Mylan Donates €1 Million to the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology

On June 23, 2016 Mylan N.V. (NASDAQ, TASE: MYL), one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, reported a €1 million donation to the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, a new national cancer center currently being built in Utrecht, the Netherlands (Press release, Mylan, JUN 23, 2016, View Source [SID:1234513522]).

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The donation from Mylan will support the Princess Máxima Center in its mission of treating and curing children with cancer by enhancing research efforts and supporting patients and their families while at the center for treatment.

Mylan Executive Chairman Robert J. Coury commented, "Mylan’s mission is to set new standards in healthcare and provide access to high quality medicine to patients around the world; however, our mission starts with the communities in which we operate, and we have had the privilege to serve customers and patients in the Netherlands for more than 17 years. The mission of the Princess Máxima Center is closely aligned with Mylan’s and I would like to commend Prof. Pieters for his vision and leadership in raising the standard of care for cancer in the Netherlands and ensuring children with cancer have equal access to the best care available."

Mylan CEO Heather Bresch added, "Every two days a child dies from cancer in the Netherlands and one in four children does not survive their fight with this disease. Through our commitment to providing access to oncology medications to patients around the world, we strive to do our part to help treat and cure cancer, and we believe our partnership with The Princess Máxima Center is just one of the ways we can go beyond medicine to deliver better health for a better world."

Professor Pieters, member of the board of the Princess Máxima Center commented, "We are grateful to Mylan for their generous support of the Princess Máxima Center, which is focused on treating children with cancer using the best possible methods, while also preventing the development of negative side effects in young patients, both now and over the long term. By bringing together expertise in care and research in the Princess Máxima Center, the Netherlands will become a leader in the field of pediatric oncology both in Europe and globally. It is a position that will help us fulfill our ambition: to cure every child with cancer. I am delighted that our collaboration with Mylan will further support the care we provide and our continued research."

Matean Niël, Mylan country manager in the Netherlands added: "I am thrilled to see Mylan supporting a cause in the Netherlands that puts people and patients first. Mylan’s support of the Princess Máxima Center creates a lot of pride among our hundreds of employees based in Bunschoten, Weesp and Zwolle. This initiative reflects our local commitment to institutional care in the Netherlands."

ArQule to Present Preliminary Phase 1/2 Data for FGFR Inhibitor, ARQ 087, in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma at the ESMO 18th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer

On June 23, 2016 ArQule, Inc. (Nasdaq:ARQL) reported that preliminary data from the ongoing phase 2 portion of a phase 1/2 trial in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) with our proprietary fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) inhibitor, ARQ 087, will be presented on June 30, 2016 at the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) 18th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer in Barcelona, Spain (Press release, ArQule, JUN 23, 2016, View Source [SID:1234513506]). This is a biomarker driven trial designed to enroll at least 20 patients in iCCA with FGFR2 genetic alterations. The company has been granted orphan drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European Medicine’s Agency for ARQ 087 in this indication.

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Presentation Details
Abstract Number: 340 (PD #19)
Poster Title: ARQ 087, an Oral Pan-Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) Inhibitor, in Patients with Advanced and/or Metastatic Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA)
Poster Discussion Time: June 30, 2016 from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. CEST
Poster Presentation Time: June 30, 2016 from 5:10 p.m. to 5:40 p.m. CEST
Location: Exhibit Hall

About Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the most common biliary malignancy and the second most common hepatic malignancy after hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)1. Depending on the anatomic location, CCA is classified as intrahepatic (iCCA), perihilar (pCCA), and extrahepatic (eCCA). iCCA originates from the intrahepatic biliary ductal system and forms an intrahepatic mass. The average age adjusted incidence rate for iCCA is approximately one in 100,000 per year in the United States and Europe2,3.

About FGFR and ARQ 087

ARQ 087 is a multi-kinase inhibitor designed to preferentially inhibit the fibroblast growth factor receptor ("FGFR") family with demonstrated efficacy in FGFR2 genetic alterations. The FGFR pathway is disrupted in several ways in human cancer, thus providing numerous therapeutic targets for an inhibitor of this pathway. ARQ 087 has demonstrated in vivo inhibition of tumor growth and downstream signaling in tumors whose growth is driven by FGFR targets.

Signals of single agent activity with this drug were observed in phase 1a testing. Phase 1b expansion cohorts with ARQ 087 include patients with cholangiocarcinoma and adrenocortical tumors, as well as those with FGFR translocations, amplifications and mutations. Clinical development of ARQ 087 has advanced into phase 2 for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) following the observation of two confirmed responses in this patient population in the phase 1 portion of the program.

NCI-Sponsored Study of CLR125 Shows Potential Effect Against Triple Negative Breast Cancer

On June 23, 2016 Cellectar Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLRB) (“the company”), an oncology-focused biotechnology company, reported the results of the first phase of a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-funded Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 contract for a study of CLR 125, a radiotherapeutic isotope, which may be uniquely suited to treat micro-metastatic disease, conjugated to the company’s proprietary phospholipid drug conjugate (PDC) delivery platform (Filing, 8-K, Cellectar Biosciences, JUN 23, 2016, View Source [SID:1234513530]).

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The study demonstrated that a single dose of CLR 125 reduced the volume of human-derived primary triple negative breast cancer xenografts (tumor models) by approximately 60 percent, compared to a control vehicle (p<0.001), as well as significantly extending survival. CLR 125 also significantly weakened the progression of micrometastases (p< 0.01) and reduced established metastases (p< 0.01) compared to the control vehicle. Importantly, within 96 hours of dosing, investigators observed that radioactivity cleared from subjects’ blood and organs and accumulated primarily in the tumor cells where it was retained past 144 hours. "These study results provide further validation of the benefits of our Phospholipid Drug Conjugate (PDC) development program, whether in cytotoxics, as in our previously announced paclitaxel program or radiotherapeutics, as this study demonstrated," said Jim Caruso, president and CEO of Cellectar Biosciences. "Further, these data clearly show that our PDC delivery platform may possess clinical utility in a broad range of cancer types with a wide variety of cytotoxic compounds." This trial represents the first phase of the SBIR contract for a Phase 1 study sponsored by NCI. Following a complete review of the data, an assessment of potential clinical applications, and differentiated product benefits, both NCI and the company will determine whether to advance CLR 125 into phase 2 of the contract.

NCI-Sponsored Study of CLR125 Shows Potential Effect Against Triple Negative Breast Cancer

On June 23, 2016 Cellectar Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLRB) (“the company”), an oncology-focused biotechnology company, reported the results of the first phase of a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-funded Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 contract for a study of CLR 125, a radiotherapeutic isotope, which may be uniquely suited to treat micro-metastatic disease, conjugated to the company’s proprietary phospholipid drug conjugate (PDC) delivery platform (Filing, 8-K, Cellectar Biosciences, JUN 23, 2016, View Source [SID:1234513530]).

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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

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The study demonstrated that a single dose of CLR 125 reduced the volume of human-derived primary triple negative breast cancer xenografts (tumor models) by approximately 60 percent, compared to a control vehicle (p<0.001), as well as significantly extending survival. CLR 125 also significantly weakened the progression of micrometastases (p< 0.01) and reduced established metastases (p< 0.01) compared to the control vehicle. Importantly, within 96 hours of dosing, investigators observed that radioactivity cleared from subjects’ blood and organs and accumulated primarily in the tumor cells where it was retained past 144 hours. "These study results provide further validation of the benefits of our Phospholipid Drug Conjugate (PDC) development program, whether in cytotoxics, as in our previously announced paclitaxel program or radiotherapeutics, as this study demonstrated," said Jim Caruso, president and CEO of Cellectar Biosciences. "Further, these data clearly show that our PDC delivery platform may possess clinical utility in a broad range of cancer types with a wide variety of cytotoxic compounds." This trial represents the first phase of the SBIR contract for a Phase 1 study sponsored by NCI. Following a complete review of the data, an assessment of potential clinical applications, and differentiated product benefits, both NCI and the company will determine whether to advance CLR 125 into phase 2 of the contract.

Cerulean Announces First Patient Dosed in Phase 2a Expansion Stage Evaluating CRLX301 in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors

On 23, 2016 Cerulean Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ:CERU), a clinical-stage company developing nanoparticle-drug conjugates (NDCs), reported that the first patient has been dosed in the Phase 2a stage of an ongoing Phase 1/2a clinical trial of CRLX301 in patients with advanced solid tumors (Press release, Cerulean Pharma, JUN 23, 2016, View Source [SID:1234513533]).

“Advancing CRLX301 into Phase 2a is a significant milestone for our second platform-generated NDC,” stated Christopher D. T. Guiffre, President & Chief Executive Officer of Cerulean. “We will further explore the once every-three-weeks dosing schedule at the Phase 1 established maximum tolerated dose in the Phase 2a expansion, while we continue the escalation study of weekly dosing in the ongoing Phase 1 stage. Our goal is to move into a pivotal study once the preferred dosing regimen and indication have been determined.”

This Phase 2a expansion includes two stages. Stage 1 will enroll up to 8 patients in each dosing schedule. This stage of the study is designed to further establish the safety and tolerability of each dosing schedule and to provide additional data on pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and antitumor activity. Stage 2 will enroll up to 36 additional patients with specific tumor types using the optimal dosing schedule.

About CRLX301

CRLX301 is a dynamically tumor-targeted NDC designed to concentrate in tumors and slowly release its anti-cancer payload, docetaxel, inside tumor cells. In preclinical studies, CRLX301 delivers up to 10 times more docetaxel into tumors, compared to an equivalent milligram dose of commercially available docetaxel and was similar to or better than docetaxel in seven of seven animal models, with a statistically significant survival benefit seen in five of those seven models. In addition, preclinical data show that CRLX301 had lower toxicity than has been reported with docetaxel in similar preclinical studies. CRLX301 is in Phase 2a clinical development.