PHARMA TECH
Fusion | October 23, 2021
Fusion Pharmaceuticals a clinical-stage oncology company focused on developing next-generation radiopharmaceuticals as precision medicines, today announced the presentation of preclinical data that provide further support of its FPI-1966 and FPI-2059 targeted alpha therapies at the 34th Annual European Association of Nuclear Medicine Congress. These data reinforce the clinical dosing regimen of FPI-1966 and highlight the potential of FPI-2059 as an actinium-225 labelled precision medicine targeting NTSR1.
"These data demonstrate the broad potential of our TAT platform across multiple validated targets overexpressed in a variety of solid tumors, We are pleased to share preclinical efficacy and tumor uptake data resulting from the administration of FPI-1966, and we believe strongly that this data will translate into meaningful results for patients with solid tumors overexpressing FGFR3 – a population with high unmet medical need. We look forward to initiating the Phase 1 study around the end of this year."
Chief Executive Officer John Valliant, Ph.D
Data from preclinical studies of FPI-1966, a TAT designed to target and deliver actinium-225 to cancer cells expressing FGFR3, were presented in an oral presentation titled, "FGFR3 Targeted Alpha Therapeutic [225Ac]-FPI-1966 induces regression in preclinical bladder xenograft model". Outcomes demonstrated that FPI-1966 when administered with vofatamab results in high tumor delivery and low off-target uptake. Further, the data showed therapeutic efficacy of FPI-1966 at both single and multiple doses in a preclinical bladder cancer xenograft model.
Data from preclinical studies of FPI-2059, a TAT designed to target and deliver actinium-225 to cancer cells expressing neurotensin receptor 1 (NTSR1), were presented in an oral presentation titled "NTSR1 Targeted Alpha Therapeutic [225Ac]-FPI-2059 induces regression in preclinical colorectal xenograft model". The study results include a head-to-head comparison of therapeutic efficacy obtained from FPI-2059, which delivers an alpha emitting isotope, with [177Lu]-IPN-1087, which delivers a beta emitting isotope on the same targeting molecule. Results demonstrate superior efficacy with [225Ac]-FPI-2059 in a mouse xenograft model of colorectal cancer.
Dr. Valliant continued, "Our science is based on the belief that alpha-emitting isotopes can provide significant therapeutic advantages compared to other commonly used radioisotopes. Preclinical results from our FPI-2059 product candidate provide further validation of this belief and support the diversification of our product portfolio to comprise multiple targeting vehicle types, including small molecules. We are pleased to be advancing further preclinical studies of FPI-2059 as we approach an investigational new drug (IND) filing in the first half of 2022."
About FPI-1966
[225Ac]-FPI-1966 is a targeted alpha therapy designed to target and deliver an alpha emitting medical isotope, actinium-225, to cancer cells expressing FGFR3; a receptor that is overexpressed on several tumor types, including head and neck and bladder cancers. FPI-1966 utilizes Fusion's Fast-Clear™ linker to connect vofatamab, the human monoclonal antibody that targets FGFR3, with actinium-225. Vofatamab was previously evaluated as a therapeutic agent in a Phase 1b/2 trial and was reportedly well-tolerated. FPI-1966 is advancing to a Phase 1 study following the recent investigational new drug (IND) clearance
About FPI-2059
FPI-2059 is a targeted alpha therapy combining actinium-225 with IPN-1087, for development as a targeted alpha therapy for various solid tumors. The molecule targets NTSR1, a promising target for cancer treatment, that is overexpressed in multiple solid tumors. IPN-1087 was in Phase 1 clinical development as a lutetium-177-based radiopharmaceutical for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, colorectal cancer and gastric cancers expressing NTSR1. Fusion expects to submit an IND for FPI-2059 in the first half of 2022.
About Fusion
Fusion Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage oncology company focused on developing next-generation radiopharmaceuticals as precision medicines. Employing a proprietary Fast-Clear™ linker technology, Fusion connects alpha particle emitting isotopes to various targeting molecules in order to selectively deliver the alpha emitting payloads to tumors. Fusion's lead program, FPI-1434 targeting insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor, is currently in a Phase 1 clinical trial. The pipeline includes FPI-1966, targeting the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3), advancing to a Phase 1 study following the recent investigational new drug (IND) clearance; and FPI-2059, a small molecule targeting neurotensin receptor 1 (NTSR1). In addition to a robust proprietary pipeline, Fusion has a collaboration with AstraZeneca to jointly develop novel targeted alpha therapies (TATs) and combination programs between Fusion's TATs and AstraZeneca's DNA Damage Repair Inhibitors (DDRis) and immuno-oncology agents. Fusion has also entered into a collaboration with Merck to evaluate FPI-1434 in combination with Merck's KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) in patients with solid tumors expressing IGF-1R. Fusion and Hamilton, Ontario-based McMaster University are building a current Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliant radiopharmaceutical manufacturing facility designed to support manufacturing of the Company's growing pipeline of TATs.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to the statements regarding Fusion Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s (the "Company") future business and financial performance. For this purpose, any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, the words "expect," "plans," "anticipates," "intends," "will," and similar expressions are also intended to identify forward-looking statements, as are expressed or implied statements with respect to the uncertainties inherent in the drug development process, including FPI-1966 and FPI-2059 early stage of development; the ability to move in-licensed targets forward in the clinic; the process of designing and conducting preclinical and clinical trials; the regulatory approval processes; the timing of regulatory filings; and the challenges associated with manufacturing drug products generally and radiopharmaceuticals specifically. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. These and other risks which may impact management's expectations are described in greater detail under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 as filed with the SEC and in any subsequent periodic or current report that the Company files with the SEC. All forward-looking statements reflect the Company's estimates only as of the date of this release (unless another date is indicated) and should not be relied upon as reflecting the Company's views, expectations or beliefs at any date subsequent to the date of this release. While Fusion may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, even if the Company's estimates change.
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PHARMA TECH
Invitae | September 07, 2021
Invitae , a leading medical genetics company, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Ciitizen, a patient-centric consumer health tech company. Backed by a16z, Section 32 and Verily, Ciitizen is working to build a global platform to help patients collect, organize, store and share their medical records digitally. The acquisition would enhance Invitae's platform by providing patients an easy-to-use, centralized hub for their genomic and clinical information, which together comprise a powerful dataset with the potential to drive research and improve healthcare decision making.
"Invitae is relentlessly pursuing a day when genetics is used routinely to improve healthcare for billions of people around the globe. We believe combining Ciitizen's state-of-the-art, transparent and patient-consented platform with our technologies and services will accelerate our evolution into a genome information company that informs healthcare throughout one's life. This would give us the ability to engage patients, create an innovative patient-centered data ecosystem and deliver better outcomes for everyone. Invitae views the acquisition of Ciitizen as an important part of its strategy to be the industry leader across the genetic testing, software and health information technology spaces," said Sean George, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of Invitae.
"Ciitizen has already helped patients take ownership of their medical records to optimize therapy for themselves and contribute their data towards a variety of goals, including research on rare diseases," said Anil Sethi, CEO and founder of Ciitizen. "Patients leave a breadcrumb trail of records behind them, and we believe access to this real-world data is key to personalized therapeutics in the future. The combination of lifelong health history together with Invitae's world-class genetic and data services would enable a digital ecosystem of personalized services for each patient. Democratization of patient-consented data is expected to improve outcomes by providing access to third-parties for whom the patient has granted consent. Unlike many health data companies, we operate on the premise that it's the patient's data, not ours."
Invitae is working to aggregate results from the world's genetic tests into a single, easy-to-use service that makes genetic information accessible to all who can benefit from it - always with patient consent. Over the past five years, Invitae has completed 13 acquisitions that have expanded its testing menu, lowered the cost of its tests, improved its customer experience and enhanced its ability to attract partners. Invitae raised more than $1.4 billion since the beginning of 2021, in part to identify and acquire key assets that bring the company closer to delivering on its vision.
The addition of Ciitizen is expected to empower Invitae to more quickly extend its platform, adding a complementary patient service that streamlines the process of collecting and organizing health information from any source and uses machine learning to transform the unstructured (and largely untapped) health information to enable better care decisions, find clinical trials, and power research using real-world evidence. In addition, as the use of Invitae testing and the Ciitizen service expands, third-party access to consented genomic and other clinical data can be democratized to power a variety of applications that can enhance Invitae's business and growth strategy.
About Invitae
Invitae Corporation is a leading medical genetics company, whose mission is to bring comprehensive genetic information into mainstream medicine to improve healthcare for billions of people. Invitae's goal is to aggregate the world's genetic tests into a single service with higher quality, faster turnaround time, and lower prices.
About Ciitizen
Ciitizen is a patient-centric consumer health technology platform that enables patients to collect, store and share their medical records in a single location. Ciitizen developed proprietary machine learning and AI technologies to abstract critical information from unstructured health records to advance the understanding of diseases, match patients with potentially life-saving clinical trials, and enable better care decisions. Ciitizen also provides valuable big data analytics and data quality technologies to the network of Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) to produce research-ready, regulatory-grade data within minutes, instead of hours or days, and ensure HIEs can comply with the Information Blocking regulations.
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BUSINESS INSIGHTS
Innovent Biologics | September 02, 2021
Innovent Biologics, Inc., a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high quality medicines for the treatment of cancer, metabolic, autoimmune and other major diseases, and GenFleet Therapeutics (Shanghai) Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing cutting-edge therapies in oncology and immunology, today jointly announced that they have entered into an exclusive license agreement for the development and commercialization of GenFleet's lead KRAS G12C candidate, GFH925 in China, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan with additional option-in rights for global development and commercialization.
GFH925, GenFleet's lead KRAS G12C candidate, has recently received Investigational New Drug (IND) approval from National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in China. Preclinical data showed that GFH925 has potential best-in-class activity that can effectively inhibit the growth of a variety of tumor cell lines carrying the KRAS G12C mutation, which may be helpful in accelerating the clinical validation of GFH925. In addition, other preclinical data have also demonstrated the potent potential for GFH925 in combination therapies.
According to the agreement, Innovent will be responsible for clinical development and commercialization of GFH925 in China, while retaining option-in right for development and commercialization outside of China as well. Following approval of a New Drug Application (NDA), Innovent will leverage its broad commercialization capability that includes an experienced commercialization team with extensive nationwide coverage to roll out GFH925, with the goal to benefit cancer patients in China. GenFleet will continue to be responsible for supplying GFH925 for both development and commercial purposes in China.
GenFleet will receive an upfront payment of US$22 million at signing. If Innovent exercises the option-in rights, GenFleet will receive up to US$50 million of global development support from Innovent. Upon achieving certain pre-specified milestones in development, registration, and annual sales performance of GFH925 globally, GenFleet is eligible to receive up to US$240 million in milestone payments in addition to tiered royalties based on annual net sales of GFH925 both in China and global markets.
About GFH925 (KRAS G12C Inhibitor)
Being developed by GenFleet Therapeutics, GFH925 is a novel, orally active, potent KRAS G12C inhibitor designed to effectively target the GTP/GDP exchange, an essential step in pathway activation, by modifying the cysteine residue of KRAS G12C protein covalently and irreversibly. Preclinical cysteine selectivity studies demonstrated high selectivity of GFH925 towards G12C. Subsequently, GFH925 effectively inhibits the downstream signal pathway to induce tumor cells' apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.
About Innovent
Inspired by the spirit of "Start with Integrity, Succeed through Action," Innovent's mission is to develop, manufacture and commercialize high-quality biopharmaceutical products that are affordable to ordinary people. Established in 2011, Innovent is committed to developing, manufacturing and commercializing high-quality innovative medicines for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune, metabolic and other major diseases. On October 31, 2018, Innovent was listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited with the stock code: 01801.HK. Since its inception, Innovent has developed a fully integrated multi-functional platform which includes R&D, CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls), clinical development and commercialization capabilities. Leveraging the platform, the company has built a robust pipeline of 26 valuable assets in the fields of cancer, metabolic, autoimmune disease and other major therapeutic areas, with 5 products.
About GenFleet Therapeutics
Dedicated to serving significant unmet medical needs, GenFleet Therapeutics established its proprietary R&D platform based on the deep understanding of disease biology, translational medicine, as well as researches into latest biological mechanism of cancer pathways, tumor microenvironment and human immunoregulation. GenFleet's rich and diversified pipeline highlights multiple cutting-edge products with novel mechanisms and global IP. Since its inception in 2017, GenFleet has built up industry-leading capabilities and expertise in developing novel drug candidates - both small molecules and biologics. Its pipeline includes over 13 programs in development, four of which have entered clinical stages. GenFleet is expected progress additional programs into clinics, as well as transition from a clinical stage biotech company into a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company in the next 3-5 years.
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