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Immutep Reports Positive Data from its TACTI-002 Phase II Study of LAG-3 Therapy, Efti, at ASCO 2021
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, June 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immutep Limited (ASX: IMM; NASDAQ: IMMP) ("Immutep” or “the Company”), a biotechnology company developing novel LAG-3 related immunotherapy treatments for cancer and autoimmune disease, announces new interim data from its Phase II TACTI-002 study (also designated KEYNOTE-798) with a data cut-off date of 16 April 2021. The data will be presented in two poster presentations by Dr Tim Clay, Investigator, St John of God Subiaco Hospital, Perth, Australia and Dr Irene Brana, Investigator, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) 2021 Annual Meeting in on-demand sessions available from 9 am on 4 June 2021, US Eastern Time at this year’s virtual conference. The posters will also be made available on Immutep’s website from that time at: https://www.immutep.com/investors-media/presentations.html TACTI-002 is being conducted in collaboration with Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA (known as “MSD” outside the United States and Canada). The study is evaluating the combination of Immutep’s lead product candidate eftilagimod alpha (“efti” or “IMP321”) with MSD’s KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) in up to 183 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in 1st and 2nd line (Parts A and B, respectively) or 2nd line head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC, Part C). Immutep CSO and CMO, Dr Frederic Triebel said: “As more and more industry focus is on LAG-3 therapies and it is in the spotlight of this year’s ASCO, we are very pleased to be reporting such robust and exciting results from our TACTI-002 study of efti in combination with pembrolizumab. We are seeing nearly 50% of the evaluable 1st line NSCLC patients responding to the therapy, as scored by a blinded independent central review committee, with responses in all PD-L1 subgroups and a favourable median PFS. Overall, the NSCLC patients receiving this 1st line therapy are living 8.2 months without their disease progressing, a promising improvement for a chemo-free 1st line regimen. In effect, we are seeing an improvement in patient outcomes compared with that historically seen with anti-PD-1 monotherapy but with a similar safety profile and, also, comparable results in terms of ORR and PFS to chemo + anti-PD-1 combination therapy but, importantly, with a longer duration of response and lower toxicity.” Investigator, A/Prof Tim Clay, St John of God Subiaco Hospital, Perth, Australia said: “The median PFS of 8.2 months in 1st line NSCLC patients is very encouraging compared to historical studies where pembrolizumab has been given as monotherapy in comparable patient groups. There remains a great need for more effective chemotherapy free regimens in the treatment of NSCLC. These data are exciting and as a result, we will be expanding recruitment with 74 additional patients for Part A.” Investigator, Dr Irene Brana, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain, said: “The sustained and durable responses reported in 2nd line HNSCC patients are improving as TACTI-002 progresses, with about 14% of patients now benefiting from a complete disappearance of all their tumour lesions. Responses are particularly good in PD-L1 expressing patients (CPS = 1) where an ORR of 45.8% is reported. The strength of these results validates the decision to explore the combination of efti and pembrolizumab in a new Phase IIb study, TACTI-003 in 1st line HNSCC patients which is starting in the coming months.” Table 1 – TACTI-002 Interim ORR Results for Part A and C (data cut-off date: 16 April 2021)
1st line NSCLC - Part A
Conclusion: The data presented for 1st line NSCLC is very encouraging and will be broadened by the ongoing recruitment in this patient population to form a solid basis for late-stage clinical development. 2nd line HNSCC - Part C
Conclusion: The 2nd line HNSCC data is mature and continues to be very encouraging and forms an excellent basis to move into the 1st line HNSCC indication via Immutep’s randomised Phase IIb TACTI-003 study which is expected to start in mid-2021. 2nd line NSCLC - Part B Safety Recruitment Update Recruitment details for each Part of the trial are shown below and are current as at 1 June 2021. Table 2 – TACTI-002 Recruitment (as at 1 June 2021)
Next Results Webcast Details
Thursday, 10 June 2021, at 7:00 am Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) (Wednesday, 9 June, at 5:00 p.m. U.S. ET)
https://fnn.webex.com/fnn/onstage/g.php?MTID=ebcdb72840d84111e57730c2b6cccd2c1
Investors are invited to submit questions in advance via [email protected]. A replay of the webcast will also be available at www.immutep.com from the day after the event. About the TACT-002 Trial The trial is a Phase II, Simon’s two-stage, non-comparative, open-label, single-arm, multicentre clinical study that is taking place in study centres across Australia, Europe, the UK and US. Patients participate in one of the following: TACTI-002 is an all-comer study in terms of PD-L1 status, a well-known predictive marker for response to pembrolizumab monotherapy especially in NSCLC and HNSCC. PD-L1 expression is typically reported in three groups for NSCLC: < 1%, 1-49% and = 50% (Tumour Proportion Score or TPS) and in HNSCC: < 1, 1-19 and = 20 (Combined Positive Score or CPS). Patients with a high PD-L1 status are typically more responsive to anti-PD-1 therapy such as pembrolizumab, whereas those with low PD-L1 status are overall significantly less responsive. More information about the trial can be found on Immutep’s website or on ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: About Immutep Immutep’s current lead product candidate is eftilagimod alpha (“efti” or “IMP321”), a soluble LAG-3 fusion protein (LAG-3Ig), which is a first-in-class antigen presenting cell (APC) activator being explored in cancer and infectious disease. Immutep is also developing an agonist of LAG-3 (IMP761) for autoimmune disease. Additional LAG-3 products, including antibodies for immune response modulation, are being developed by Immutep’s large pharmaceutical partners. Further information can be found on the Company’s website www.immutep.com or by contacting: Australian Investors/Media: U.S. Media: 1 As assessed by Blinded Independent Central Review (BICR) |