On May 26, 2022 Tempest Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TPST), a clinical-stage oncology company developing therapies that combine both targeted and immune-mediated mechanisms, reported positive results from its Phase 1 clinical trial of TPST-1120, a first-in-class1 PPARα antagonist, as a single agent and in combination with nivolumab in patients with advanced solid tumors (Press release, Tempest Therapeutics, MAY 26, 2022, View Source [SID1234615104]). The results will be presented in an oral presentation at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL, by Mark Yarchoan, M.D., associate professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

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Dr. Yarchoan commented, "The anti-cancer activity observed in these late-stage solid tumor patients is encouraging, particularly in light of their treatment history and the difficult nature of the tumor types. Based on the clinical activity observed with monotherapy, and the responses observed with combination therapy in patients with prior progression on checkpoint inhibitor therapy, a tolerable safety profile and distinct mechanism of action, I see significant potential in multiple tumor types and look forward to the ongoing development of TPST-1120."

Sam Whiting, chief medical officer of Tempest, added, "We are excited to see these positive TPST-1120 results in Tempest’s first presentation of clinical data, especially given the advanced stage and treatment histories of these patients. We look forward to presenting these data at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) and the continued development of TPST-1120 in the ongoing first-line randomized study in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma."

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1 If approved by the FDA

TPST-1120 Monotherapy Results

In the monotherapy portion of the trial, 19 patients with late-line treatment-refractory solid tumors, including pancreatic, cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), and colorectal cancers, were treated with oral twice-daily TPST-1120. The results showed that 53% (10/19) of patients experienced clinical benefit in the form of disease control, including tumor shrinkage in 21% of the patients. Two patients with late-line CCA, an aggressive tumor type and disease setting usually unresponsive to therapy, including IO therapies, achieved durable stable disease and one of the patients achieved durable tumor shrinkage.

TPST-1120 and Nivolumab Combination Therapy Results

In the combination therapy portion of the trial, 15 patients with heavily-pretreated renal cell carcinoma (RCC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and CCA were treated with oral twice-daily TPST-1120 and the anti-PD-1 therapy, nivolumab. All of the HCC and RCC patients had received an approved anti-PD-1 therapy in at least one prior line of therapy and discontinued that treatment due to disease progression. Promising objective responses (RECIST v1.1) were observed in two patients with late-line RCC who had previously progressed on anti-PD-1 therapy without an objective response (ORR 50%, n=2/4, in evaluable RCC patients). A third RECIST response was observed in a patient with late-line, heavily pre-treated CCA, a tumor type generally not responsive to anti-PD-1 alone.

Notably, all three responders were treated at the two highest doses of TPST-1120 (ORR 30%, 3/10).

Safety

TPST-1120 was well tolerated as both a monotherapy and in combination with nivolumab. The majority of the treatment-related adverse events were Grade 1 and 2, and included nausea, fatigue and diarrhea. No dose-limiting toxicities were reported during dose escalation.

ASCO Events

Presentations Details

Title: A phase 1 study of TPST-1120 as a single agent and in combination with nivolumab in subjects with advanced solid tumors

Session Typer/Title: Oral Abstract Session, Developmental Therapeutics – Molecularly Targeted Agents and Tumor Biology
Session Date and Time: Tuesday, June 7, 2022; 9:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. CDT
Abstract Number: 3005

Title: A phase 1 study of TPST-1495 as a single agent and in combination with pembrolizumab in subjects with solid tumors

Session Type/Title: Poster Session, Developmental Therapeutics – Immunotherapy
Session Date and Time: Sunday, June 5, 2022; 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. CDT
Abstract Number: TPST2696

Tempest Investor Event

Tempest will host and webcast an investor event in conjunction with the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual meeting on Sunday, June 5, 2022 at 6:30 a.m. CDT. Company management will be joined by key thought leaders:

Mark Yarchoan, M.D.
Associate Professor of Oncology
Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center

Susanna V. Ulahannan, M.D., MMEd
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Associate Director, Oklahoma TSET Phase 1 Program
Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma

Jason Luke, M.D.
Associate Professor of Medicine
Director – Immunotherapy and Drug Development Center
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

Toni K. Choueiri, M.D.
Director, Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Jerome and Nancy Kohlberg Chair and Professor of Medicine,
Harvard Medical School

To access the live or archived recording of the investor event, please visit the investor section of the Tempest website at View Source

About TPST-1120

TPST-1120 is a first-in-class2 oral selective PPAR⍺ antagonist with a dual mechanism designed to target both tumor cells directly and suppressive immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Both types of targeted cells are dependent on fatty acid metabolism, which is regulated by the PPAR⍺ transcription factor. In extensive non-clinical studies, TPST-1120 as a monotherapy and in combination with other anti-cancer drugs resulted in significant reductions in tumor growth and stimulation of durable anti-tumor immunity. In addition to the study being presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper), in collaboration with F. Hoffmann La Roche, TPST-1120 is also advancing through a randomized, first-line, global, Phase 1b/2 clinical study in combination with the standard-of-care regimen of atezolizumab and bevacizumab in patients with advanced or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma.