Antibody drug conjugates Archives - The Antibody Society

New antibody-drug conjugate approved in the US

June 10, 2019 by Janice Reichert

On June 10, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to Polivy (polatuzumab vedotin-piiq), in combination with the chemotherapy bendamustine and a rituximab product (BR), to treat adult patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) that has progressed or returned after at least two prior therapies. Polivy is composed of a humanized anti-CD79b IgG1 antibody conjugated to the antimitotic agent monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE). The antibody’s target is highly expressed on B cells of patients with lymphoma. The biologics license application for Polivy was granted FDA’s Breakthrough Therapy and priority review designations. The drug also has European Medicines Agency (EMA)’s PRIME designation, and US and EU Orphan Drug designations for DLBCL. EMA is reviewing a marketing authorization application for Polivy.

The drug’s efficacy was evaluated in a study of 80 patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL who were randomized to receive Polivy with BR or BR alone. Efficacy was based on complete response rate and duration of response (DOR), defined as the time the disease stays in remission. At the end of treatment, the complete response rate was 40% with Polivy plus BR compared to 18% with BR alone. Of the 25 patients who achieved a partial or complete response to Polivy plus BR, 16 (64%) had a DOR of at least six months and 12 (48%) had a DOR of at least 12 months.

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The Antibody Society maintains a comprehensive table of approved mAb therapeutics and those in regulatory review in the EU or US. Located in the ‘Web Resources’ section of our website, the list is updated regularly and can be downloaded in Excel format. Information about other antibody therapeutics that may enter regulatory review in 2019 can be found in ‘Antibodies to watch in 2019’.

New antibody-drug conjugate, polatuzumab vedotin, enters FDA review

February 20, 2019 by Janice Reichert

Roche’s biologics license application (BLA) for polatuzumab vedotin in combination with bendamustine plus Rituxan® (rituximab) (BR) for the treatment of people with relapsed or refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has been accepted and granted a priority review by the US Food and Drug Administration. A decision on approval of the BLA is expected by August 19, 2019. Developed in collaboration with Seattle Genetics, polatuzumab vedotin is composed of a humanized anti-CD79b IgG1 antibody conjugated to the antimitotic agent monomethyl auristatin E. The antibody’s target is highly expressed on B cells of patients with lymphoma. Polatuzumab vedotin was granted FDA’s Breakthrough Therapy designation, the European Medicines Agency (EMA)’s PRIME designation, and US and EU Orphan Drug designations for DLBCL. A marketing application for polatuzumab vedotin is undergoing review by EMA.

The BLA is based on positive clinical data from a randomized Phase 1/2 study (NCT02257567/GO29365), which evaluated polatuzumab vedotin administered by IV infusion in combination with standard doses of BR or obinutuzumab in patients with R/R follicular lymphoma (FL) or DLBCL. Study results indicated that median overall survival was over one year in people with R/R DLBCL not eligible for a hematopoietic stem cell transplant who received the combination of polatuzumab vedotin and BR, and less than 5 month for those in the BR arm of the study (12.4 vs. 4.7 months, hazard ratio (HR)=0.42; 95% CI 0.24-0.75). In addition, polatuzumab vedotin plus BR increased median progression-free survival (PFS) and led to a 66% reduction in risk of disease worsening or death compared to BR alone (median PFS: 7.6 months vs. 2.0 months; HR=0.34; 95% CI 0.20-0.57), and patients treated with polatuzumab vedotin plus BR showed a longer time between first response to treatment and disease worsening than those receiving BR alone (investigator assessed median duration of response: 10.3 months vs. 4.1 months; HR=0.44).

The combination of polatuzumab vedotin with R-CHP protocol (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisone) versus R-CHOP (rituximab-cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone) in DLBCL patients is currently being investigated in the Phase 3 POLARIX (NCT03274492) study. The primary endpoint is PFS. Secondary outcome measures include PFS, compete response and overall survival. The estimated primary completion date of the study is December 2019.

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The Antibody Society maintains a comprehensive table of approved mAb therapeutics and those in regulatory review in the EU or US. Please log in to access the table, which is located in the Members Only section and can be downloaded in Excel format.

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Antibody-drug conjugates in the spotlight

October 14, 2016 by Janice Reichert

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are designed to deliver cytotoxic agents into targeted cells, and they are typically developed as treatments for cancer. Due to the need for new cancer drugs, the development of ADCs is the focus of substantial efforts by the biopharmaceutical industry. Nearly 60 ADCs are currently in clinical studies, one ADC, inotuzumab ozogamicin, is undergoing regulatory review, and three ADCs have been granted approvals, although the first to be approved, gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Mylotarg®) was withdrawn from the market in 2010.

Two ADCs, brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris®) and ado-trastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla®), are currently marketed in the United States (US) and European Union (EU), as well as other countries. These two ADCs are disparate in their composition, and are used as treatments for different indications. Brentuximab vedotin is composed of an anti-CD30 monoclonal antibody (mAb) conjugated to the tubulin inhibitor monomethyl auristatin E via a valine-citruline dipeptide linkage designed for conditional cleavage inside cells. In contrast, ado-trastuzimab emtansine comprises an anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) mAb coupled to the tubulin-disrupting maytansinoid DM1 drug via a non-reducible thioether linkage. Brentuximab vedotin was granted its first approval in 2011 for two indications: 1) classical Hodgkin lymphoma after failure of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or after failure of at least two prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimens in patients who are not auto-HSCT candidates; and 2) systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma after failure of at least one prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimen. The first approval for ado-trastuzumab emtansine was granted in 2013; the product is indicated for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in patients who previously received trastuzumab and a taxane separately or in combination.

Of the nearly 60 ADCs in the clinic, only two (depatuxizumab mafodotin, vadastuximab talirane) are currently in late-stage (Phase 2/3 or 3) clinical studies, but two additional ADCs (sacituzumab govitecan, mirvetuximab soravtansine) may transition to Phase 3 soon. Depatuxizumab mafodotin (ABT-414) is composed of an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mAb conjugated to the tubulin inhibitor monomethyl auristatin F via a stable maleimidocaproyl linker. The Phase 2b/3 Intellance 1 study (NCT02573324) of the ADC with concurrent chemoradiation and adjuvant temozolomide in adult patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) with EGFR amplification was initiated in late 2015. Depatuxizumab mafodotin has orphan drug designations for GBM in the US and glioma in the EU, and it was granted a US Rare Pediatric Disease Designation for pediatric EGFR-amplified diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, a brainstem tumor that is highly aggressive and difficult to treat. Vadastuximab talirane (SGN-33A) is an anti-CD33 mAb with 2 engineered cysteine residues through which DNA cross-linking pyrrolobenzodiazepine dimer drug moieties are conjugated via a protease-cleavable valine-alanine dipeptide linker. The Phase 3 CASCADE clinical trial (NCT02785900) of vadastuximab talirine in combination with azacitidine (Vidaza) or decitabine (Dacogen) in older patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was initiated in May 2016. Results from a Phase 1 study indicated that the ADC in combination with hypomethylating agents was a well-tolerated regimen with a high remission rate in older patients with AML.

The transitions of sacituzumab govitecan (IMMU-132) and mirvetuximab soravtansine (IMGN853) to Phase 3 may occur by the end of 2016. The start of a Phase 3 study (NCT02574455) that will evaluate the safety and efficacy of sacituzumab govitecan in refractory/relapsed triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients is scheduled for December 2016. This ADC has received US Breakthrough Therapy and Fast Track designations for the treatment of patients with TNBC. Sacituzumab govitecan comprises an anti-TROP-2 mAb conjugated via a pH-sensitive linker to SN-38, the active metabolite of the chemotherapeutic irinotecan, in a site-specific manner. Mirvetuximab soravtansine is being assessed as a single-agent therapy in the FORWARD I trial (NCT02631876) of the ADC versus investigator’s choice of chemotherapy in adults with folate receptor (FR)-α positive advanced epithelial ovarian cancer, primary peritoneal cancer or primary fallopian tube cancer, which is being changed from a Phase 2 to a Phase 3 trial. Mirvetuximab soravtansine is composed of an anti-FRα mAb linked to the tubulin-disrupting maytansinoid DM4 via a cleavable linker.

It should be noted that, despite the increased complexity of the molecules, ADCs are also the focus of companies developing biosimilar products. As discussed in previous Society posts, biosimilars of antibody-based drugs that have lost patent protection, including adalimumab (Humira®), rituximab (Rituxan®, Mabthera®), trastuzumab (Herceptin®) and etanercept (Enbrel®), are already approved or undergoing regulatory review in the US and EU, as well as other countries.

The Antibody Society thanks Hanson Wade for access to Beacon, the World ADC database.

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Antibodies to watch in 2016: Mid-year update

August 18, 2016 by Janice Reichert

Since 2010, the “Antibodies to watch” article series has documented annually the number and identities of commercially sponsored antibody therapeutics in Phase 3 studies, regulatory review and those recently approved in the US and EU. Taken together, the articles have captured the extraordinary doubling of the number of antibody therapeutics in Phase 3 studies from 26 to 53, as identified in the “Antibodies to watch in 2010” and “Antibodies to watch in 2016” articles, respectively. Due to the highly dynamic nature of antibody therapeutics development, numerous transitions have occurred during 2016, and the Society offers here a mid-year update to data reported in the “Antibodies to watch in 2016” article.

As described in our previous posts, 4 antibody therapeutics (atezolizumab, reslizumab, ixekizumab, obiltoxaximab) were granted first marketing authorizations in either the US or EU during January to June 2016. As of mid-2016, marketing applications for 8 antibody therapeutics are being considered for first approvals in the US or EU. Of these, 5 applications (olaratuzumab, bezlotoxumab, sarilumab, brodalumab, ocrelizumab) have Food and Drug Administration action dates during September -December 2016. Recommendations by the European Medicines Agency on applications for Xilonix and inotuzumab ozogamicin could be made in 2016, but additional time would be needed for the European Commission’s decision regarding whether to grant the marketing authorization. It thus remains to be seen whether the number of antibody therapeutics approved in the US or EU during 2016 will match or exceed the record of 9 approvals granted in a single year set in 2015.

As of mid-2016, 53 unique antibody therapeutics were in Phase 3 studies. This is the same total number noted in the “Antibodies to watch in 2016” article, but the antibodies included in the totals are not all the same. The tables included in this mid-year update result from the addition of antibodies that started a first Phase 3 study in late 2015 to mid-2016, and deletion of antibodies that transitioned to regulatory review, reverted to an earlier clinical phase or had their development suspended or terminated. Compared to the totals included in the “Antibodies to watch in 2016” article, the number of antibodies in Phase 3 studies for cancer indications as of mid-2016 decreased slightly (from 17 to 15, respectively), while those for non-cancer indications increased slightly (from 36 to 38, respectively).

Antibodies for cancer represent only 28% of the current commercial Phase 3 pipeline, although they are ~55% of the overall clinical pipeline of therapeutic antibodies. The 15 antibody therapeutics in Phase 3 studies for cancer indications are notable for the diversity in their composition. Of the 15, 6 (40%) are non-canonical antibodies (1 radiolabeled antibody, 1 scFv-containing liposome, 2 immunotoxins, 2 antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs)), and a majority of the canonical antibodies (i.e., full-length IgG1, 2 or 4) are Fc- or glyco-engineered to enhance functionality. The 2 ADCs now in Phase 3 studies represent a vanguard, as this type of antibody therapeutic has entered clinical studies in large numbers only recently. Of the ADCs currently in clinical studies, most (44/56, 79%) are in either Phase 1 or Phase 1/2 studies, and most (55/56) are for cancer indications. ADCs now comprise ~20% of the clinical pipeline of antibodies for cancer, but ~11% of all antibodies in clinical development. There is substantial diversity of the targets, drugs, linkers, and drug-to-antibody ratios of the ADCs in the clinic. For example, of the ADCs in the clinic, targets for 51 have been disclosed, and 39 of these 51 targets are unique, i.e., only one ADC in clinical studies is known to target that particular antigen. Antigens known to be the target of more than one ADC in clinical studies include CD19, CD37, EGFR, HER2 and mesothelin. The diversity of the molecules may initially serve as a hindrance, but knowledge gained by the development of this class of molecules should increase overall as more ADCs enter clinical studies, transition through the phases and join the two ADCs currently on the market, brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris®) and ado-trastuzumab vedotin (Kadcyla®).

Antibodies for non-cancer indications dominate the current commercial Phase 3 pipeline. Unlike the antibodies for cancer, the 38 antibodies in Phase 3 studies for non-cancer indications are mostly canonical full-length IgG1, 2 or 4 molecules. Only 4 of the 38 (~11%) are non-canonical molecules: 1 bispecific antibody and 3 antibody ‘fragments’ (scFv, Fab, nanobody). Like ADCs, bispecific antibodies are expected to comprise a larger percentage of the Phase 3 pipeline in the next ~6-8 years. Bispecific antibodies now comprise ~9% of the entire commercial pipeline of antibody therapeutics, but most (32/45, 71%) of those are currently in early clinical studies (either Phase 1 or Phase 1/2). Compared to ADCs, bispecific antibodies are undergoing evaluation in a broader range of indications, although the majority of bispecifics (30/45, 67%) are for cancer and they comprise ~11% of the clinical pipeline of antibodies for cancer. The two bispecific antibodies now on the market, catumaxomab (Removab®) and blinatumomab (BLINCYTO®), are both for cancer. Nevertheless, the one bispecific antibody now in Phase 3 studies, emicizumab, is for a non-cancer indication (hemophilia A).

The clinical pipeline of antibody therapeutics, including at Phase 3, is highly dynamic. The Antibody Society will continue to track antibodies in the clinic, and report progress to its members.

Acknowledgements: The Antibody Society thanks Hanson Wade for access to the Beacon ADC database.

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Antibody Drug Conjugates – News

July 10, 2016 by Joost Melis

Immunomedics announced the issuance of a novel patent (U.S. Patent 9,375,489) related to the company’s lead cancer therapeutic, sacituzumab govitecan, also known as IMMU-132. This antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) comprises a humanized antibody to the cancer target Trop-2 and is conjugated with SN-38, an active metabolite of the anti-cancer drug irinotecan. The patent entitled “Antibody-SN-38 Immunoconjugates with a CL2A Linker.” is the 28th issued U.S. patent covering the uses and composition of sacituzumab govitecan.

The ADC is in development for the treatment of patients with many diverse solid cancers. The most advanced indication in development is triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Phase II are also studies ongoing in patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and in patients with metastatic urothelial cancers. According to Immunomedics’ updated clinical development plan for sacituzumab govitecan, in Q3 of 2016 the company plans to complete enrollment of additional patients into the ongoing single-arm Phase II study for patients with relapsed/refractory metastatic TNBC who received at least 2 prior therapies, including taxane. Immunomedics is collaborating with the FDA for completion of the ongoing Phase II trial and for submitting an Accelerated Approval registration application. Also discussions with the European Medicine Agency (EMA) have been initialized, and EMA has provided the company with advice on the scheduled Phase III trial.

In other news, AbbVie announced safety and preliminary efficacy data from a Phase I study of ABT-414. ABT-414 is an investigational ADC for treatment of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) amplified, recurrent glioblastoma (GBM). Glioblastoma is the most common and most aggressive type of malignant primary brain tumor and in most cases a fatal disease. Amplified EGFR is the most common genetic mutation associated (~50% are EGFR mutations) with malignant GBM. With standard of care therapy, patients with GBM have a median survival of 15 months after diagnosis and two-year survival is 30%, demonstrating the urgent unmet need for new treatment options.

Published data showed no dose-limiting toxicities and frequent, reversible ocular toxicities. Furthermore, an estimated 30% (n=44) of patients treated with ABT-414 as monotherapy were progression free at six months [95% CI=17, 44] (secondary endpoint). Best Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) Criteria identified two partial responses, 18 patients with stable disease, and 24 with progressive disease for a total of 44 patients with complete data.

The most common serious adverse event (>1 patient) (n=48) was seizure (8%) as of January 7, 2016. Grade 3/4 treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) (>1 patient) were keratitis (15%), corneal epithelial microcysts (8%), hemiparesis (6%), hyperglycemia (6%), muscular weakness (6%), seizure (6%), blurred vision (4%) and ulcerative keratitis (4%).The most common TEAEs (≥25% patients) in this study arm were blurred vision (60%), headache (29%), photophobia (29%), dry eye (27%), eye pain (27%), and fatigue (27%).