand-1). The trial is being conducted pursuant to a clinical collaboration with Genentech. TECENTRIQ is a registered trademark of Genentech.

The ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Poster Discussion session presentation details are as follows:

A Phase 2 Study of CMB305 and Atezolizumab in NY-ESO-1+ Soft Tissue Sarcoma: Interim Analysis of Immunogenicity, Tumor Control and Survival

Abstract # 1480PD
Session Title: Sarcoma Poster Discussion Session
Date: Monday, Sept. 11, 2017
Time: 11 a.m. — 12:30 p.m.
Location: Bilbao Auditorium
Poster Presenter: Dr. Sant Chawla
Poster Discussant: Dr. Robert Maki

About CMB305

CMB305 is a prime-boost vaccine approach against NY-ESO-1-expressing tumors, designed to generate an integrated, anti-NY-ESO-1 immune response in vivo via a targeted, specific interaction with dendritic cells, a mechanism of action Immune Design believes differs from traditional cancer vaccines. CMB305 is being evaluated in soft tissue sarcoma patients in ongoing Phase 1 monotherapy and Phase 2 combination studies. Immune Design has received Orphan Drug Designation for CMB305 from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma, as well as from the FDA and European Medicines Agency for each of the components of CMB305 for the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma.

Filing of Lawsuit on Patent Infringement Concerning Herceptin® Injection, and a Petition for Provisional Disposition Order

On September 8, 2017 Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. reported that it has filed a lawsuit to the Tokyo District Court as of August 17, and has also filed a petition for provisional disposition order, demanding the suspension of manufacturing and distribution of the biosimilar of anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody Herceptin Injection 60 and 150 (Herceptin Injection), against Nippon Kayaku Co., Ltd., the applicant for approval of the biosimilar of Herceptin Injection, citing such party’s infringement of the application patent owned by Genentech Inc., a member of the Roche group, as the ground (Press release, Chugai, SEP 8, 2017, View Source [SID1234520405]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Genentech is a patent holder and Chugai is the exclusive licensee of Herceptin Injection. Both are the co-plaintiff of the lawsuit.

Herceptin Injection is an anti-cancer agent, using anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (genetical recombination), which Genentech Inc. has created. Herceptin Injection is indicated for the treatment of breast cancer that overexpresses HER2, and advanced or recurrent gastric cancer overexpressing HER2 not amenable to curative resection.

As a company that aims to provide innovative drugs, we regard intellectual property rights that protect products and technologies resulted from research and development as a very important asset. Chugai will deal rigorously with any acts that violate them, including taking legal actions.

There is no impact on Chugai’s financial prospects for this matter at this stage.