XYNOMIC PHARMA ACQUIRES GLOBAL EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO PHASE 2 READY MTORC1/2 INHIBITOR FROM BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM

On December 20, 2018 Xynomic Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Xynomic"), a clinical stage US-China oncology drug development company, reported that it has been granted an exclusive, worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize BI 860585, a phase 2 ready mTORC1/2 inhibitor, from Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH ("Boehringer Ingelheim") (Press release, Xynomic Pharmaceuticals, DEC 20, 2018, View Source [SID1234532253]).

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BI 860585 is a potent and selective ATP-competitive mTOR serine/threonine kinase inhibitor. It has been tested in a phase 1 trial with 90 patients with advanced solid tumors as single agent, in combination with exemestane or paclitaxel. In this trial BI 860585 was well tolerated and disease control rates (partial response plus stable disease) were 20%, 28% and 58%, respectively.

Xynomic plans to initiate 2 clinical trials in the next 6-9 months, among which, one is a potentially pivotal phase 2 trial combining BI 860585 with a standard-of-care treatment against breast cancer and the other is a phase 1b trial combining BI 860585 with Xynomic’s XP-102 (formerly known as BI 882370) against colorectal cancer.

According to a press release by World Health Organization (WHO)’s International Agency for Research on Cancer dated September 12, 2018, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in women. In addition, colorectal cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death in women and the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. According to IMS and iHealthcareanalyst, drugs treating these two malignancies are expected to generate annual revenue of approximately $25.4 billion by 2023.

Total payments of Xynomic associated with the licensing agreement, including an upfront payment, regulatory milestone payments and potential royalties, will be up to $800 million.

Constellation Pharmaceuticals to Present at J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

On December 20, 2018 Constellation Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNST), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company using its expertise in epigenetics to discover and develop novel therapeutics, reported that Jigar Raythatha, CEO, will present at the J.P. Healthcare Conference at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco at 4:00 PM PST/7:00 EST on Wednesday, January 9 (Press release, Constellation Pharmaceuticals, DEC 20, 2018, View Source [SID1234532221]). A live audio webcast of the presentation and an archive for replay will be available on the Investor Relations section of Constellation’s website at View Source The audio webcast replay will be available for 90 days following the live presentation.

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Deciphera Pharmaceuticals Initiates Pivotal Phase 3 Clinical Study of Ripretinib (DCC-2618) in Second-line Patients with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (“INTRIGUE” Study)

On December 20, 2018 Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:DCPH), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on addressing key mechanisms of tumor drug resistance, reported that it has initiated a pivotal Phase 3 clinical study, "INTRIGUE", to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of ripretinib (DCC-2618), a broad-spectrum KIT and PDGFRα inhibitor, compared to sunitinib in second-line gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) patients (Press release, Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, DEC 20, 2018, View Source [SID1234532219]).

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"We are extremely pleased that the INTRIGUE Phase 3 study of ripretinib is now open to enroll second-line GIST patients, regardless of their mutational status, who have progressed on, or are intolerant to front-line therapy with imatinib," said Michael D. Taylor, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Deciphera. "If successful, we believe this Phase 3 study could serve as the basis for a regulatory submission for broad use in all second-line GIST patients."

"INTRIGUE is the second pivotal Phase 3 study of ripretinib that Deciphera has initiated in less than one year. As recently announced, we expect to report top-line data from our first Phase 3 clinical study, INVICTUS, in fourth-line and fourth-line-plus GIST patients in mid-2019," continued Dr. Taylor.

"While imatinib is an effective treatment for most patients with early-stage GIST, in almost all patients the disease will eventually progress due to the development of secondary drug resistance mutations," said Professor Michael Heinrich, MD, Cell and Developmental Biology, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. "A well-tolerated therapy with broad coverage and efficacy across the spectrum of KIT and PDGFRα mutations would represent a much-needed improvement over currently approved therapies for patients with GIST."

About the INTRIGUE Phase 3 Study
The INTRIGUE Phase 3 clinical study is an interventional, randomized, global, multicenter, open-label study to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of ripretinib compared to sunitinib in patients with GIST previously treated with imatinib. This study was designed to support regulatory approvals in second-line GIST patients in the United States, Europe and other major markets. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to either 150 mg of ripretinib once daily or 50 mg of sunitinib once daily for four weeks followed by two weeks without sunitinib. The primary efficacy endpoint is median progression-free survival (mPFS) as determined by independent radiologic review using modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST). Secondary endpoints as determined by independent radiologic review using modified RECIST include Objective Response Rate (ORR) and Overall Survival (OS). See www.clinicaltrials.gov for further information (NCT03673501).

About the INVICTUS Phase 3 Study
The INVICTUS Phase 3 clinical study is a randomized, double‑blind, placebo-controlled, global, multicenter trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of ripretinib compared to placebo in patients with advanced GIST whose previous therapies have included at least imatinib, sunitinib, and regorafenib. This fully enrolled study was designed to support regulatory approvals in fourth-line and fourth-line-plus GIST patients in the United States, Europe and other major markets. Patients were randomized 2:1 to either 150 mg of ripretinib or placebo once daily. The primary efficacy endpoint is median progression-free survival (mPFS) as determined by independent radiologic review using modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST). Secondary endpoints as determined by independent radiologic review using modified RECIST include Objective Response Rate (ORR), Time to Tumor Progression (TTP), and Overall Survival (OS). See www.clinicaltrials.gov for further information (NCT03353753).

About Ripretinib
Ripretinib (DCC-2618) is an investigational KIT and PDGFRα kinase switch control inhibitor in clinical development for the treatment of KIT and/or PDGFRα-driven cancers, including gastrointestinal stromal tumors, or GIST, systemic mastocytosis, or SM, and other cancers. Ripretinib was specifically designed to improve the treatment of GIST patients by inhibiting a broad spectrum of mutations in KIT and PDGFRα. Ripretinib is a KIT and PDGFRα inhibitor that blocks initiating and secondary KIT mutations in exons 9, 11, 13, 14, 17, and 18, involved in GIST as well as the primary D816V exon 17 mutation involved in SM. Ripretinib also inhibits primary PDGFRα mutations in exons 12, 14 and 18, including the exon 18 D842V mutation, involved in a subset of GIST.

About Deciphera Pharmaceuticals
Deciphera Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the lives of cancer patients by tackling key mechanisms of drug resistance that limit the rate and/or durability of response to existing cancer therapies. Our small molecule drug candidates are directed against an important family of enzymes called kinases, known to be directly involved in the growth and spread of many cancers. We use our deep understanding of kinase biology together with a proprietary chemistry library to purposefully design compounds that maintain kinases in a "switched off" or inactivated conformation. These investigational therapies comprise tumor-targeted agents designed to address therapeutic resistance causing mutations and immuno-targeted agents designed to control the activation of immunokinases that suppress critical immune system regulators, such as macrophages. We have used our platform to develop a diverse pipeline of tumor-targeted and immuno-targeted drug candidates designed to improve outcomes for patients with cancer by improving the quality, rate and/or durability of their responses to treatment.

Exact Sciences to participate in J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

On December 20, 2018 Exact Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq: EXAS) reported that company management will be presenting at the following investor conference and invited investors to participate by webcast (Press release, Exact Sciences, DEC 20, 2018, View Source [SID1234532218]).

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J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference presentation, San Francisco
Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. PST
J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference question & answer session, San Francisco
Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, at 2:30 p.m. PST

The webcast can be accessed in the investor relations section of Exact Sciences’ website at www.exactsciences.com.

Rakuten Aspyrian Closes $284 Million Series C Financing for Late-Stage Oncology Pipeline

On December 20, 2018 Rakuten Aspyrian, a biotechnology company developing precision-targeted cancer therapies based on its proprietary Photoimmunotherapy platform, reported that it has raised an additional $134 million in a second tranche of its Series C financing, bringing the total amount raised to $284 million (Press release, Rakuten Aspyrian, DEC 20, 2018, View Source [SID1234532217]). New investors include the SBI Group, Japan and Rakuten Inc. Rakuten Aspyrian has raised approximately $372 million in equity since it was founded in 2015.

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"My unwavering confidence in the vision and potential of Rakuten Aspyrian’s Photoimmunotherapy platform has grown tremendously and was the impetus behind my further financial investment in the company," said Mickey Mikitani, CEO of Rakuten Aspyrian. "Our entire organization is committed to developing treatments for cancer patients and we will continue pressing forward with our corporate mission of conquering cancer."

"We are excited to support Rakuten Aspyrian, and strongly believe in the potential of its Photoimmunotherapy platform, which the company is studying in clinical trials for the selective destruction of cancer cells with minimal effects on normal cells developed by Dr. Hisataka Kobayashi of the Center for Cancer Research at the National Institutes of Health," said Mr. Yoshitaka Kitao, representative director, president & CEO of SBI Holdings.

The Series C financing supports the advancement of Rakuten Aspyrian’s proprietary investigational compound, ASP-1929 Photoimmunotherapy, currently in Phase 3 development for the treatment of patients with recurrent local regional head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), and new proof-of-concept Phase 1/2 studies in additional solid tumors to be initiated in early 2019. The financing will also support manufacturing processes to support the initial launch and commercialization of ASP-1929 if approved in the United States, Japan and Europe. The company also announced that it has established its corporate headquarters in San Mateo, California, where it will expand clinical, commercial and corporate functions.

"With this financing, we have expanded our team and footprint: We have established our corporate headquarters in San Mateo, California, where we will execute on our goal of building a full-fledged pharmaceutical company, and will continue advancing a number of our photoimmunotherapy programs in various cancer types," said Takashi Toraishi, Ph.D., President and Chief Operating Officer of Rakuten Aspyrian. "In addition, proceeds from this financing will support continued development of our lead program, ASP-1929, which we recently announced has entered into a global, pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial for head and neck cancer. We thank our generous investors for their belief and support of Rakuten Aspyrian as we continue executing on our mission."

About ASP-1929 Photoimmunotherapy
ASP-1929, a conjugate of cetuximab and IRDye 700DX, targets epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a cancer antigen expressed in multiple types of solid tumors, including head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, esophagus, lung, colon, pancreas and other cancers. This first-in-class therapy targets cancer cells, after which the compound is locally activated with red light using a proprietary investigational laser and fiber optics. The local activation of the tumor-selective conjugate targets the tumor but not surrounding normal tissues and structures. ASP-1929 received Fast Track designation by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of HNSCC.

Interim results of a Phase 1/2 trial in patients with HNSCC showed a clinically meaningful improvement in the objective response rate, and potential improvements in progression free survival and overall survival when compared to historical data for the standard of care treatments currently available to this patient population. Top line results of the ASP-1929 Phase 1/2 trial are expected in the first quarter of 2019.

ASP-1929 is an investigational compound that is not approved for any use in any country.