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Healthcare Science

ENHERTU® significantly improved both progression-free and overall survival in DESTINY-Breast04 trial in patients with HER2 low metastatic breast cancer

  • First HER2 low metastatic breast cancer phase 3 results for Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca’s ENHERTU offer potential to redefine how the disease is classified and treated
  • Plans for global regulatory submissions are underway

 

TOKYO & MUNICH & BASKING RIDGE, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Positive topline results from the pivotal DESTINY-Breast04 phase 3 trial showed ENHERTU® (trastuzumab deruxtecan) demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in both progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with HER2 low unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer regardless of hormone receptor (HR) status versus physician’s choice of chemotherapy, which is the current standard of care. ENHERTU is a HER2 directed antibody drug conjugate (ADC) being jointly developed by Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN).


All patients in the trial received a HER2 test and the results were centrally confirmed. HER2 low status was defined as an immunohistochemistry (IHC) score of 1+ or IHC2+ with a negative in-situ hybridization (ISH) score.

 

HER2 expression is currently defined as either positive or negative.1 HER2 positive cancers are defined as IHC 3+ or IHC 2+/ISH+ and HER2 negative cancers are defined as IHC 0, IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH-.1 Up to 55% of all patients with breast cancer have tumors with a HER2 IHC score of 1+ or a HER2 IHC score of 2+ in combination with a negative ISH test, an expression level not currently eligible for HER2 targeted therapy.2,3 Low HER2 expression occurs in both hormone receptor (HR) positive and HR negative disease.4

 

HER2 testing is well-established to determine an appropriate treatment strategy in metastatic breast cancer. Targeting the lower range of HER2 expression may offer another approach to delay disease progression and extend survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer.5 Currently, chemotherapy remains the only treatment option both for patients with HR positive tumors following progression on endocrine (hormone) therapy and for those who are HR negative.6

 

DESTINY-Breast04 met its primary endpoint where ENHERTU demonstrated superior PFS in previously-treated patients with HR positive, HER2 low metastatic breast cancer compared to the standard of care chemotherapy. The trial met the key secondary endpoint of PFS in patients with HER2 low metastatic breast cancer regardless of HR status (HR positive or HR negative). The trial also met other key secondary endpoints of OS in patients with HR positive disease and patients regardless of HR status at interim analysis.

 

The safety profile of ENHERTU was consistent with previous clinical trials with no new safety concerns identified. Overall interstitial lung disease (ILD) rates were consistent with that observed in late-line HER2 positive breast cancer trials of ENHERTU with a lower rate of grade 5 ILD observed, as determined by an independent adjudication committee.

 

“ENHERTU continues to redefine the treatment of HER2 targetable cancers. DESTINY-Breast04 is the first ever phase 3 trial of a HER2 directed therapy in patients with HER2 low metastatic breast cancer to show a statistically significant and clinically meaningful benefit in progression-free and overall survival compared to standard treatment,” said Ken Takeshita, MD, Global Head, R&D, Daiichi Sankyo. “We look forward to sharing the detailed findings of DESTINY-Breast04 with the medical community and initiating discussions with regulatory agencies globally with the goal of potentially bringing ENHERTU to patients with metastatic breast cancer previously considered to be HER2 negative.”

 

“Today’s historic news from DESTINY-Breast04 could reshape how breast cancer is classified and treated,” said Susan Galbraith, MBBChir, PhD, Executive Vice President, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca. “A HER2 directed therapy has never before shown a benefit in patients with HER2 low metastatic breast cancer. These results for ENHERTU are a huge step forward and could potentially expand our ability to target the full spectrum of HER2 expression, validating the need to change the way we categorize and treat breast cancer.”

 

The data will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting and shared with global health authorities.

 

About DESTINY-Breast04

DESTINY-Breast04 is a global, randomized, open-label, pivotal phase 3 trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of ENHERTU (5.4 mg/kg) versus physician’s choice of chemotherapy (capecitabine, eribulin, gemcitabine, paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel) in patients with HR positive (n=480) or HR negative (n=60), HER2 low unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with one or two prior lines of chemotherapy. Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive either ENHERTU or chemotherapy.

 

The primary endpoint of DESTINY-Breast04 is PFS in patients with HR positive disease based on blinded independent central review (BICR). Key secondary endpoints include PFS based on BICR in all randomized patients (regardless of HR status), OS in patients with HR positive disease and OS in all randomized patients (regardless of HR status). Other secondary endpoints include PFS based on investigator assessment, objective response rate based on BICR and on investigator assessment, duration of response based on BICR and safety.

 

DESTINY-Breast04 enrolled approximately 540 patients at multiple sites in Asia, Europe and North America. For more information about the trial, visit ClinicalTrials.gov.

 

About Breast Cancer and HER2 Expression

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide.7 More than two million cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in 2020 resulting in nearly 685,000 deaths globally.7

 

HER2 is a tyrosine kinase receptor growth-promoting protein expressed on the surface of many types of tumors including breast, gastric, lung and colorectal cancers, and is one of many biomarkers expressed in breast cancer tumors.1 HER2 expression is currently defined as either positive or negative, and is determined by an IHC test which measures the amount of HER2 protein in a cancer cell, and/or an ISH test, which counts the copies of the HER2 gene in cancer cells. 1,8 HER2 positive cancers are defined as IHC 3+, IHC 2+/ISH+ and HER2 negative cancers are currently defined as IHC 0, IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH-.1 Up to 55% of all patients with breast cancer have tumors with a HER2 IHC score of 1+, or a HER2 IHC score of 2+ in combination with a negative ISH test, an expression level not currently eligible for HER2 targeted therapy.2,3 Low HER 2 expression occurs in both hormone receptor (HR) positive and HR negative disease.4

 

HER2 testing is well-established to determine an appropriate treatment strategy in metastatic breast cancer. Targeting the lower range of HER2 expression may offer another approach to delay disease progression and extend survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer.5 Currently, chemotherapy remains the only treatment option both for patients with HR positive tumors following progression on endocrine (hormone) therapy and for those who are HR negative.6

 

About ENHERTU

ENHERTU® (trastuzumab deruxtecan; fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki in the U.S. only) is a HER2 directed ADC. Designed using Daiichi Sankyo’s proprietary DXd ADC technology, ENHERTU is the lead ADC in the oncology portfolio of Daiichi Sankyo and the most advanced program in AstraZeneca’s ADC scientific platform. ENHERTU consists of a HER2 monoclonal antibody attached to a topoisomerase I inhibitor payload, an exatecan derivative, via a stable tetrapeptide-based cleavable linker.

 

ENHERTU (5.4 mg/kg) is approved in more than 40 countries for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2 positive breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2 based regimens based on the results from the DESTINY-Breast01 trial.

 

ENHERTU (6.4 mg/kg) is approved in several countries for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2 positive gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma who have received a prior trastuzumab-based regimen based on the results from the DESTINY-Gastric01 trial.

 

ENHERTU is approved in the U.S. with Boxed WARNINGS for Interstitial Lung Disease and Embryo-Fetal Toxicity. For more information, please see the accompanying full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS, and Medication Guide.

 

About the ENHERTU Clinical Development Program

A comprehensive global development program is underway evaluating the efficacy and safety of ENHERTU monotherapy across multiple HER2 targetable cancers including breast, gastric, lung and colorectal cancers. Trials in combination with other anticancer treatments, such as immunotherapy, are also underway.

 

Regulatory applications for ENHERTU are currently under review in Europe, Japan, US and several other countries for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2 positive breast cancer who have received a prior anti-HER2-based regimen based on the results from the DESTINY-Breast03 trial. ENHERTU also is currently under review in Europe for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2 positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma who have received a prior anti-HER2 based regimen based on the DESTINY-Gastric01 and DESTINY-Gastric02 trials.

 

About the Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca Collaboration

Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (referred to as Daiichi Sankyo) and AstraZeneca entered into a global collaboration to jointly develop and commercialize ENHERTU in March 2019 and datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) in July 2020, except in Japan where Daiichi Sankyo maintains exclusive rights for each ADC. Daiichi Sankyo is responsible for the manufacturing and supply of ENHERTU and datopotamab deruxtecan.

 

U.S. Important Safety Information for ENHERTU

Indications

ENHERTU is a HER2-directed antibody and topoisomerase inhibitor conjugate indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:

  • Unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens in the metastatic setting.

    This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.

  • Locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma who have received a prior trastuzumab-based regimen.
WARNING: INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE and EMBRYO-FETAL TOXICITY

  • Interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pneumonitis, including fatal cases, have been reported with ENHERTU. Monitor for and promptly investigate signs and symptoms including cough, dyspnea, fever, and other new or worsening respiratory symptoms. Permanently discontinue ENHERTU in all patients with Grade 2 or higher ILD/pneumonitis. Advise patients of the risk and to immediately report symptoms.
  • Exposure to ENHERTU during pregnancy can cause embryo-fetal harm. Advise patients of these risks and the need for effective contraception.

Contraindications

None.

Warnings and Precautions

Interstitial Lung Disease / Pneumonitis

Severe, life-threatening, or fatal interstitial lung disease (ILD), including pneumonitis, can occur in patients treated with ENHERTU. Advise patients to immediately report cough, dyspnea, fever, and/or any new or worsening respiratory symptoms. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of ILD. Promptly investigate evidence of ILD. Evaluate patients with suspected ILD by radiographic imaging. Consider consultation with a pulmonologist. For asymptomatic ILD/pneumonitis (Grade 1), interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 0, then if resolved in ≤28 days from date of onset, maintain dose. If resolved in >28 days from date of onset, reduce dose one level. Consider corticosteroid treatment as soon as ILD/pneumonitis is suspected (e.g., ≥0.5 mg/kg/day prednisolone or equivalent). For symptomatic ILD/pneumonitis (Grade 2 or greater), permanently discontinue ENHERTU. Promptly initiate systemic corticosteroid treatment as soon as ILD/pneumonitis is suspected (e.g., ≥1 mg/kg/day prednisolone or equivalent) and continue for at least 14 days followed by gradual taper for at least 4 weeks.

Metastatic Breast Cancer

In clinical studies, of the 234 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, ILD occurred in 9% of patients. Fatal outcomes due to ILD and/or pneumonitis occurred in 2.6% of patients treated with ENHERTU. Median time to first onset was 4.1 months (range: 1.2 to 8.3).

Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gastric Cancer

In DESTINY-Gastric01, of the 125 patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2‑positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma treated with ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg, ILD occurred in 10% of patients. Median time to first onset was 2.8 months (range: 1.2 to 21.0).

Neutropenia

Severe neutropenia, including febrile neutropenia, can occur in patients treated with ENHERTU.

Monitor complete blood counts prior to initiation of ENHERTU and prior to each dose, and as clinically indicated. For Grade 3 neutropenia (Absolute Neutrophil Count [ANC] <1.0 to 0.5 x 109/L) interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 2 or less, then maintain dose. For Grade 4 neutropenia (ANC <0.5 x 109/L) interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 2 or less. Reduce dose by one level. For febrile neutropenia (ANC <1.0 x 109/L and temperature >38.3ºC or a sustained temperature of ≥38ºC for more than 1 hour), interrupt ENHERTU until resolved. Reduce dose by one level.

Metastatic Breast Cancer

In clinical studies, of the 234 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who received ENHERTU 5.4mg/kg, a decrease in neutrophil count was reported in 62% of patients. Sixteen percent had Grade 3 or 4 decrease in neutrophil count. Median time to first onset of decreased neutrophil count was 23 days (range: 6 to 547). Febrile neutropenia was reported in 1.7% of patients.

Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gastric Cancer

In DESTINY-Gastric01, of the 125 patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2‑positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma treated with ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg, a decrease in neutrophil count was reported in 72% of patients. Fifty-one percent had Grade 3 or 4 decreased neutrophil count. Median time to first onset of decreased neutrophil count was 16 days (range: 4 to 187). Febrile neutropenia was reported in 4.8% of patients.

Left Ventricular Dysfunction

Patients treated with ENHERTU may be at increased risk of developing left ventricular dysfunction. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decrease has been observed with anti-HER2 therapies, including ENHERTU. In the 234 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who received ENHERTU, two cases (0.9%) of asymptomatic LVEF decrease were reported. In DESTINY-Gastric01, of the 125 patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2‑positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma treated with ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg, no clinical adverse events of heart failure were reported; however, on echocardiography, 8% were found to have asymptomatic Grade 2 decrease in LVEF. Treatment with ENHERTU has not been studied in patients with a history of clinically significant cardiac disease or LVEF <50% prior to initiation of treatment.

Assess LVEF prior to initiation of ENHERTU and at regular intervals during treatment as clinically indicated. When LVEF is >45% and absolute decrease from baseline is 10-20%, continue treatment with ENHERTU. When LVEF is 40-45% and absolute decrease from baseline is <10%, continue treatment with ENHERTU and repeat LVEF assessment within 3 weeks. When LVEF is 40-45% and absolute decrease from baseline is 10-20%, interrupt ENHERTU and repeat LVEF assessment within 3 weeks. If LVEF has not recovered to within 10% from baseline, permanently discontinue ENHERTU. If LVEF recovers to within 10% from baseline, resume treatment with ENHERTU at the same dose. When LVEF is <40% or absolute decrease from baseline is >20%, interrupt ENHERTU and repeat LVEF assessment within 3 weeks. If LVEF of <40% or absolute decrease from baseline of >20% is confirmed, permanently discontinue ENHERTU. Permanently discontinue ENHERTU in patients with symptomatic congestive heart failure.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity

ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise patients of the potential risks to a fetus. Verify the pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to the initiation of ENHERTU. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment and for at least 7 months following the last dose of ENHERTU. Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for at least 4 months after the last dose of ENHERTU.

Additional Dose Modifications

Thrombocytopenia

For Grade 3 thrombocytopenia (platelets <50 to 25 x 109/L) interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 1 or less, then maintain dose. For Grade 4 thrombocytopenia (platelets <25 x 109/L) interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 1 or less. Reduce dose by one level.

Adverse Reactions

Metastatic Breast Cancer

The safety of ENHERTU was evaluated in a pooled analysis of 234 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who received at least one dose of ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg in DESTINY-Breast01 and Study DS8201-A-J101. ENHERTU was administered by intravenous infusion once every three weeks. The median duration of treatment was 7 months (range: 0.7 to 31).

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 20% of patients receiving ENHERTU. Serious adverse reactions in >1% of patients who received ENHERTU were interstitial lung disease, pneumonia, vomiting, nausea, cellulitis, hypokalemia, and intestinal obstruction. Fatalities due to adverse reactions occurred in 4.3% of patients including interstitial lung disease (2.6%), and the following events occurred in one patient each (0.4%): acute hepatic failure/acute kidney injury, general physical health deterioration, pneumonia, and hemorrhagic shock.

ENHERTU was permanently discontinued in 9% of patients, of which ILD accounted for 6%. Dose interruptions due to adverse reactions occurred in 33% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose interruption were neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, upper respiratory tract infection, fatigue, nausea, and ILD. Dose reductions occurred in 18% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose reduction were fatigue, nausea, and neutropenia.

The most common (≥20%) adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were nausea (79%), white blood cell count decreased (70%), hemoglobin decreased (70%), neutrophil count decreased (62%), fatigue (59%), vomiting (47%), alopecia (46%), aspartate aminotransferase increased (41%), alanine aminotransferase increased (38%), platelet count decreased (37%), constipation (35%), decreased appetite (32%), anemia (31%), diarrhea (29%), hypokalemia (26%), and cough (20%).

Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gastric Cancer

The safety of ENHERTU was evaluated in 187 patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2‑positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma in DESTINY‑Gastric01. Patients intravenously received at least one dose of either ENHERTU (N=125) 6.4 mg/kg once every three weeks or either irinotecan (N=55) 150 mg/m2 biweekly or paclitaxel (N=7) 80 mg/m2 weekly for 3 weeks. The median duration of treatment was 4.6 months (range: 0.7 to 22.3) in the ENHERTU group and 2.8 months (range: 0.5 to 13.1) in the irinotecan/paclitaxel group.

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 44% of patients receiving ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg. Serious adverse reactions in >2% of patients who received ENHERTU were decreased appetite, ILD, anemia, dehydration, pneumonia, cholestatic jaundice, pyrexia, and tumor hemorrhage. Fatalities due to adverse reactions occurred in 2.4% of patients: disseminated intravascular coagulation, large intestine perforation, and pneumonia occurred in one patient each (0.8%).

ENHERTU was permanently discontinued in 15% of patients, of which ILD accounted for 6%. Dose interruptions due to adverse reactions occurred in 62% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose interruption were neutropenia, anemia, decreased appetite, leukopenia, fatigue, thrombocytopenia, ILD, pneumonia, lymphopenia, upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhea, and hypokalemia. Dose reductions occurred in 32% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose reduction were neutropenia, decreased appetite, fatigue, nausea, and febrile neutropenia.

The most common (≥20%) adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were hemoglobin decreased (75%), white blood cell count decreased (74%), neutrophil count decreased (72%), lymphocyte count decreased (70%), platelet count decreased (68%), nausea (63%), decreased appetite (60%), anemia (58%), aspartate aminotransferase increased (58%), fatigue (55%), blood alkaline phosphatase increased (54%), alanine aminotransferase increased (47%), diarrhea (32%), hypokalemia (30%), vomiting (26%), constipation (24%), blood bilirubin increased (24%), pyrexia (24%), and alopecia (22%).

Use in Specific Populations

  • Pregnancy: ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise patients of the potential risks to a fetus. There are clinical considerations if ENHERTU is used in pregnant women, or if a patient becomes pregnant within 7 months following the last dose of ENHERTU.
  • Lactation: There are no data regarding the presence of ENHERTU in human milk, the effects on the breastfed child, or the effects on milk production. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in a breastfed child, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment with ENHERTU and for 7 months after the last dose.
  • Females and Males of Reproductive Potential: Pregnancy testing: Verify pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to initiation of ENHERTU. Contraception: Females: ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for at least 7 months following the last dose. Males: Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for at least 4 months following the last dose. Infertility: ENHERTU may impair male reproductive function and fertility.
  • Pediatric Use: Safety and effectiveness of ENHERTU have not been established in pediatric patients.
  • Geriatric Use: Of the 234 patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, 26% were ≥65 years and 5% were ≥75 years. No overall differences in efficacy were observed between patients ≥65 years of age compared to younger patients. There was a higher incidence of Grade 3-4 adverse reactions observed in patients aged ≥65 years (53%) as compared to younger patients (42%).

Contacts

Global:
Victoria Amari

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.

vamari@dsi.com
+1 908 900 3010 (mobile)

US:
Don Murphy

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.

domurphy@dsi.com
+1 917 817 2649 (mobile)

Japan:
Masashi Kawase

Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.

kawase.masashi.a2@daiichisankyo.co.jp
+81 3 6225 1126 (office)

Investor Relations Contact:
DaiichiSankyoIR@daiichisankyo.co.jp

EU:
Lydia Worms

Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH

lydia.worms@daiichi-sankyo.eu
+49 (89) 7808751 (office)

+49 176 11780861 (mobile)

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Business Science

Legend Biotech announces preliminary results for the year ended December 31, 2021

SOMERSET, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — $LEGN–Legend Biotech Corporation (NASDAQ: LEGN) (Legend Biotech), a global, clinical-stage biotechnology company developing and manufacturing novel therapies, today in conjunction with an announcement to be issued by Legend Biotech’s majority shareholder, GenScript Biotech Corporation, pursuant to the rules of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, announced preliminary, unaudited financial results for the year ended December 31, 2021.

For the year ended December 31, 2021, Legend Biotech expects to record a loss for the year of approximately US$365.3 million to US$397.4 million and an adjusted loss for the year of approximately US$335.8 million to US$364.7 million, in each case, including research and development expenses of approximately US$297.9 million to US$321.8 million, which was mainly caused by the continuous investment into its lead product candidate, ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel), and other product candidates in Legend Biotech’s pipeline, and selling and marketing expenses of approximately US$95.3 million to US$106.2 million, which was mainly caused by the increase of costs associated with commercial preparation activities for cilta-cel. See “Use of Non-IFRS Financial Measures” below for a reconciliation of Loss for the year to Adjusted loss for the year.

 

In addition, Legend Biotech expects to report a non-cash fair value loss of approximately US$5.7 million to US$6.4 million caused by the changes of fair value of Legend Biotech’s warrant liability. On May 13, 2021, Legend Biotech entered into a subscription agreement with an institutional investor relating to the offer and sale of 20,809,850 ordinary shares of the Company, par value US$0.0001 per share, in a private placement at a purchase price of US$14.41625 per ordinary share (the “PIPE Offering”). Pursuant to the subscription agreement, the Company also agreed to issue and sell concurrently with the PIPE offering a warrant (the “Warrant”) exercisable for up to an aggregate of 10,000,000 ordinary shares (such transaction together with the PIPE Offering, the “Transactions”). The Transactions closed on May 21, 2021(the “Closing Date”). The Warrant is exercisable, in whole or in part, at an exercise price of US$20.00 per ordinary share, until the two-year anniversary of the Closing Date. The Warrant is accounted for as a financial liability because the Warrant may be net share settleable at the holder’s option.

 

As of December 31, 2021, Legend Biotech had approximately US$688.9 million of cash and cash equivalents, approximately US$168.2 million of time deposits and approximately $29.9 million of financial assets measured at amortized cost.

 

The financial information contained in this press release is preliminary and is based on the latest estimated unaudited management accounts for the year ended December 31, 2021. Because Legend Biotech has not yet completed its financial closing procedures for the year ended December 31, 2021, Legend Biotech has provided a range for the preliminary results described above. Such information is not a comprehensive statement of Legend Biotech’s results for, and as of, this year, and are subject to the completion of management’s and Legend Biotech’s audit committee’s reviews and other financial closing processes and potential adjustments. Accordingly, Legend Biotech’s actual results as of, and for, the year ended December 31, 2021 may differ materially from the preliminary estimated data presented in this press release. As a result, it is possible that Legend Biotech’s final results will not be within the ranges presented.

The information contained in this press release has not been, and is not based on information that has been, audited, or reviewed by Legend Biotech’s independent auditor. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these preliminary estimates.

 

This preliminary estimated data should not be considered a substitute for the audited financial results for the year ended December 31, 2021, to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on Form 20-F, which Legend Biotech expects to occur before the end of March 2022.

 

Use of Non-IFRS Financial Measures

We report certain financial information using non-IFRS financial measures, as we believe that these measures provide information that is useful to investors in understanding our performance. These non-IFRS financial measures do not have any standardized meaning and may not be comparable to similar measures used by other companies. For certain non-IFRS financial measures, there are no directly comparable amounts under IFRS. These non-IFRS financial measures should not be viewed as alternatives to measures of financial performance determined in accordance with IFRS.

 

The following table provides a reconciliation of Legend Biotech’s Loss for the year to Adjusted loss for the year:

 

Year ended

(in millions, US$)

December 31, 2021

Loss for the year

(365.3)~(397.4)

Equity-settled share-based compensation expense

18.9~20.8

Service fees for follow-on public offering

0.4

Exchange differences, net

4.5~5.1

Fair value loss of warrant liability

5.7~6.4

Adjusted loss for the year

(335.8)~(364.7)

Adjusted loss for the year is a non-IFRS financial measure. Legend Biotech is reporting Adjusted loss for the year because this financial measure is to be reported as part of a Profit Warning announcement issued by Legend Biotech’s majority shareholder, GenScript Biotech Corporation, pursuant to Rule 13.09 of the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. Adjusted loss for the year has limitations in that it does not reflect all expense items that affect Legend Biotech’s results.

 

Non-IFRS measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with IFRS and should be viewed as supplemental and in addition to Legend Biotech’s financial information presented in accordance with IFRS.

About Cilta-cel

Cilta-cel is an investigational chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy, formerly identified as JNJ-4528 in the United States and Europe and LCAR-B38M CAR-T cells in China, that is being studied in a comprehensive clinical development program for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma and in earlier lines of treatment. The design consists of a structurally differentiated CAR-T with two BCMA-targeting single domain antibodies. In addition to a Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) granted in the United States in December 2019, cilta-cel received a Priority Medicines (PRiME) designation from the European Commission in April 2019, and a BTD in China in August 2020. In addition, Orphan Drug Designation was granted for cilta-cel by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2019, and by the European Commission in February 2020. A Biologics License Application seeking approval of cilta-cel was submitted to the U.S. FDA and a Marketing Authorization Application was submitted to the European Medicines Agency.

 

About Legend Biotech

Legend Biotech is a global, clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to treating, and one day curing, life-threatening diseases. Headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey, we are developing advanced cell therapies across a diverse array of technology platforms, including autologous and allogenic chimeric antigen receptor T-cell, T-cell receptor (TCR-T), and natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy. From our three R&D sites around the world, we apply these innovative technologies to pursue the discovery of safe, efficacious and cutting-edge therapeutics for patients worldwide.

 

We are currently engaged in a strategic collaboration to develop and commercialize our lead product candidate, ciltacabtagene autoleucel, an investigational BCMA-targeted CAR-T cell therapy for patients living with multiple myeloma. Applications seeking approval of cilta-cel for the treatment of patients with RRMM are currently under regulatory review by several health authorities around the world, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency.

 

Learn more at www.legendbiotech.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Cautionary Statement

Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to future milestone payments under our collaboration agreement with Janssen. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors. Legend Biotech’s expectations could be affected by, among other things, uncertainties involved in the development of new pharmaceutical products; unexpected clinical trial or preclinical study results, including as a result of additional analysis of existing data or unexpected new data; unexpected regulatory actions or delays, including requests for additional safety and/or efficacy data or analysis of data, or government regulation generally; unexpected delays as a result of actions undertaken, or failures to act, by our third party partners; uncertainties arising from challenges to Legend Biotech’s patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection, including the uncertainties involved in the US litigation process; competition in general; government, industry, and general public pricing and other political pressures; the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and governmental and regulatory measures implemented in response to the evolving situation; as well as the other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of Legend Biotech’s Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 2, 2021. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this press release as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Legend Biotech specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts

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(908) 331-5025

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Bristol Myers Squibb presents interim results from long-term study reinforcing maintenance of response and safety profile of Zeposia (ozanimod) in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis

The percentage of patients achieving clinical remission, clinical response, endoscopic improvement and corticosteroid-free remission was maintained through Week 142

 

Zeposia is the first and only oral sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulator approved to treat patients with ulcerative colitis

 

PRINCETON, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — $BMY #ECCO2022Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today announced interim results from the True North open-label extension study evaluating the long-term efficacy and safety profile of Zeposia (ozanimod) in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC). Findings show that the percentage of patients achieving clinical remission, clinical response, endoscopic improvement and corticosteroid-free remission was maintained through Week 142. No new safety signals emerged in the study. These data (Presentation #DOP44) will be presented at the 17th Congress of the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO), taking place February 16-19, 2022.

“For clinicians treating patients with this serious, chronic disease, results from the True North extension study provide an understanding of long-term therapeutic outcomes and help to identify an appropriate treatment approach for their patients with ulcerative colitis,” said Silvio Danese, M.D., Director, Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, IRCCS, San Raffaele Hospital and University Vita-Salute San Raffaele in Milan. “These findings demonstrate important and clinically meaningful responses across multiple key endpoints and build upon our current knowledge of the efficacy and safety profile of Zeposia.”

 

In the True North extension study, data from an interim analysis of patients (n=823) who had previously participated in the Phase 3 True North Zeposia clinical trial were examined. At Weeks 46, 94 and 142, 45% (203/452), 51% (109/213) and 45% (39/87) of participants, respectively, were in clinical remission, and 80% (352/441), 84% (176/209) and 86% (73/85) achieved clinical response, respectively. The efficacy of Zeposia in those who entered the long-term study as responders on Day 1 was higher compared to the total population, with 70% (107/152) and 69% (42/61) achieving clinical remission at Weeks 46 and 94, respectively, and 95% (145/152) and 98% (60/61) achieving clinical response at Weeks 46 and 94, respectively. At the time of this analysis, of the 823 patients from the Phase 3 True North trial who entered the open-label extension study, 64% subsequently completed Week 46, 34% completed Week 94, and 14% completed Week 142. The most common reason for discontinuation was lack of efficacy (21%). No new safety signals were seen with longer-term Zeposia use in the 1,158 patients within the pooled population, including patients from the Phase 2 Touchstone study and the Phase 3 True North study.

 

Additional Bristol Myers Squibb-sponsored abstracts presented at the ECCO 2022 Congress can be accessed online here.

 

“These data reinforce the growing body of evidence demonstrating the long-term efficacy and safety of Zeposia and showcase its role as an important therapeutic option before biologic and Janus kinase inhibitor treatments in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis,” said Jonathan Sadeh, M.D., MSc., senior vice president of Immunology and Fibrosis Development, Bristol Myers Squibb. “With our heritage in transformational science for immune-mediated diseases – and our commitment to inflammatory bowel disease research – we are seeking to find solutions that have the goal of redefining treatment outcomes and elevating standards of care for the gastroenterology community.”

 

Visit this page on BMS.com for more information on Bristol Myers Squibb’s scientific approach and resources on gastrointestinal immune-mediated diseases.

 

About True North

True North is a Phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial assessing the efficacy and safety of Zeposia 0.92 mg in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) who had an inadequate response or were intolerant to any of the following: oral aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, immunomodulators or a biologic. Patients were to be receiving treatment with oral aminosalicylates and/or corticosteroids prior to and during the induction period. A total of 30% of patients had previously failed or were intolerant to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers. Of these patients, 63% received at least two biologics including TNF blockers. At study entry, mean age was 42 years, 60% were male and mean disease duration was 7 years; patient characteristics were well balanced across treatment groups. In the 10-week induction study (UC Study 1), a total of 645 patients were randomized 2:1 to receive Zeposia (n=429) or placebo (n=216), of whom 94% and 89%, respectively, completed the induction study. No new safety signals were observed in the induction phase.

 

In maintenance study (UC Study 2) a total of 457 patients who received Zeposia in either UC Study 1 or in an open-label arm and achieved clinical response at Week 10 were re-randomized 1:1 and were treated with either Zeposia 0.92 mg (n=230) or placebo (n=227) for 42 weeks, for a total of 52 weeks of treatment. Concomitant aminosalicylates were required to remain stable through Week 52. Patients on concomitant corticosteroids were to taper their dose upon entering the maintenance study. Of these, 80% and 54.6% of patients who received Zeposia and placebo, respectively, completed the study. In the maintenance phase, the overall safety profile was consistent with the known safety profile for Zeposia and patients with moderate to severe UC. More information about the True North trial can be found on www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02435992.

 

For the True North open-label extension (OLE) study, eligible patients who completed the maintenance UC Study 2 were rolled into the OLE study, which is ongoing and designed to assess the longer-term profile of Zeposia for the treatment of moderately to severely active UC. Patients were also eligible to enter the OLE study if they completed UC Study 1 and did not achieve a clinical response or if they experienced a disease relapse during UC Study 2. Among patients who entered the trial, clinical remission, clinical response, endoscopic improvement and symptomatic remission were generally maintained through Week 142. No new safety concerns were identified in this study extension in patients with ulcerative colitis. More information about the open-label extension trial can be found on www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02531126.

 

Bristol Myers Squibb thanks the patients and investigators involved in the True North clinical trial.

 

About Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is characterized by an irregular, chronic immune response that creates inflammation and ulcers (sores) in the mucosa (lining) of the large intestine (colon) or rectum. Symptoms include bloody stools, severe diarrhea and frequent abdominal pain. Ulcerative colitis has a major impact on patients’ health-related quality of life, including physical functioning, social and emotional well-being and ability to go to work/school. Many patients have an inadequate response or do not respond at all to currently available therapies. It is estimated that approximately 12.6 million people worldwide are living with IBD.

 

About Zeposia (ozanimod)

Zeposia (ozanimod) is an oral, sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulator that binds with high affinity to S1P receptors 1 and 5. Zeposia reduces the capacity of lymphocytes to migrate from lymphoid tissue, reducing the number of circulating lymphocytes in peripheral blood. The mechanism by which Zeposia exerts therapeutic effects in ulcerative colitis (UC) is unknown but may involve the reduction of lymphocyte migration into the intestines.

 

Bristol Myers Squibb is continuing to evaluate Zeposia in the ongoing True North open-label extension trial, designed to assess the longer-term profile of Zeposia for the treatment of moderately to severely active UC. The company is also investigating Zeposia for the treatment of moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease in the ongoing Phase 3 YELLOWSTONE clinical trial program.

 

The European Commission approved Zeposia for the treatment of adult patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) with active disease as defined by clinical or imaging features in May 2020 and for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active UC who have had an inadequate response, lost response, or were intolerant to either conventional therapy or a biologic agent in November 2021. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Zeposia for the treatment of adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS) in March 2020 and adults with moderately to severely active UC on May 27, 2021.

 

U.S. FDA APPROVED INDICATIONS

ZEPOSIA (ozanimod) is indicated for the treatment of:

1. Relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), to include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease, in adults.

2. Moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) in adults.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Contraindications:

  • Patients who in the last 6 months, experienced myocardial infarction, unstable angina, stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), decompensated heart failure requiring hospitalization, or Class III/IV heart failure or have the presence of Mobitz type II second-degree or third degree atrioventricular (AV) block, sick sinus syndrome, or sino-atrial block, unless the patient has a functioning pacemaker
  • Patients with severe untreated sleep apnea
  • Patients taking a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor

Infections: ZEPOSIA may increase the susceptibility to infections. Life-threatening and rare fatal infections have occurred in patients receiving ZEPOSIA. Obtain a recent (i.e., within 6 months or after discontinuation of prior MS or UC therapy) complete blood count (CBC) including lymphocyte count before initiation of ZEPOSIA. Delay initiation of ZEPOSIA in patients with an active infection until the infection is resolved. Consider interruption of treatment with ZEPOSIA if a patient develops a serious infection. Continue monitoring for infections up to 3 months after discontinuing ZEPOSIA

  • Herpes zoster was reported as an adverse reaction in ZEPOSIA-treated patients. Herpes simplex encephalitis and varicella zoster meningitis have been reported with sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulators. Patients without a healthcare professional-confirmed history of varicella (chickenpox), or without documentation of a full course of vaccination against varicella zoster virus (VZV), should be tested for antibodies to VZV before initiating ZEPOSIA. A full course of vaccination for antibody-negative patients with varicella vaccine is recommended prior to commencing treatment with ZEPOSIA
  • Cases of fatal cryptococcal meningitis (CM) were reported in patients treated with another S1P receptor modulator. If CM is suspected, ZEPOSIA should be suspended until cryptococcal infection has been excluded. If CM is diagnosed, appropriate treatment should be initiated
  • Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) is an opportunistic viral infection of the brain that typically occurs in patients who are immunocompromised, and that usually leads to death or severe disability. PML has been reported in patients treated with S1P receptor modulators and other MS and UC therapies and has been associated with some risk factors. If PML is suspected, withhold ZEPOSIA and perform an appropriate diagnostic evaluation. If confirmed, treatment with ZEPOSIA should be discontinued
  • In the MS and UC clinical studies, patients who received ZEPOSIA were not to receive concomitant treatment with antineoplastic, non-corticosteroid immunosuppressive, or immune-modulating therapies used for treatment of MS and UC. Concomitant use of ZEPOSIA with any of these therapies would be expected to increase the risk of immunosuppression. When switching to ZEPOSIA from immunosuppressive medications, consider the duration of their effects and their mode of action to avoid unintended additive immunosuppressive effects
  • Use of live attenuated vaccines should be avoided during and for 3 months after treatment with ZEPOSIA. If live attenuated vaccine immunizations are required, administer at least 1 month prior to initiation of ZEPOSIA

Bradyarrhythmia and Atrioventricular Conduction Delays: Since initiation of ZEPOSIA may result in a transient decrease in heart rate and atrioventricular conduction delays, dose titration is recommended to help reduce cardiac effects. Initiation of ZEPOSIA without dose escalation may result in greater decreases in heart rate. If treatment with ZEPOSIA is considered, advice from a cardiologist should be sought for those individuals:

  • with significant QT prolongation
  • with arrhythmias requiring treatment with Class 1a or III anti-arrhythmic drugs
  • with ischemic heart disease, heart failure, history of cardiac arrest or myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disease, and uncontrolled hypertension
  • with a history of Mobitz type II second-degree or higher AV block, sick sinus syndrome, or sino-atrial heart block

Liver Injury: Elevations of aminotransferases may occur in patients receiving ZEPOSIA. Obtain liver function tests, if not recently available (i.e., within 6 months), before initiation of ZEPOSIA. Patients who develop symptoms suggestive of hepatic dysfunction should have hepatic enzymes checked and ZEPOSIA should be discontinued if significant liver injury is confirmed. Caution should be exercised when using ZEPOSIA in patients with history of significant liver disease

Fetal Risk: There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Based on animal studies, ZEPOSIA may cause fetal harm. Women of childbearing potential should use effective contraception to avoid pregnancy during treatment and for 3 months after stopping ZEPOSIA

Increased Blood Pressure: Increase in systolic pressure was observed after about 3 months of treatment and persisted throughout treatment. Blood pressure should be monitored during treatment and managed appropriately. Certain foods that may contain very high amounts of tyramine could cause severe hypertension in patients taking ZEPOSIA. Patients should be advised to avoid foods containing a very large amount of tyramine while taking ZEPOSIA

Respiratory Effects: ZEPOSIA may cause a decline in pulmonary function. Spirometric evaluation of respiratory function should be performed during therapy, if clinically indicated

Macular edema: S1P modulators have been associated with an increased risk of macular edema. Patients with a history of uveitis or diabetes mellitus are at increased risk. Patients with a history of these conditions should have an ophthalmic evaluation of the fundus, including the macula, prior to treatment initiation and regular follow-up examinations. An ophthalmic evaluation is recommended in all patients at any time if there is a change in vision. Continued use of ZEPOSIA in patients with macular edema has not been evaluated; potential benefits and risks for the individual patient should be considered if deciding whether ZEPOSIA should be discontinued

Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES): Rare cases of PRES have been reported in patients receiving a S1P receptor modulator. If a ZEPOSIA-treated patient develops unexpected neurological or psychiatric symptoms or any symptom/sign suggestive of an increase in intracranial pressure, a complete physical and neurological examination should be conducted. Symptoms of PRES are usually reversible but may evolve into ischemic stroke or cerebral hemorrhage. Delay in diagnosis and treatment may lead to permanent neurological sequelae. If PRES is suspected, treatment with ZEPOSIA should be discontinued

Unintended Additive Immunosuppressive Effects From Prior Immunosuppressive or Immune-Modulating Drugs: When switching from drugs with prolonged immune effects, the half-life and mode of action of these drugs must be considered to avoid unintended additive immunosuppressive effects while at the same time minimizing risk of disease reactivation. Initiating treatment with ZEPOSIA after treatment with alemtuzumab is not recommended

Severe Increase in Disability After Stopping ZEPOSIA: Severe exacerbation of disease, including disease rebound, has been rarely reported after discontinuation of a S1P receptor modulator. The possibility of severe exacerbation of disease should be considered after stopping ZEPOSIA treatment so patients should be monitored upon discontinuation

Immune System Effects After Stopping ZEPOSIA: After discontinuing ZEPOSIA, the median time for lymphocyte counts to return to the normal range was 30 days with approximately 90% of patients in the normal range within 3 months. Use of immunosuppressants within this period may lead to an additive effect on the immune system, therefore caution should be applied when initiating other drugs 4 weeks after the last dose of ZEPOSIA

Most Common Adverse Reactions that occurred in the MS clinical trials of ZEPOSIA-treated patients (≥ 4%): upper respiratory infection, hepatic transaminase elevation, orthostatic hypotension, urinary tract infection, back pain, and hypertension

In the UC clinical trials, the most common adverse reactions that occurred in ≥4% of ZEPOSIA-treated patients and greater than in patients who received placebo were upper respiratory infection, liver test increased, and headache

For additional safety information, please see the full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.

Bristol Myers Squibb: Pioneering Paths Forward in Immunology to Transform Patients’ Lives

Bristol Myers Squibb is inspired by a single vision – transforming patients’ lives through science. For people living with immune-mediated diseases, the debilitating reality of enduring chronic symptoms and disease progression can take a toll on their physical, emotional and social well-being, making simple tasks and daily life a challenge. Driven by our deep understanding of the immune system that spans over 20 years of experience, and our passion to help patients, the company continues to pursue pathbreaking science with the goal of delivering meaningful solutions that address unmet needs in rheumatology, gastroenterology, dermatology and neurology. We follow the science, aiming to tailor therapies to individual needs, improve outcomes and expand treatment options by working to identify mechanisms with the potential to achieve long-term remission – and perhaps even cures – in the future. By building partnerships with researchers, patients and caregivers to deliver innovative treatments, Bristol Myers Squibb strives to elevate patient care to new standards and deliver what matters most – the promise of living a better life.

About Bristol Myers Squibb

Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

Celgene and Juno Therapeutics are wholly owned subsidiaries of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. In certain countries outside the U.S., due to local laws, Celgene and Juno Therapeutics are referred to as, Celgene, a Bristol Myers Squibb company and Juno Therapeutics, a Bristol Myers Squibb company.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding, among other things, the research, development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products. All statements that are not statements of historical facts are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives and involve inherent risks, assumptions and uncertainties, including internal or external factors that could delay, divert or change any of them in the next several years, that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our control and could cause our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements. These risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, whether results of future post-marketing studies will be consistent with the results of this study, whether Zeposia (ozanimod) for the indication described in this release will be commercially successful, any marketing approvals, if granted, may have significant limitations on their use, and that continued approval of such treatment for such indication described in this release may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in additional confirmatory trials. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many risks and uncertainties that affect Bristol Myers Squibb’s business and market, particularly those identified in the cautionary statement and risk factors discussion in Bristol Myers Squibb’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as updated by our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10‑Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made only as of the date of this document and except as otherwise required by applicable law, Bristol Myers Squibb undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

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Bristol Myers Squibb

Media Inquiries:
media@bms.com

Investors:
Tim Power

609-252-7509

timothy.power@bms.com

Nina Goworek

908-673-9711

nina.goworek@bms.com

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Business Science

UroGen announces data that shows in-office nephrostomy tube administration of Jelmyto® is efficient for doctors and well tolerated by patients

–Investigator’s Retrospective Analysis Published in the Journal of Urology Provides Protocol for Antegrade Administration of Jelmyto, the only Non-Surgical, Kidney-Sparing Treatment for Adults with Low Grade Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer–

PRINCETON, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — UroGen Pharma Ltd. (Nasdaq: URGN), a biotech company dedicated to creating novel solutions that treat urothelial and specialty cancers, today announced the first published report of real-world experience utilizing the antegrade approach for Jelmyto® (mitomycin) for pyelocalyceal solution administration in the Journal of Urology online on February 7, 2022. This report provides a stepwise treatment approach to low-grade Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer (LG UTUC) from initial ureteroscopy to nephrostomy placement, Jelmyto administration, and eventual nephrostomy removal.

 

“While Jelmyto is approved for both retrograde and antegrade instillation, the instructions for administration address retrograde instillation, and this is the first time that data on antegrade instillation has been documented in a clinical setting for this chemoablative therapy,” says Katie Murray, DO, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO. “This report showed that antegrade instillation provided a well-tolerated and effective method of Jelmyto administration. In our experience we did not see a negative impact on patient comfort. Of note, our experience with antegrade administration in this analysis suggests that this approach, which minimizes manipulation of the ureter during instillation, may help protect against stricture formation which has been associated with repetitive instrumentation of the upper urinary tract. Given the potential benefits of antegrade versus retrograde administration of Jelmyto, we now have a replicable protocol to follow for antegrade administration using a nephrostomy tube.”

 

In both retrograde and antegrade approaches, Jelmyto can be administered as an outpatient procedure in the clinic. Retrograde administration requires administration by a physician via a ureteral catheter, requiring fluoroscopic guidance. Antegrade administration may be performed by trained nursing professionals under clean rather than sterile conditions and does not require fluoroscopy after a nephrostogram confirms placement at the first instillation.

 

“Choosing the optimal treatment modality for administration of Jelmyto is very important and can have significant implications for successful treatment and recovery,” said Mark Schoenberg, MD, Chief Medical Officer, UroGen. “Dr. Murray and her colleagues offer practical guidance for antegrade administration of Jelmyto, which can help reduce some of the complexity stakeholders may experience using retrograde administration.”

 

About the Study

This single-center retrospective study reports the investigator’s technique for antegrade administration along with early outcomes from a cohort of eight patients who have undergone treatment with Jelmyto via nephrostomy tube. All patients underwent follow-up ureteroscopy with complete response in four patients. Three patients reported five adverse events. One patient had two grade-one adverse events (hematuria and fatigue); one patient had a grade-two adverse event (rash requiring oral medication, requiring one week delay of treatment); and one patient had a grade-one adverse event (a palmar rash) and a grade-three adverse event (ureteral stricture). The ureteral stricture was found in the mid-ureter at follow up ureteroscopy and required laser incision. There were no other delays in therapy. In the post hoc review, there were no other ureteral strictures.

 

The median follow-up was seven months after last instillation (range six weeks – 14 months). At first follow-up ureteroscopy, four patients had a complete response, four patients had a partial response, one of whom (with a history of low-grade bladder cancer) also had a bladder tumor. Four of the seven patients who have had more than one surveillance ureteroscopy had an initial complete response. At four and 14 months, two patients continue to show no evidence of disease. Two patients had a recurrence at 13 and 14 months. All patients with an initial partial response who had a follow-up ureteroscopy underwent complete endoscopic tumor ablation. One patient who could not be completely resected during their pre-instillation ureteroscopy demonstrated partial response to Jelmyto that enabled residual disease to be resected with durable response at five months after last ablation. To date, no patient has required kidney removal. Aside from the patient with bladder tumor at first ureteroscopy, no patient has experienced tumor recurrence in the bladder.

 

There is a need for larger studies with longer follow-up to study more conclusively any potential advantages of antegrade Jelmyto administration when compared to retrograde instillation. Despite these limitations, this study offers a replicable protocol for antegrade administration of Jelmyto.

 

About LG UTUC

LG UTUC is a rare disease managed by endoscopic methods and radical nephroureterectomy. Endoscopic resection and laser ablation attempt to preserve the kidney, though there is a high risk of recurrence that may eventually necessitate removal of the kidney. Although kidney removal is the gold standard for treatment of high-grade UTUC, it may be over-treatment in LG UTUC, as kidney removal offers similar five-year survival as kidney-sparing procedures but is associated with significant morbidity. Jelmyto is efficacious as a primary chemoablative therapy in patients with LG UTUC.

 

About Jelmyto®

Jelmyto® (mitomycin) for pyelocalyceal solution is a mitomycin-containing reverse thermal gel containing 4 mg mitomycin per mL gel indicated for primary chemoablative treatment of LG UTUC in adults. It is recommended for primary treatment of biopsy-proven LG UTUC in patients deemed appropriate candidates for renal-sparing therapy. Jelmyto is a viscous liquid when cooled and becomes a semi-solid gel at body temperature. The drug slowly dissolves over four to six hours after instillation and is removed from the urinary tract by normal urine flow and voiding. It is approved for administration in a retrograde manner via ureteral catheter or antegrade through nephrostomy tube. The delivery system allows the initial liquid to coat and conform to the upper urinary tract anatomy. The eventual semisolid gel allows for chemoablative therapy to remain in the collecting system for four to six hours without immediately being diluted or washed away by urine flow.

 

APPROVED USE FOR JELMYTO

JELMYTO® is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of cancer of the lining of the upper urinary tract including the kidney called low-grade Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer (LG-UTUC).

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

You should not receive JELMYTO if you have a hole or tear (perforation) of your bladder or upper urinary tract.

Before receiving JELMYTO, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. JELMYTO can harm your unborn baby. You should not become pregnant during treatment with JELMYTO. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant during treatment with JELMYTO.

Females who are able to become pregnant: You should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with JELMYTO and for 6 months after the last dose.

Males being treated with JELMYTO: If you have a female partner who is able to become pregnant, you should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with JELMYTO and for 3 months after the last dose.

  • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if JELMYTO passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with JELMYTO and for 1 week after the last dose.
  • Tell your healthcare provider if you take water pills (diuretic).

How will I receive JELMYTO?

  • Your healthcare provider will tell you to take a medicine called sodium bicarbonate before each JELMYTO treatment.
  • You will receive your JELMYTO dose from your healthcare provider 1 time a week for 6 weeks. It is important that you receive all 6 doses of JELMYTO according to your healthcare provider’s instructions. If you miss any appointments, call your healthcare provider as soon as possible to reschedule your appointment. Your healthcare provider may recommend up to an additional 11 monthly doses.
  • JELMYTO is given to your kidney through a tube called a catheter.
  • During treatment with JELMYTO, your healthcare provider may tell you to take additional medicines or change how you take your current medicines.

After receiving JELMYTO:

  • JELMYTO may cause your urine color to change to a violet to blue color. Avoid contact between your skin and urine for at least 6 hours.
  • To urinate, males and females should sit on a toilet and flush the toilet several times after you use it. After going to the bathroom, wash your hands, your inner thighs, and genital area well with soap and water.
  • Clothing that comes in contact with urine should be washed right away and washed separately from other clothing.

JELMYTO may cause serious side effects, including:

  • Swelling and narrowing of the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder (ureteric obstruction). If you develop swelling and narrowing, and to protect your kidney from damage, your healthcare provider may recommend the placement of a small plastic tube (stent) in the ureter to help the kidney drain. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you develop side pain or fever during treatment with JELMYTO.
  • Bone marrow problems. JELMYTO can affect your bone marrow and can cause a decrease in your white blood cell, red blood cell, and platelet counts. Your healthcare provider will do blood tests prior to each treatment to check your blood cell counts during treatment with JELMYTO. Your healthcare provider may need to temporarily or permanently stop JELMYTO if you develop bone marrow problems during treatment with JELMYTO.

The most common side effects of JELMYTO include: urinary tract infection, blood in your urine, side pain, nausea, trouble with urination, kidney problems, vomiting, tiredness, stomach (abdomen) pain.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1‑800‑FDA‑1088. You may also report side effects to UroGen Pharma at 1-855-987-6436.

Please see JELMYTO Full Prescribing Information, including the Patient Information, for additional information

About UroGen Pharma Ltd.

UroGen is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to building and commercializing novel solutions that treat specialty cancers and urologic diseases because patients deserve better options. UroGen has developed RTGel™ reverse-thermal hydrogel, a proprietary sustained release, hydrogel-based platform technology that has the potential to improve therapeutic profiles of existing drugs. UroGen’s sustained release technology is designed to enable longer exposure of the urinary tract tissue to medications, making local therapy a potentially more effective treatment option. UroGen’s first commercial product Jelmyto (mitomycin) for pyelocalyceal solution, and investigational treatment UGN-102 (mitomycin) for intravesical solution for patients with low-grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, are designed to ablate tumors by non-surgical means. UroGen is headquartered in Princeton, NJ with operations in Israel. Visit www.urogen.com to learn more or follow us on Twitter, @UroGenPharma.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential benefits of antegrade administration of Jelmyto as compared to retrograde instillation. These statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to: results from initial reports of the antegrade administration of Jelmyto may not be indicative of results that may be observed in the future; potential safety and other complications from the antegrade administration of Jelmyto; and the ability to successfully replicate the protocol for antegrade administration of Jelmyto. In light of these risks and uncertainties, and other risks and uncertainties that are described in the Risk Factors section of UroGen’s Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 15, 2021 and other filings that UroGen makes with the SEC from time to time (which are available at http://www.sec.gov), the events and circumstances discussed in such forward-looking statements may not occur, and UroGen’s actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied thereby. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on information available to UroGen as of the date of this release.

Contacts

INVESTORS:
Vincent Perrone

vincent.perrone@urogen.com
609-460-3588 ext. 1093

MEDIA:
Cindy Romano

Director, Corporate Communications

cindy.romano@urogen.com
609-460-3583 ext. 1083

Categories
Business Science

MTF Biologics awards more than $1 million in 2021 research grants to support allograft research

Non-profit organization now accepting applications for 2022 grants to accelerate innovation in tissue transplantation

 

EDISON, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #WeSaveAndHealLives–MTF Biologics, a global nonprofit organization that saves and heals lives by advancing tissue and organ donation, transplantation, and research, has awarded more than $1 million in funding to nine researchers across the nation through its 2021 Extramural Research Grants Program.

This year’s recipients are leading research in diverse areas including bone regeneration, machine learning, women’s health, orthopaedic infection, and the toll of spinal epidural abscesses.

 

“MTF Biologics’ Extramural Research Grants Program has fueled promising research for more than three decades,” said Joe Yaccarino, President and CEO of MTF Biologics. “We are pleased that we have been able to continue this program, which has advanced the field of tissue transplantation and helped to improve patient experiences and outcomes, in spite of the challenges of the ongoing pandemic. We congratulate all of this year’s recipients and look forward to seeing the results of their important work.”

 

“MTF Biologics continues to create opportunities to advance science and heal lives through support of pioneering allograft research,” added Marc Long, Ph.D., EVP, Research & Development of MTF Biologics. “We are proud to have provided nearly $60 million in grants to researchers across the nation since 1987. This commitment to research is an important reinvestment in our mission and helps to accelerate innovation that offers clinicians more ways to improve patient experience and outcomes.”

 

“We continue to be impressed by the quality of the grant proposals we receive,” said Jeffrey Cartmell, Ph.D., Director, Intellectual Property & Grants at MTF Biologics. “This year’s funded projects represent diverse research interests including musculoskeletal science as well as work focusing on a variety of innovative and translatable concepts of allograft transplantation.”

 

2021 MTF Biologics Research Grant Award recipients include:

 

MTF BIOLOGICS EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH GRANT – ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATOR:

  • Hani Awad, Ph.D., University of Rochester, “Engineering Stem Cell Sheets with Decellularized Wharton Jelly Matrix Membranes and Allografts for Bone Regeneration”
  • Warren Grayson, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, “A Bioresponsive Scaffolds for Craniofacial Bone Regeneration”
  • Ariella Shikanov, Ph.D., University of Michigan, “Ovarian Allograft for Restoration of Endocrine Function”
  • Ying Mei, Ph.D., Clemson University, “Developing Allograft Placental Matrix-based Hydrogels for Cell Mediated Regenerative Therapies”

MTF BIOLOGICS EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH GRANT– JUNIOR INVESTIGATOR:

  • Karina Nakayama, Ph.D., Oregon Health & Science University, “Repair of Composite Muscle-bone Injury Using Decellularized Muscle Allografts and Rehabilitative Exercise”
  • Rebekah Samsonraj, Ph.D., University of Arkansas, “Big Data & Machine Learning-driven Potency Establishment of Allogenic Tissue Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Musculoskeletal Regenerative Medicine”

ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH & EDUCATION FOUNDATION – MTF BIOLOGICS CAREER DEVELOPMENT GRANT: (Administered by the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation)

  • Irvin Oh, M.D., Yale University, “Developing Biomarkers for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Orthopaedic Infection”

ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH & EDUCATION FOUNDATION – HERNDON RESIDENCY AWARD: (Administered by the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation)

  • Grace Xiong, M.D., Brigham & Women’s Hospital, “Quality of Life and Cost of Spinal Epidural Abscesses”
  • Vincentius Suhardi, M.D., Ph.D., Hospital for Special Surgery, “Role of Leptin Receptor Cells in Aseptic Loosening Membrane Formation”

Letters of Intent are now being accepted for the 2022 MTF Biologics Extramural Grant Program. The application deadline is March 15, 2022. Interested applicants can view the Request for Proposals and find out how to submit a grant proposal on the MTF Biologics website at https://www.mtfbiologics.org/grants.

 

About MTF Biologics

MTF Biologics is a global nonprofit organization that saves and heals lives by honoring donated gifts, serving patients and advancing science. It provides unmatched service, resources, and expertise to donors and their loved ones who give the gift of donation, people who depend on tissue and organ transplants, healthcare providers, and clinicians and scientists.

 

The International Institute for the Advancement of Medicine (IIAM), a Division of MTF Biologics, honors donors of non-transplantable organs by providing their gifts to the medical research community to combat and cure diseases. Statline, also a Division of MTF Biologics, provides specialized communications and technology expertise to organ, tissue, and eye procurement organizations, as well as the hospitals and patients they serve. MTF Biologics’ sister organization, Deutsches Institute for Zell-und Gewebeersatz – DIZG (The German Institute for Cell and Tissue Transplantation) expands its reach to patients across the globe. For more information, visit www.mtfbiologics.org.

Contacts

Max Winter, 703-980-9376 or max.winter@finnpartners.com

Categories
Business International & World Science

Teva reaches agreement with Texas to settle the State’s opioid-related claims

TEL AVIV, Israel & PARSIPPANY, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Teva Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) and its affiliates, has reached an agreement with the Attorney General (AG) of Texas that settles the state’s and its subdivisions opioid-related claims. Under the terms of the settlement, Teva will pay Texas $150 million over a 15-year time period and will provide the recently launched, lifesaving medicine generic Narcan® (naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray), valued at $75 million (wholesale acquisition cost) over 10 years.

“Expanding access to lifesaving medicines is at the core of Teva’s mission. The Texas Attorney General is taking steps to address the opioid epidemic in the State by negotiating a settlement that includes critical medicines as part of their solution,” said Kåre Schultz, Teva’s President and CEO. “While the settlement includes no admission of wrongdoing by Teva or its affiliates, it remains in the best interest of Teva to put these cases behind us and continue to focus on the patients we serve every day.”

 

Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse an overdose from opioids.1 As of December 2021, Teva has made available the first generic version of this critical medicine and has included this product in the Company’s ongoing pursuit of a national or narrower settlement with individual states such as the deal announced today.

 

The Company will continue to defend itself in court in states where we have not reached terms of a settlement agreement. Teva believes that today’s settlement with the state of Texas is a critical step forward in getting life-saving treatments to people suffering from opioid addiction.

 

About Teva

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) has been developing and producing medicines to improve people’s lives for more than a century. We are a global leader in generic and specialty medicines with a portfolio consisting of over 3,500 products in nearly every therapeutic area. Around 200 million people around the world take a Teva medicine every day, and are served by one of the largest and most complex supply chains in the pharmaceutical industry. Along with our established presence in generics, we have significant innovative research and operations supporting our growing portfolio of specialty and biopharmaceutical products. Learn more at www.tevapharm.com.

 

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are based on management’s current beliefs and expectations and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that could cause our future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from that expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks relating to:

 

  • our ability to finalize the settlement with Texas, such that at least 96% of the population of subdivisions will formally release Teva as part of the settlement;
  • our ability to successfully compete in the marketplace, including: that we are substantially dependent on our generic products; consolidation of our customer base and commercial alliances among our customers; delays in launches of new generic products; the increase in the number of competitors targeting generic opportunities and seeking U.S. market exclusivity for generic versions of significant products; our ability to develop and commercialize biopharmaceutical products; competition for our specialty products, including AUSTEDO®, AJOVY® and COPAXONE®; our ability to achieve expected results from investments in our product pipeline; our ability to develop and commercialize additional pharmaceutical products; and the effectiveness of our patents and other measures to protect our intellectual property rights;
  • our substantial indebtedness, which may limit our ability to incur additional indebtedness, engage in additional transactions or make new investments, may result in a further downgrade of our credit ratings; and our inability to raise debt or borrow funds in amounts or on terms that are favorable to us;
  • our business and operations in general, including: uncertainty regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our business, financial condition, operations, cash flows, and liquidity and on the economy in general; our ability to successfully execute and maintain the activities and efforts related to the measures we have taken or may take in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated costs therewith; effectiveness of our optimization efforts; our ability to attract, hire and retain highly skilled personnel; manufacturing or quality control problems; interruptions in our supply chain; disruptions of information technology systems; breaches of our data security; variations in intellectual property laws; challenges associated with conducting business globally, including political or economic instability, major hostilities or terrorism; costs and delays resulting from the extensive pharmaceutical regulation to which we are subject or delays in governmental processing time due to travel and work restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic;
  • the effects of reforms in healthcare regulation and reductions in pharmaceutical pricing, reimbursement and coverage; significant sales to a limited number of customers; our ability to successfully bid for suitable acquisition targets or licensing opportunities, or to consummate and integrate acquisitions; and our prospects and opportunities for growth if we sell assets;
  • compliance, regulatory and litigation matters, including: failure to comply with complex legal and regulatory environments; increased legal and regulatory action in connection with public concern over the abuse of opioid medications and our ability to reach a final resolution of the remaining opioid-related litigation; scrutiny from competition and pricing authorities around the world, including our ability to successfully defend against the U.S. Department of Justice criminal charges of Sherman Act violations; potential liability for patent infringement; product liability claims; failure to comply with complex Medicare and Medicaid reporting and payment obligations; compliance with anti-corruption sanctions and trade control laws; and environmental risks;
  • other financial and economic risks, including: our exposure to currency fluctuations and restrictions as well as credit risks; potential impairments of our intangible assets; potential significant increases in tax liabilities (including as a result of potential tax reform in the United States); and the effect on our overall effective tax rate of the termination or expiration of governmental programs or tax benefits, or of a change in our business;

and other factors discussed in this press release, and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, including in the sections captioned “Risk Factors” and “Forward Looking Statements.” Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or other information contained herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.


1 https://www.cdc.gov/stopoverdose/naloxone/index.html

Contacts

IR Contacts
United States

Ran Meir (267) 468-4475
Israel

Yael Ashman 972 (3) 914-8262

PR Contacts
United States
Kelley Dougherty (973) 658-0237

Yonatan Beker (973) 264 7378

Categories
Healthcare Science

Eagle Pharmaceuticals on track to support submission of new drug application in second quarter 2022 for Landiolol, a beta-1 adrenergic blocker

— Anticipate Landiolol to become market leader in this drug class —

 

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: EGRX) (“Eagle” or the “Company”) today announced that AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Member of the AOP Health Group, (“AOP Health”), with whom it entered into a licensing agreement in August 2021, has engaged with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) to obtain alignment on the content and format of the pre-clinical and clinical data required to support a new drug application (“NDA”) seeking approval of Landiolol, a novel therapeutic, for the short-term reduction of ventricular rate in patients with supraventricular tachycardia, including atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter.

In August 2021, Eagle entered into a licensing agreement with AOP Health, a privately owned Austrian company devoted to the treatment of rare and special diseases, for the commercial rights to Landiolol in the United States.

 

“We are pleased to be advancing Landiolol along the regulatory pathway. Landiolol is an important hospital emergency use product, with the potential to become a market leader in this drug class, and would complement our critical care portfolio. Landiolol has never been marketed in the United States, has robust patent protection, and we anticipate five years of new chemical entity exclusivity upon approval. Based on the FDA’s responses to AOP Health’s communications, we remain on track to support the NDA next quarter,” stated Scott Tarriff, President and Chief Executive Officer of Eagle.

 

Landiolol is a short-acting, ultra-high selective beta-1 adrenoceptor blocker developed by AOP Health that has a selective effect on heart rate over cardiac contractility. Landiolol is available in two forms (20 mg/2ml concentrate, 300 mg powder) and is designed for use in emergency, cardiac critical care, operating room, and intensive care settings. It is registered in several European countries for the treatment of non-compensatory sinus tachycardia and tachycardic supraventricular arrhythmias. The drug uses a proprietary dosing algorithm to facilitate the administration.

 

Landiolol is already commercially available in Japan (Onoact®) and several European markets as RAPIBLOC®.

 

About Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Eagle is a fully integrated pharmaceutical company with research and development, clinical, manufacturing and commercial expertise. Eagle is committed to developing innovative medicines that result in meaningful improvements in patients’ lives. Eagle’s commercialized products include RYANODEX®, BENDEKA®, BELRAPZO®, and its oncology and CNS/metabolic critical care pipeline includes product candidates with the potential to address underserved therapeutic areas across multiple disease states. Additional information is available on Eagle’s website at www.eagleus.com.

 

About AOP Health

The brand AOP Health incorporates several companies: The international Healthcare Group is the European pioneer for integrated therapies for rare diseases and in critical care. Over the past 25 years, the company has become an established provider of integrated therapy solutions from its headquarters in Vienna, its subsidiaries and representative offices throughout Europe and the Middle East, as well as through partners worldwide. This development has been made possible by a continually high level of investment in research and development on the one hand and a highly consistent and pragmatic orientation towards the needs of all our stakeholders on the other – especially the patients and their families as well as also the doctors and care professionals treating them. More information at www.aop-health.com

 

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, and other securities law. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Words and phrases such as “anticipated,” “forward,” “will,” “would,” “may,” “remain,” “potential,” “prepare,” “expected,” “believe,” “plan,” “near future,” “belief,” “guidance,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, the timing of and AOP Orphan’s ability to obtain any regulatory approval of Landiolol; the anticipated benefits of Landiolol and its potential acceptance by clinicians; the timing, progress and results of additional trials of Landiolol and the ability of such trial results to support regulatory filings and approvals; anticipated actions by the FDA; the Company’s ability to support the commercial launch of Landiolol in the United States, if approved; the expected duration of new chemical entity exclusivity; the potential market opportunity for Landiolol; and the ability of the Company’s product candidates, including Landiolol, to deliver value to stockholders. All of such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the Company’s control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including interruptions or other adverse effects on clinical trials and delays in regulatory review or further disruption or delay of any pending or future litigation; delay in or failure to obtain regulatory approval of the Company’s product candidates and successful compliance with FDA, European Medicines Agency and other governmental regulations applicable to product approvals; whether the Company can successfully market and commercialize its product candidates; the success of the Company’s relationships with its partners; the outcome of litigation involving any of its products or that may have an impact on any of its products; general economic conditions, including the potential adverse effects of public health issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, on economic activity; the strength and enforceability of the Company’s intellectual property rights or the rights of third parties; the risks inherent in drug development and in conducting clinical trials; and those risks and uncertainties identified in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 5, 2021, as updated by the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2021, June 30, 2021 and September 30, 2021 filed with the SEC on May 10, 2021, August 9, 2021 and November 9, 2021, respectively, and its other subsequent filings with the SEC. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Except to the extent required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

Contacts

Investor Relations for Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc.:
Lisa M. Wilson

In-Site Communications, Inc.

T: 212-452-2793

E: lwilson@insitecony.com

Categories
Business Science

European Commission approves Merck’s KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) as adjuvant therapy for certain patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) following surgery

KEYTRUDA Is Now Approved as Monotherapy for Adults With RCC at Increased Risk of Recurrence Following Nephrectomy, or Following Nephrectomy and Resection of Metastatic Lesions

KEYTRUDA Is the First Immunotherapy Approved in Europe in the Adjuvant Setting for These Patients With RCC

 

KENILWORTH, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — $MRK #MRK–Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the European Commission has approved KEYTRUDA, Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, as monotherapy for the adjuvant treatment of adults with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) at increased risk of recurrence following nephrectomy, or following nephrectomy and resection of metastatic lesions. This approval is based on results from the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-564 trial, in which KEYTRUDA demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in disease-free survival (DFS), reducing the risk of disease recurrence or death by 32% (HR=0.68 [95% CI, 0.53-0.87]; p=0.0010) after a median follow-up of 23.9 months compared to placebo, in patients at increased risk of recurrence (defined in the clinical trial protocol as intermediate-high or high risk following nephrectomy and those with resected advanced disease).

“KEYTRUDA addresses a critical unmet need for treatment options that help patients reduce their risk of cancer returning following surgery,” said Dr. Thomas Powles, professor of Genitourinary Oncology and director of Barts Cancer Centre at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital. “The European Commission’s approval of KEYTRUDA brings certain patients with renal cell carcinoma a long-awaited therapy that has demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in the risk of disease recurrence or death by almost a third.”

 

“KEYTRUDA is the first adjuvant therapy approved for certain patients with renal cell carcinoma in Europe, providing the option of immunotherapy earlier in the course of their treatment,” said Dr. Scot Ebbinghaus, vice president, clinical research, Merck Research Laboratories. “This approval demonstrates our progress in bringing KEYTRUDA to patients with earlier stages of cancer, with the goal of helping more patients around the globe prevent disease recurrence.”

 

This approval allows marketing of KEYTRUDA monotherapy in all 27 European Union member states plus Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Northern Ireland.

 

Merck has a broad clinical development program exploring KEYTRUDA, as monotherapy or in combination, as well as several other investigational and approved medicines across multiple settings and stages of RCC, including adjuvant and advanced or metastatic disease.

 

Data Supporting the European Approval

The approval was based on data from KEYNOTE-564 (NCT03142334), a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 trial that enrolled 994 patients with increased risk of recurrence of RCC defined as intermediate-high or high risk, or M1 with no evidence of disease (NED). Patients must have undergone a partial or radical complete nephrectomy (and complete resection of solid, isolated, soft tissue metastatic lesion[s] in M1 NED participants) with negative surgical margins for at least four weeks prior to the time of screening. Patients with active autoimmune disease or a medical condition that required immunosuppression were excluded from the study. The primary efficacy outcome measure was investigator-assessed DFS. The secondary efficacy outcome measure was overall survival (OS). Patients with RCC with clear cell component were randomized (1:1) to receive KEYTRUDA 200 mg administered intravenously every three weeks (n=496) or placebo (n=498) for up to one year until disease recurrence or unacceptable toxicity.

 

At a pre-specified interim analysis with a median follow-up time of 23.9 months, KEYTRUDA demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in DFS, reducing the risk of disease recurrence or death by 32% (HR=0.68 [95% CI, 0.53-0.87]; p=0.0010) compared with placebo in patients with RCC at increased risk of recurrence following nephrectomy, or following nephrectomy and resection of metastatic lesions. Updated efficacy results with a median follow-up time of 29.7 months demonstrated KEYTRUDA reduced the risk of disease recurrence or death by 37% (HR=0.63 [95% CI, 0.50-0.80]; p<0.0001) compared with placebo. Median DFS has not been reached for either group. The trial will continue to assess OS as a secondary outcome measure.

 

The safety of KEYTRUDA as monotherapy has been evaluated in 7,148 patients with advanced melanoma, resected stage III melanoma (adjuvant therapy), non-small cell lung cancer, classical Hodgkin lymphoma, urothelial carcinoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, endometrial, gastric, small intestine, biliary, pancreatic cancer or adjuvant therapy of RCC across four doses (2 mg/kg bodyweight [bw] every three weeks, 200 mg every three weeks, or 10 mg/kg bw every two or three weeks) in clinical studies. In this patient population, the most frequent adverse reactions with KEYTRUDA were fatigue (31%), diarrhea (22%) and nausea (21%). The majority of adverse reactions reported for KEYTRUDA monotherapy were of Grades 1 or 2 severity. The most serious adverse reactions were immune-related adverse reactions and severe infusion-related reactions. The incidences of immune-related adverse reactions were 36.1% for all Grades and 8.9% for Grades 3-5 for KEYTRUDA monotherapy in the adjuvant setting (n=1,480) and 24.2% for all Grades and 6.4% for Grades 3-5 in the metastatic setting (n=5,375). No new immune-related adverse reactions were identified in the adjuvant setting.

 

About Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma is by far the most common type of kidney cancer; about nine out of 10 kidney cancer diagnoses are RCCs. Renal cell carcinoma is about twice as common in men than in women. Most cases of RCC are discovered incidentally during imaging tests for other abdominal diseases. Worldwide, it is estimated there were more than 431,000 new cases of kidney cancer diagnosed and more than 179,000 deaths from the disease in 2020. In Europe, it is estimated there were more than 138,000 new cases of kidney cancer diagnosed and more than 54,000 deaths from the disease in 2020.

 

About Merck’s Early-Stage Cancer Clinical Program

Finding cancer at an earlier stage may give patients a greater chance of long-term survival. Many cancers are considered most treatable and potentially curable in their earliest stage of disease. Building on the strong understanding of the role of KEYTRUDA in later-stage cancers, Merck is studying KEYTRUDA in earlier disease states, with approximately 20 ongoing registrational studies across multiple types of cancer.

 

About KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) Injection, 100 mg

KEYTRUDA is an anti-programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) therapy that works by increasing the ability of the body’s immune system to help detect and fight tumor cells. KEYTRUDA is a humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks the interaction between PD-1 and its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, thereby activating T lymphocytes which may affect both tumor cells and healthy cells.

 

Merck has the industry’s largest immuno-oncology clinical research program. There are currently more than 1,700 trials studying KEYTRUDA across a wide variety of cancers and treatment settings. The KEYTRUDA clinical program seeks to understand the role of KEYTRUDA across cancers and the factors that may predict a patient’s likelihood of benefitting from treatment with KEYTRUDA, including exploring several different biomarkers.

 

Selected KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) Indications in the U.S.

Melanoma

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma.

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the adjuvant treatment of adult and pediatric (12 years and older) patients with stage IIB, IIC, or III melanoma following complete resection.

 

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

KEYTRUDA, in combination with pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy, is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations.

 

KEYTRUDA, in combination with carboplatin and either paclitaxel or paclitaxel protein-bound, is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic squamous NSCLC.

 

KEYTRUDA, as a single agent, is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with NSCLC expressing PD-L1 [Tumor Proportion Score (TPS) ≥1%] as determined by an FDA-approved test, with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations, and is:

  • stage III where patients are not candidates for surgical resection or definitive chemoradiation, or
  • metastatic.

 

KEYTRUDA, as a single agent, is indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic NSCLC whose tumors express PD-L1 (TPS ≥1%) as determined by an FDA-approved test, with disease progression on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy. Patients with EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations should have disease progression on FDA-approved therapy for these aberrations prior to receiving KEYTRUDA.

 

Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer

KEYTRUDA, in combination with platinum and fluorouracil (FU), is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic or with unresectable, recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

 

KEYTRUDA, as a single agent, is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic or with unresectable, recurrent HNSCC whose tumors express PD-L1 [Combined Positive Score (CPS) ≥1] as determined by an FDA-approved test.

 

KEYTRUDA, as a single agent, is indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC with disease progression on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy.

 

Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL).

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of pediatric patients with refractory cHL, or cHL that has relapsed after 2 or more lines of therapy.

 

Primary Mediastinal Large B-Cell Lymphoma

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with refractory primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL), or who have relapsed after 2 or more prior lines of therapy.

 

KEYTRUDA is not recommended for treatment of patients with PMBCL who require urgent cytoreductive therapy.

 

Urothelial Carcinoma

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC):

  • who are not eligible for any platinum-containing chemotherapy, or
  • who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy or within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy.

 

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin-unresponsive, high-risk, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) with carcinoma in situ with or without papillary tumors who are ineligible for or have elected not to undergo cystectomy.

 

Microsatellite Instability-High or Mismatch Repair Deficient Cancer

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with unresectable or metastatic microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) solid tumors that have progressed following prior treatment and who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options.

 

This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and durability of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials. The safety and effectiveness of KEYTRUDA in pediatric patients with MSI-H central nervous system cancers have not been established.

 

Microsatellite Instability-High or Mismatch Repair Deficient Colorectal Cancer

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic MSI-H or dMMR colorectal cancer (CRC).

Gastric Cancer

 

KEYTRUDA, in combination with trastuzumab, fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-containing chemotherapy, is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma.

 

This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and durability of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.

 

Esophageal Cancer

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic esophageal or GEJ (tumors with epicenter 1 to 5 centimeters above the GEJ) carcinoma that is not amenable to surgical resection or definitive chemoradiation either:

  • in combination with platinum- and fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy, or
  • as a single agent after one or more prior lines of systemic therapy for patients with tumors of squamous cell histology that express PD-L1 (CPS ≥10) as determined by an FDA-approved test.

 

Cervical Cancer

KEYTRUDA, in combination with chemotherapy, with or without bevacizumab, is indicated for the treatment of patients with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer whose tumors express PD-L1 (CPS ≥1) as determined by an FDA-approved test.

KEYTRUDA, as a single agent, is indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer with disease progression on or after chemotherapy whose tumors express PD-L1 (CPS ≥1) as determined by an FDA-approved test.

 

Hepatocellular Carcinoma

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have been previously treated with sorafenib. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and durability of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.

 

Merkel Cell Carcinoma

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with recurrent locally advanced or metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and durability of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.

 

Renal Cell Carcinoma

KEYTRUDA, in combination with axitinib, is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the adjuvant treatment of patients with RCC at intermediate-high or high risk of recurrence following nephrectomy, or following nephrectomy and resection of metastatic lesions.

 

Tumor Mutational Burden-High Cancer

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with unresectable or metastatic tumor mutational burden-high (TMB-H) [≥10 mutations/megabase] solid tumors, as determined by an FDA-approved test, that have progressed following prior treatment and who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and durability of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials. The safety and effectiveness of KEYTRUDA in pediatric patients with TMB-H central nervous system cancers have not been established.

 

Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) or locally advanced cSCC that is not curable by surgery or radiation.

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with high-risk early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in combination with chemotherapy as neoadjuvant treatment, and then continued as a single agent as adjuvant treatment after surgery.

KEYTRUDA, in combination with chemotherapy, is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally recurrent unresectable or metastatic TNBC whose tumors express PD-L1 (CPS ≥10) as determined by an FDA-approved test.

 

Selected Important Safety Information for KEYTRUDA

Severe and Fatal Immune-Mediated Adverse Reactions

KEYTRUDA is a monoclonal antibody that belongs to a class of drugs that bind to either the PD-1 or the PD-L1, blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway, thereby removing inhibition of the immune response, potentially breaking peripheral tolerance and inducing immune-mediated adverse reactions. Immune-mediated adverse reactions, which may be severe or fatal, can occur in any organ system or tissue, can affect more than one body system simultaneously, and can occur at any time after starting treatment or after discontinuation of treatment. Important immune-mediated adverse reactions listed here may not include all possible severe and fatal immune-mediated adverse reactions.

 

Monitor patients closely for symptoms and signs that may be clinical manifestations of underlying immune-mediated adverse reactions. Early identification and management are essential to ensure safe use of anti–PD-1/PD-L1 treatments. Evaluate liver enzymes, creatinine, and thyroid function at baseline and periodically during treatment. For patients with TNBC treated with KEYTRUDA in the neoadjuvant setting, monitor blood cortisol at baseline, prior to surgery, and as clinically indicated. In cases of suspected immune-mediated adverse reactions, initiate appropriate workup to exclude alternative etiologies, including infection. Institute medical management promptly, including specialty consultation as appropriate.

 

Withhold or permanently discontinue KEYTRUDA depending on severity of the immune-mediated adverse reaction. In general, if KEYTRUDA requires interruption or discontinuation, administer systemic corticosteroid therapy (1 to 2 mg/kg/day prednisone or equivalent) until improvement to Grade 1 or less. Upon improvement to Grade 1 or less, initiate corticosteroid taper and continue to taper over at least 1 month. Consider administration of other systemic immunosuppressants in patients whose adverse reactions are not controlled with corticosteroid therapy.

 

Immune-Mediated Pneumonitis

KEYTRUDA can cause immune-mediated pneumonitis. The incidence is higher in patients who have received prior thoracic radiation. Immune-mediated pneumonitis occurred in 3.4% (94/2799) of patients receiving KEYTRUDA, including fatal (0.1%), Grade 4 (0.3%), Grade 3 (0.9%), and Grade 2 (1.3%) reactions. Systemic corticosteroids were required in 67% (63/94) of patients. Pneumonitis led to permanent discontinuation of KEYTRUDA in 1.3% (36) and withholding in 0.9% (26) of patients. All patients who were withheld reinitiated KEYTRUDA after symptom improvement; of these, 23% had recurrence. Pneumonitis resolved in 59% of the 94 patients.

 

Pneumonitis occurred in 8% (31/389) of adult patients with cHL receiving KEYTRUDA as a single agent, including Grades 3-4 in 2.3% of patients. Patients received high-dose corticosteroids for a median duration of 10 days (range: 2 days to 53 months). Pneumonitis rates were similar in patients with and without prior thoracic radiation. Pneumonitis led to discontinuation of KEYTRUDA in 5.4% (21) of patients. Of the patients who developed pneumonitis, 42% interrupted KEYTRUDA, 68% discontinued KEYTRUDA, and 77% had resolution.

 

Immune-Mediated Colitis

KEYTRUDA can cause immune-mediated colitis, which may present with diarrhea. Cytomegalovirus infection/reactivation has been reported in patients with corticosteroid-refractory immune-mediated colitis. In cases of corticosteroid-refractory colitis, consider repeating infectious workup to exclude alternative etiologies. Immune-mediated colitis occurred in 1.7% (48/2799) of patients receiving KEYTRUDA, including Grade 4 (<0.1%), Grade 3 (1.1%), and Grade 2 (0.4%) reactions. Systemic corticosteroids were required in 69% (33/48); additional immunosuppressant therapy was required in 4.2% of patients. Colitis led to permanent discontinuation of KEYTRUDA in 0.5% (15) and withholding in 0.5% (13) of patients. All patients who were withheld reinitiated KEYTRUDA after symptom improvement; of these, 23% had recurrence. Colitis resolved in 85% of the 48 patients.

 

Hepatotoxicity and Immune-Mediated Hepatitis

KEYTRUDA as a Single Agent

KEYTRUDA can cause immune-mediated hepatitis. Immune-mediated hepatitis occurred in 0.7% (19/2799) of patients receiving KEYTRUDA, including Grade 4 (<0.1%), Grade 3 (0.4%), and Grade 2 (0.1%) reactions. Systemic corticosteroids were required in 68% (13/19) of patients; additional immunosuppressant therapy was required in 11% of patients. Hepatitis led to permanent discontinuation of KEYTRUDA in 0.2% (6) and withholding in 0.3% (9) of patients. All patients who were withheld reinitiated KEYTRUDA after symptom improvement; of these, none had recurrence. Hepatitis resolved in 79% of the 19 patients.

 

KEYTRUDA With Axitinib

First-line treatment of advanced RCC in combination therapy with axitinib (KEYNOTE-426)

KEYTRUDA in combination with axitinib can cause hepatic toxicity. Monitor liver enzymes before initiation of and periodically throughout treatment. Consider monitoring more frequently as compared to when the drugs are administered as single agents. For elevated liver enzymes, interrupt KEYTRUDA and axitinib, and consider administering corticosteroids as needed. With the combination of KEYTRUDA and axitinib, Grades 3 and 4 increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (20%) and increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (13%) were seen at a higher frequency compared to KEYTRUDA alone. Fifty-nine percent of the patients with increased ALT received systemic corticosteroids. In patients with ALT ≥3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (Grades 2-4, n=116), ALT resolved to Grades 0-1 in 94%. Among the 92 patients who were rechallenged with either KEYTRUDA (n=3) or axitinib (n=34) administered as a single agent or with both (n=55), recurrence of ALT ≥3 times ULN was observed in 1 patient receiving KEYTRUDA, 16 patients receiving axitinib, and 24 patients receiving both. All patients with a recurrence of ALT ≥3 ULN subsequently recovered from the event.

 

Immune-Mediated Endocrinopathies

 

Adrenal Insufficiency

KEYTRUDA can cause primary or secondary adrenal insufficiency. For Grade 2 or higher, initiate symptomatic treatment, including hormone replacement as clinically indicated. Withhold KEYTRUDA depending on severity. Adrenal insufficiency occurred in 0.8% (22/2799) of patients receiving KEYTRUDA, including Grade 4 (<0.1%), Grade 3 (0.3%), and Grade 2 (0.3%) reactions. Systemic corticosteroids were required in 77% (17/22) of patients; of these, the majority remained on systemic corticosteroids. Adrenal insufficiency led to permanent discontinuation of KEYTRUDA in <0.1% (1) and withholding in 0.3% (8) of patients. All patients who were withheld reinitiated KEYTRUDA after symptom improvement.

 

Hypophysitis

KEYTRUDA can cause immune-mediated hypophysitis. Hypophysitis can present with acute symptoms associated with mass effect such as headache, photophobia, or visual field defects. Hypophysitis can cause hypopituitarism.

Contacts

Media Contacts:

Melissa Moody

(215) 407-3536

John Infanti

(609) 500-4714

Investor Contacts:

Peter Dannenbaum

(908) 740-1037

Damini Chokshi

(908) 740-1807

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Categories
Healthcare Science

Tevogen Bio™ to study potential use of its T cell technology in Epstein-Barr Virus and multiple sclerosis

METUCHEN, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #EBVTevogen Bio, a clinical stage biotechnology company specializing in cell and gene therapies in oncology and viral infections, today announced its intention to study its proprietary off-the-shelf T cell technology to develop therapeutic solutions for multiple sclerosis (MS) by developing Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Multiple sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, for which there is currently no definitive cure.

“Recent studies on multiple sclerosis have suggested a probable link between latent infection with EBV and later onset of the inflammation that degrades the myelin sheath and causes multiple sclerosis,” said Neal Flomenberg, M.D., Chairman of Tevogen’s Scientific Advisory Board. “We look to apply our significant expertise in off-the-shelf allogeneic SARS-CoV-2 specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) to explore EBV specific CTL therapy as a possible means of addressing the unmet needs of MS patients,” Flomenberg added.

 

“Anyone that knows someone who has been impacted by this debilitating disease understands the importance of advancing science to develop pathways to alleviate the suffering from MS,” said Tevogen CEO Ryan Saadi, M.D., M.P.H. “I’m hopeful that our disruptive T cell technology will eventually offer accessible immunotherapies to millions suffering from viral infections, cancers and other diseases with high unmet need.”

 

About Tevogen’s Investigational T Cell Therapy for COVID-19

Tevogen’s investigational T cell therapy for COVID-19, TVGN-489, is currently undergoing proof of concept clinical trial at Jefferson University Hospitals in Philadelphia. Trial details are available at Clinical Trials – Tevogen.

 

TVGN-489 is a highly purified, SARS-CoV-2-specific cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocyte product, which detects targets spread across the entire viral genome. These targeted CTLs are expected to recognize and kill off virally infected cells, allowing the body to replace them with healthy, uninfected cells. TVGN-489 demonstrated strong activity against SARS-CoV-2 targets in preclinical studies.

 

About Tevogen Bio

Tevogen Bio is driven by a team of distinguished scientists and highly experienced biopharmaceutical leaders who have successfully developed and commercialized multiple franchises. Tevogen’s leadership believes that accessible personalized immunotherapies are the next frontier of medicine, and that disruptive business models are required to sustain medical innovation in the post-pandemic world.

 

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to Tevogen Bio™ Inc.’s (the “Company”) development and patient access of its innovations in infectious diseases and oncology. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs as of the date of this release and are subject to a number of factors which involve known and unknown risks, delays, uncertainties and other factors not under the company’s control which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from the results, performance or other expectations implied by these forward-looking statements. In any forward-looking statement in which the Company expresses an expectation or belief as to future results, such expectations or beliefs are expressed in good faith and are believed to have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that the statement or expectation or belief will be achieved. These factors include results of current or pending clinical trials, risks associated with intellectual property protection, financial projections, sales, pricing and actions by the FDA/EMA. The Company undertakes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or any of the information in this release, or provide additional information, and expressly disclaims any and all liability and make no representations or warranties in connection herewith or with respect to any omissions herefrom.

Contacts

Media:

Katelyn Joyce

Corporate Communications Lead

Katelyn.joyce@tevogen.com

Categories
Business Science

Stevenson Search Partners launches rebrand, reinforcing its evolution and legacy in global life science executive search

Fast-growing life science sector requires a trusted, agile and collaborative partner to support innovation and revolutionary medical developments

 

FORT LEE, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Stevenson Search Partners (formerly The Stevenson Group), a global life science executive search firm, announced today the launch of a company-wide rebranding, including a new name, logo, visual identity and website, to reflect its evolution into a modern and dynamic next generation search partner for life science companies. The refreshed branding reinforces the company’s mission to find and deliver executive talent who inspire, innovate and make a real impact across the biotech, pharmaceutical, medical/healthcare technology and CRO/CDMO sectors.

The new name reflects who the company has been for more than 40 years (Stevenson), what it does (Search), and its important driving philosophy (Partner). The visual identity represents the energy, connections and authenticity of the company, and, the revamped website presents its expertise, diversity as well as client stories. Together, they point Stevenson forward into an exciting, dynamic industry which it has spent decades serving and strengthening.

 

“We are thrilled to begin 2022 with a renewed brand, energy and commitment to providing leading edge talent to our partners across the globe,” said Adam Bloom, President and Chief Executive Officer, Stevenson Search Partners. “By enabling life science companies to harness the best talent and the brightest minds, we’re hoping to strengthen the entire segment, igniting more innovation and advancements across the globe. That’s good not only for our clients, but for patients and our healthcare environment overall.”

 

The recent significant growth in the global life science industry – fueled in part by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as revolutionary medical and biotech developments – has created heightened demand for innovation and new talent. In 2021, funding to the healthcare, biopharma, and health-tech sectors set new records, nearly doubling 2020 totals, and providing a large pool of capital to support investments and advancements over the next several years1.

 

The industry has also risen to meet the critical COVID-19 challenges, including the development of new MRNA technology and efficacious, life-saving vaccines and therapeutics in an unprecedented and expedited timeframe. Stevenson’s updated branding embodies its passion and commitment to supporting the remarkable life science professionals who are dedicated to advancing medicines, improving lives and making a difference.

 

The company’s entrepreneurial and diversity-driven culture, with its expansive industry expertise and broad international reach, continue to set it apart as a long-term strategic partner and champion. In 2020, Stevenson expanded its operations with the opening of an office in the United Kingdom, which also serves the European Union and other regions, as part of its strategic growth in the global life science and healthcare area.

 

“This is an important time for the life science industry, and our UK office presence now better positions us to serve our clients with enhanced access, efficiencies and understanding of local markets,” said Renu Vijh, Ph.D., Partner, Stevenson Search Partners. “It is further proof of our momentum and differentiation in the marketplace as we continue to widen our global network and expertise.”

 

About Stevenson Search Partners

With more 40 years of experience, Stevenson Search Partners (formerly The Stevenson Group) is a trusted executive search advisor servicing the global biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical technology, health technology and CRO/CDMO sectors, with offices in the US and the UK. Dedicated to finding executive talent who will drive innovation across the life science industry, Stevenson’s expertise includes C-Suite, Research, Clinical, Development, Commercial Manufacturing and Corporate functions, and working with companies ranging from start-ups and academic spinouts to large pharma clients. Stevenson provides a unique collaborative, long-term approach to its clients with a global network and strategic talent mapping and pipelining and competitive analysis services. Stevenson Search Partners is committed to actively supporting, strengthening, and promoting diversity — to its clients, in its own organization, and across the life science ecosystem. For more information, visit stevensonsearch.com.

 

References:

  1. 2022 SVB Financial Group Report

Contacts

Media Contact:

Robin Traum
Lipson Communications
845.558.7422
Robin@lipsoncommunications.com