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FDA Approves Tevimbra-Chemotherapy Combination for First-Line Treatment of Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

  • The FDA has approved BeiGene's Tevimbra (tislelizumab-jsgr) in combination with platinum-containing chemotherapy for first-line treatment of adults with unresectable or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma whose tumors express PD-L1.
  • In the pivotal RATIONALE-306 trial, patients treated with Tevimbra plus chemotherapy demonstrated a median overall survival of 16.8 months compared to 9.6 months with chemotherapy alone, representing a 34% reduction in risk of death.
  • This marks BeiGene's third FDA approval in less than a year, following previous approvals for Tevimbra in second-line ESCC and first-line gastric/gastroesophageal junction cancers, highlighting the company's expanding oncology portfolio.

Galderma's Phase III OLYMPIA 1 Trial Results Show Nemolizumab Significantly Improves Prurigo Nodularis Symptoms

• Newly published results in JAMA Dermatology demonstrate nemolizumab monotherapy significantly improved itch intensity and skin lesions in patients with moderate-to-severe prurigo nodularis compared to placebo.
• The OLYMPIA 1 trial showed rapid response as early as Week 4, with over six times more nemolizumab-treated patients achieving itch response and twenty times more reaching an itch-free or nearly itch-free state compared to placebo.
• Based on the OLYMPIA clinical trial program, nemolizumab (Nemluvio®) received FDA approval for adult prurigo nodularis in August 2024, with additional regulatory reviews ongoing worldwide.

Düsseldorf UPC Ruling Clarifies "Imminent Infringement" Standards for Biosimilars

  • The Düsseldorf Local Division of the Unified Patent Court has issued a significant ruling that establishes clearer standards for determining "imminent infringement" in pharmaceutical patent cases.
  • In the Novartis/Genentech v. Celltrion case, the court ruled that obtaining marketing authorization and promoting a biosimilar at conferences are insufficient to constitute imminent infringement without completed pricing negotiations.
  • The decision provides important guidance for pharmaceutical companies, indicating that patent holders must demonstrate that all pre-launch preparations have been completed before claiming imminent infringement.

LEO Pharma's Temtokibart Shows Comparable Efficacy to Dupilumab in Phase 2a Atopic Dermatitis Trial

  • LEO Pharma's investigational IL-22 inhibitor temtokibart demonstrated comparable clinical improvements to dupilumab in a 16-week phase 2a trial for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis.
  • Temtokibart achieved faster and greater improvements in skin hydration and natural moisturizing factors compared to dupilumab, with significant benefits observed within one week.
  • The findings suggest IL-22 pathway inhibition represents a novel therapeutic approach beyond Type 2 inflammation targeting for atopic dermatitis treatment.
  • LEO Pharma has completed recruitment for a phase 2b dose-finding trial with results expected in Q1 2025.
NCT03100344CompletedPhase 2
Galderma R&D
Posted 6/14/2017
NCT05905133Active, Not RecruitingPhase 2
Suzhou Connect Biopharmaceuticals, Ltd.
Posted 7/15/2023
NCT06162507CompletedPhase 1
Keymed Biosciences Co.Ltd
Posted 12/22/2023
NCT06116565Not Yet RecruitingPhase 2
Keymed Biosciences Co.Ltd
Posted 3/30/2024
NCT06495229Not Yet RecruitingPhase 3
Keymed Biosciences Co.Ltd
Posted 8/30/2024
NCT05265923CompletedPhase 3
Keymed Biosciences Co.Ltd
Posted 4/22/2022
NCT05932654CompletedPhase 2
Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc.
Posted 7/31/2023
NCT01986933CompletedPhase 2
Chugai Pharmaceutical
Posted 11/1/2013
NCT04893707CompletedPhase 2
Keymed Biosciences Co.Ltd
Posted 6/7/2021
NCT03161288CompletedPhase 1
Kymab Limited
Posted 5/29/2017
NCT06277765Not Yet RecruitingPhase 3
Keymed Biosciences Co.Ltd
Posted 5/30/2024
NCT03721263CompletedPhase 1
ASLAN Pharmaceuticals
Posted 10/15/2018

GV20 Therapeutics Reports First Clinical Data for AI-Designed Checkpoint Inhibitor GV20-0251 in Advanced Solid Tumors

  • GV20 Therapeutics presented Phase 1 data for GV20-0251, marking the first clinical results for an AI-designed antibody targeting an AI-predicted immune checkpoint IGSF8.
  • The study enrolled 38 heavily pre-treated patients and demonstrated favorable safety with no dose-limiting toxicities across all dose levels from 0.5 to 20 mg/kg.
  • Two confirmed partial responses were observed in 12 evaluable metastatic cutaneous melanoma patients, with 14 of 29 patients showing stable disease including tumor shrinkage.
  • The drug showed dose-proportional pharmacokinetics with a 25.6-day half-life and full target occupancy on circulating T cells at doses ≥3 mg/kg.

Roche's PiaSky Approved in EU as First Monthly Self-Administered Treatment for Paroxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria

  • The European Commission has approved PiaSky (crovalimab), the first monthly subcutaneous treatment for paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH), offering patients the option to self-administer following training.
  • PiaSky utilizes innovative recycling antibody technology developed by Chugai Pharmaceutical, allowing it to bind to C5 protein multiple times and remain effective longer with a small volume of medicine.
  • Clinical trials demonstrated PiaSky's non-inferiority to eculizumab, the current standard of care, while potentially reducing treatment burden through less frequent administration and eliminating the need for regular clinic visits.

Enzene Biosciences Establishes $50 Million New Jersey Manufacturing Facility with Continuous Biologics Platform

  • Enzene Biosciences, a subsidiary of Alkem Laboratories, has opened a $50 million biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Hopewell, New Jersey, marking the company's first location outside India.
  • The 54,000-square-foot facility features EnzeneX™, the company's fully-connected continuous manufacturing platform validated for commercial biologics supply, aimed at reducing production costs.
  • The company appointed Norm Stoffregen as SVP and site head to lead operations, with plans to employ 300 workers by end of 2025 and expand bioreactor capacity.
  • Enzene aims to reduce monoclonal antibody production costs to below $40 per gram by 2025 through its innovative continuous manufacturing technology.

Breakthrough Immunotherapy Combination Shows Promise Against Common Colorectal Cancer in Phase 1 Trial

  • A phase 1 trial of 148 patients demonstrated that the combination of botensilimab and balstilimab immunotherapy drugs successfully treated microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer, the most common form that has historically not responded to immunotherapy.
  • The study found that 61% of patients experienced tumor shrinkage or stabilization after six months of treatment, marking the first time consistent and durable responses to immunotherapy have been reported in this difficult-to-treat patient population.
  • The treatment was well-tolerated with common side effects including diarrhea and fatigue, and showed particular effectiveness in patients without liver metastases.
  • Agenus Inc. is planning to seek FDA approval and has initiated a phase 3 clinical trial, potentially offering new hope for colorectal cancer patients who face limited treatment options.
NCT03860272Active, Not RecruitingPhase 1
Agenus Inc.
Posted 3/20/2019

Global Breast Cancer Therapeutics Market Expected to Reach $78.61 Billion by 2033

• The global breast cancer therapeutics market, valued at $32.93 billion in 2023, is projected to reach $78.61 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 9.09% over the next decade.
• North America dominates the market with a 38.61% revenue share, driven by high breast cancer prevalence and presence of key pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, Roche, and Novartis.
• Targeted therapies hold the largest market segment at 64.85%, with hormone receptor-positive treatments accounting for 66.97% of the market as precision medicine approaches gain traction.

Novartis' Ianalumab Advances in Phase 3 Trial for Lupus Nephritis as CDSCO Approves Protocol Amendment

  • India's CDSCO expert committee has approved Novartis' protocol amendment for the Phase 3 SIRIUS-LN trial evaluating ianalumab in patients with active lupus nephritis.
  • Ianalumab is a novel BAFF-targeting monoclonal antibody that prevents BAFF signaling through its receptor and depletes BAFF-R-expressing B-cells through antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity.
  • The approval follows Novartis' presentation of protocol amendment version 03 dated December 14, 2023, potentially accelerating the development pathway for this investigational therapy for autoimmune conditions.
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