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Clinical Trial News

Triplet Therapy Shows Superior Efficacy in BRAF-Mutant Melanoma Brain Metastases

  • The triplet combination of encorafenib, binimetinib, and nivolumab achieved a median progression-free survival of 6.2 months compared to 1.5 months with nivolumab plus ipilimumab in BRAF V600-mutant melanoma brain metastases.
  • Intracranial response rates were significantly higher with the triplet regimen at 75% versus 13% with the standard immunotherapy doublet.
  • The phase 2 SWOG S2000 trial represents the first randomized study comparing treatment approaches in this challenging patient population with historically poor outcomes.

Capstan Therapeutics Initiates First-in-Human Trial of Novel In Vivo CAR-T Therapy for Autoimmune Diseases

  • Capstan Therapeutics has successfully dosed the first participants in a Phase 1 trial of CPTX2309, an innovative in vivo CAR-T therapy targeting B cell-mediated autoimmune disorders.
  • CPTX2309 uses targeted lipid nanoparticles to deliver anti-CD19 CAR mRNA directly to CD8+ T cells, eliminating the need for chemotherapy, cell manipulation, or viral vectors.
  • The therapy demonstrated rapid, deep, and transient B cell depletion in preclinical studies, with B cell repopulation occurring predominantly with naïve B cells.
  • The Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers will evaluate safety, tolerability, and pharmacodynamic activity to determine optimal dosing for future autoimmune disease studies.

Oncolytics Biotech Appoints $2B Deal Architect as CEO to Advance Pelareorep Immunotherapy

  • Oncolytics Biotech has appointed Jared Kelly as CEO, leveraging his expertise from orchestrating the $2 billion sale of Ambrx Biopharma to Johnson & Johnson.
  • The company's lead immunotherapy pelareorep has achieved FDA Fast Track designation for metastatic pancreatic and breast cancers, with >60% objective response rates in pancreatic cancer trials.
  • Pelareorep demonstrated survival benefits 4-6 times higher than historical controls in pancreatic cancer and meaningful survival improvements in over 100 metastatic breast cancer patients.
  • The appointment aims to accelerate pelareorep's development toward registrational studies and potential strategic partnerships in the immunotherapy space.

Novo Nordisk Launches New Phase 3 Trial for CagriSema Following Mixed REDEFINE 1 Results

  • Novo Nordisk has initiated a new Phase 3 trial for CagriSema, its next-generation weight loss drug, after the previous REDEFINE 1 trial showed disappointing results with up to 23% weight loss over 68 weeks.
  • The new study will test CagriSema's efficacy in weight loss and long-term weight maintenance in approximately 600 adults with obesity over a three-year period.
  • The trial officially began on June 3 and is structured in two parts, with the primary endpoint measuring percentage change in body weight over 80 weeks.
  • Novo Nordisk stock rallied following the announcement as investors view this as another opportunity to demonstrate CagriSema's potential in the competitive obesity treatment market.

Cantargia's Nadunolimab Receives FDA Fast Track Designation for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

  • The FDA has granted Fast Track Designation to nadunolimab, Cantargia's anti-IL1RAP antibody, for treating previously untreated metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with high IL1RAP expression levels.
  • The designation follows strong clinical data from the CANFOUR study showing 35% two-year survival, 14.2 months overall survival, and 48% overall response rate in patients with high IL1RAP expression.
  • Fast Track Designation provides benefits including more frequent FDA meetings, eligibility for Accelerated Approval and Priority Review, and rolling review opportunities for the Biologic License Application.
  • The recognition addresses the high unmet medical need in metastatic pancreatic cancer, where current treatment options are limited and overall survival after first-line treatment is typically less than 12 months.

IQVIA and NVIDIA Launch AI Orchestrator Agents to Accelerate Clinical Research and Drug Development

  • IQVIA announced the launch of multiple AI orchestrator agents in collaboration with NVIDIA at GTC Paris, designed to manage and accelerate complex pharmaceutical development workflows for thousands of global customers.
  • The AI agents can reduce clinical trial start-up processes from 200 days and clinical data review from seven weeks to as little as two weeks through automated workflows and specialized sub-agents.
  • The orchestrator agents utilize NVIDIA NIM microservices and IQVIA's petabytes of healthcare data to streamline target identification, clinical site start-up, and drug commercialization processes.
  • The technology enables pharmaceutical companies to focus on decision-making rather than time-consuming administrative tasks while providing comprehensive market analysis in days instead of weeks.

Memo Therapeutics Demonstrates Therapeutic Antibodies Can Cross Kidney Barrier, Supporting BK Virus Treatment Approach

  • Memo Therapeutics published research in Frontiers in Pharmacology showing that intravenously administered therapeutic IgG antibodies can cross the kidney endothelial barrier and be detected in urine.
  • The study found that 0.015% (median) of serum rituximab concentration appears in urine, with levels reaching up to 4.2%, challenging previous assumptions about size-exclusion limitations.
  • These findings provide scientific support for the dosing strategy of potravitug, MTx's investigational anti-BK polyomavirus antibody currently in Phase II trials for kidney transplant recipients.
  • BKV nephropathy affects up to 70% of kidney transplant recipients with established BK viremia and is associated with compromised graft function and reduced long-term survival.

Israeli Researchers Develop Bioengineered Skin Graft That Accelerates Burn Healing by 50%

  • Researchers from Tel Aviv University and Sheba Medical Center have developed a bioengineered skin graft using patients' own cells that heals burns in half the time of standard treatments.
  • The innovative graft achieved wound closure in just four days compared to eight days with conventional methods in animal models, while also promoting hair follicle growth.
  • The technology uses FDA-approved nanofiber scaffolds that allow cells to self-organize into natural skin structure without requiring animal-derived materials or causing tissue shrinkage.
  • The breakthrough was driven by urgent clinical needs arising from treating numerous burn victims, including soldiers injured in recent conflicts.

Bayer and Broad Institute Extend Cardiovascular Research Partnership Through 2030

  • Bayer and the Broad Institute have extended their decade-long cardiovascular research collaboration by an additional five years, focusing on precision cardiology target identification and novel therapeutic approaches.
  • The partnership has already yielded clinical progress with Bayer's GIRK4 inhibitor entering Phase I trials in May 2025 for atrial fibrillation treatment.
  • Current research efforts target specific cardiovascular conditions including dilated cardiomyopathy, leveraging genomics expertise and human cardiomyocyte platforms for drug discovery.
  • The collaboration combines Broad Institute's genomics capabilities with Bayer's drug discovery experience to address significant unmet medical needs in cardiovascular diseases.

Bristol Myers Squibb Subsidiary RayzeBio Acquires OncoACP3 Radiopharmaceutical for Prostate Cancer in $1.35 Billion Deal

  • RayzeBio, a Bristol Myers Squibb subsidiary, has licensed exclusive worldwide rights to OncoACP3, a novel radiopharmaceutical targeting prostate cancer, from Philochem AG for up to $1.35 billion.
  • OncoACP3 is a small molecule ligand with high affinity for Acid Phosphatase 3 (ACP3), currently in Phase I trials showing promising selective tumor uptake and minimal healthy tissue uptake.
  • The deal includes a $350 million upfront payment, up to $1 billion in development milestones, and mid-single to low double-digit royalties on global net sales.
  • The agreement strengthens RayzeBio's position in radiopharmaceutical therapeutics and provides Bristol Myers Squibb entry into the prostate cancer treatment arena through actinium-based therapy development.

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