71% objective response rate, with 46% achieving a complete response or better after 11 months of median follow-up
Data to be submitted to regulatory authorities, with Biologics License Application on track to be submitted to the FDA this year
Regeneron to host virtual investor event to discuss results alongside updates across its hematology portfolio on Thursday, December 14 at 8:30 a.m. ET
TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Dec. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) today announced that the primary endpoint analysis from the pivotal trial (LINKER-MM1) investigating linvoseltamab demonstrated high rates of deep and durable responses in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) multiple myeloma (MM). These Phase 1/2 results are planned to be submitted to regulatory authorities, including to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this year. Linvoseltamab is an investigational BCMAxCD3 bispecific antibody designed to bridge B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) on multiple myeloma cells with CD3-expressing T cells to facilitate T-cell activation and cancer-cell killing.
“Multiple myeloma remains an incurable disease, in which patients endure cycles of relapse and remission, resulting in a critical need for innovative medicines,” said L. Andres Sirulnik, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Translational and Clinical Sciences, Hematology at Regeneron. “With longer follow-up data on linvoseltamab, we’re seeing deep and durable responses with a complete response rate nearing 50% in a difficult-to-treat patient population who had received a median of 5 prior lines of therapy. Furthermore, in our trial, the regimen had a short monitoring time and a convenient, response-adapted administration schedule that enabled deep responders to go from every two-week to every four-week dosing. This regimen saved time for clinicians and patients, underscoring the potential for linvoseltamab as a patient-centric option in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.”
At a median duration of follow-up of 11 months, an objective response rate of 71% as assessed by an independent review committee, with 46% achieving a complete response or better, was observed in patients treated with linvoseltamab 200 mg in the Phase 1/2 trial (n=117). After a minimum of 24 weeks of therapy, patients who achieved a very good partial response (VGPR) or better shifted from every two-week to every four-week dosing. These results build on an earlier data cut, with 8 months of median follow-up, that will be presented at the 65th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition from December 9 to 12 in San Diego, CA.
Among this group of patients, 27% of patients were over 75 years old, 16% had extramedullary plasmacytomas, 23% had bone marrow plasma cells ≥50%, and 39% had high-risk cytogenetics – representing a patient population with a high disease burden and typically poor prognosis. Additionally, 17% were Black or African American, mirroring rates that are representative of MM in the U.S.
Based on the latest data cut, all patients treated with 200 mg experienced an adverse event (AE), including 85% who experienced Grade ≥3 adverse events (AE). The most commonly occurring AE was cytokine release syndrome (CRS; 46%). Of the CRS cases, the majority (35%) were Grade 1, 10% were Grade 2 and there was one case (1%) of Grade 3 CRS. Adjudicated immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) events occurred in 9 patients (8% all Grades); Grade 3 ICANS occurred in 3 patients, and no cases of ≥Grade 4 cases. All grade infections were observed in 73% of patients; 34% were Grade 3 or 4. Deaths due to treatment-emergent AEs on-treatment or within 30 days post last dose occurred in 14 patients (12%), of which 11 (9%) were due to infections.
The development program investigating linvoseltamab, including in earlier stages of the disease is underway. In the U.S., linvoseltamab has been granted Fast Track Designation for multiple myeloma by the FDA. Linvoseltamab is currently under clinical development, and its safety and efficacy have not been fully evaluated by any regulatory authority.
Investor Webcast Information
Regeneron will host a conference call and simultaneous webcast to share updates on the company’s hematology portfolio on Thursday, December 14 at 8:30 AM ET. A link to the webcast may be accessed from the ‘Investors and Media’ page of Regeneron's website at http://investor.regeneron.com/events.cfm. To participate via telephone, please register in advance at this link. Upon registration, all telephone participants will receive a confirmation email detailing how to join the conference call, including the dial-in number along with a unique passcode and registrant ID that can be used to access the call. A replay of the conference call and webcast will be archived on the company's website for at least 30 days.
About the Phase 1/2 Trial
The ongoing, open-label, multicenter Phase 1/2 dose-escalation and dose-expansion trial is investigating linvoseltamab in patients with R/R MM. Among the 282 patients enrolled, all have received at least three prior lines of therapy or are triple refractory. Patients were administered linvoseltamab utilizing a step-up dosing regimen that was designed to help mitigate CRS.
The Phase 1 intravenous dose-escalation portion of the trial, which is now complete, primarily assessed safety, tolerability and dose-limiting toxicities across nine dose levels of linvoseltamab exploring different administration regimens. The Phase 2 dose expansion portion of the trial (LINKER-MM1) is further assessing the safety and anti-tumor activity of linvoseltamab, with a primary objective of ORR. Key secondary objectives include duration of response, PFS, rate of minimal residual disease negative status and overall survival.
About Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is the second most common blood cancer. Globally, there are over 176,000 new cases diagnosed annually and an estimated 35,000 people were diagnosed in the U.S. It is characterized by the proliferation of cancerous plasma cells (multiple myeloma cells) that crowd out healthy blood cells in the bone marrow, infiltrate other tissues and cause potentially life-threatening organ injury. Multiple myeloma is not curable despite treatment advances, and while current treatments are able to slow the progression of the cancer, most patients will ultimately experience cancer progression and require additional therapies.
About Regeneron in Hematology
At Regeneron, we’re applying more than three decades of biology expertise with our proprietary VelociSuite® technologies to develop medicines for patients with diverse blood cancers and rare blood disorders.
Our blood cancer research is focused on bispecific antibodies that are being investigated both as monotherapies and in combination with each other and emerging therapeutic modalities. Together, they provide us with unique combinatorial flexibility to develop customized and potentially synergistic cancer treatments.
Our research and collaborations to develop potential treatments for rare blood disorders include explorations in antibody medicine, gene editing and gene-knockout technologies, and investigational RNA-approaches focused on depleting abnormal proteins or blocking disease-causing cellular signaling.
If you are interested in learning more about our clinical trials, please contact us (clinicaltrials@regeneron.com or 844-734-6643) or visit our clinical trials website.
About Regeneron
Regeneron is a leading biotechnology company that invents, develops and commercializes life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases. Founded and led for 35 years by physician-scientists, our unique ability to repeatedly and consistently translate science into medicine has led to numerous FDA-approved treatments and product candidates in development, almost all of which were homegrown in our laboratories. Regeneron’s medicines and pipeline are designed to help patients with eye diseases, allergic and inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, hematologic conditions, infectious diseases and rare diseases.
Regeneron is accelerating and improving the traditional drug development process through its proprietary VelociSuite technologies, such as VelocImmune®, which uses unique genetically humanized mice to produce optimized fully human antibodies and bispecific antibodies, and through ambitious research initiatives such as the Regeneron Genetics Center®, which is conducting one of the largest genetics sequencing efforts in the world.
For additional information about Regeneron, please visit www.regeneron.com or follow Regeneron on LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements and Use of Digital Media
This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties relating to future events and the future performance of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Regeneron” or the “Company”), and actual events or results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “estimate,” variations of such words, and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements concern, and these risks and uncertainties include, among others, the nature, timing, and possible success and therapeutic applications of products marketed or otherwise commercialized by Regeneron and/or its collaborators or licensees (collectively, “Regeneron’s Products”) and product candidates being developed by Regeneron and/or its collaborators or licensees (collectively, “Regeneron’s Product Candidates”) and research and clinical programs now underway or planned, including without limitation linvoseltamab; the likelihood, timing, and scope of possible regulatory approval and commercial launch of Regeneron’s Product Candidates and new indications for Regeneron’s Products, such as linvoseltamab for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma; uncertainty of the utilization, market acceptance, and commercial success of Regeneron’s Products and Regeneron’s Product Candidates and the impact of studies (whether conducted by Regeneron or others and whether mandated or voluntary), including the studies discussed or referenced in this press release, on any of the foregoing or any potential regulatory approval of Regeneron's Products and Regeneron's Product Candidates (such as linvoseltamab); the ability of Regeneron’s collaborators, licensees, suppliers, or other third parties (as applicable) to perform manufacturing, filling, finishing, packaging, labeling, distribution, and other steps related to Regeneron’s Products and Regeneron’s Product Candidates; the ability of Regeneron to manage supply chains for multiple products and product candidates; safety issues resulting from the administration of Regeneron’s Products and Regeneron’s Product Candidates in patients, including serious complications or side effects in connection with the use of Regeneron’s Products and Regeneron’s Product Candidates in clinical trials; determinations by regulatory and administrative governmental authorities which may delay or restrict Regeneron’s ability to continue to develop or commercialize Regeneron’s Products and Regeneron’s Product Candidates; ongoing regulatory obligations and oversight impacting Regeneron’s Products, research and clinical programs, and business, including those relating to patient privacy; the availability and extent of reimbursement of Regeneron’s Products from third-party payers, including private payer healthcare and insurance programs, health maintenance organizations, pharmacy benefit management companies, and government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid; coverage and reimbursement determinations by such payers and new policies and procedures adopted by such payers; competing drugs and product candidates that may be superior to, or more cost effective than, Regeneron’s Products and Regeneron’s Product Candidates; the extent to which the results from the research and development programs conducted by Regeneron and/or its collaborators or licensees may be replicated in other studies and/or lead to advancement of product candidates to clinical trials, therapeutic applications, or regulatory approval; unanticipated expenses; the costs of developing, producing, and selling products; the ability of Regeneron to meet any of its financial projections or guidance and changes to the assumptions underlying those projections or guidance; the potential for any license, collaboration, or supply agreement, including Regeneron’s agreements with Sanofi and Bayer (or their respective affiliated companies, as applicable) to be cancelled or terminated; the impact of public health outbreaks, epidemics, or pandemics (such as the COVID-19 pandemic) on Regeneron's business; and risks associated with intellectual property of other parties and pending or future litigation relating thereto (including without limitation the patent litigation and other related proceedings relating to EYLEA® (aflibercept) Injection and REGEN-COV® (casirivimab and imdevimab)), other litigation and other proceedings and government investigations relating to the Company and/or its operations, the ultimate outcome of any such proceedings and investigations, and the impact any of the foregoing may have on Regeneron’s business, prospects, operating results, and financial condition. 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| Contacts: Media Relations Tammy Allen Tel: +1 914-306-2698 tammy.allen@regeneron.com | Investor Relations Vesna Tosic Tel: +1 914-847-5443 vesna.tosic@regeneron.com |
