FDA approves amivantamab with carboplatin and pemetrexed for NSCLC with EGFR exon 19 deletions or L858R mutations

On September 19, 2024, the Food and Drug Administration approved amivantamab-vmjw (Rybrevant, Janssen Biotech, Inc.) with carboplatin and pemetrexed for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations whose disease has progressed on or after treatment with an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

Full prescribing information for Rybrevant will be posted on Drugs@FDA.

Efficacy and Safety

Efficacy was evaluated in MARIPOSA-2 (NCT04988295), a randomized, open-label, multicenter trial in 657 patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations and disease progression on or after receiving osimertinib. Patients were randomized (1:2:2) to receive amivantamab-vmjw with carboplatin and pemetrexed (amivantamab + CP), carboplatin and pemetrexed (CP), or amivantamab-vmjw as part of another combination regimen.

The major efficacy outcome measure was progression-free survival (PFS) as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR) for the comparison between amivantamab + CP and CP. Overall response rate (ORR) per BICR and overall survival (OS) were key secondary outcome measures. Median PFS was 6.3 months (95% CI: 5.6, 8.4) in the amivantamab + CP arm and 4.2 months (95% CI: 4.0, 4.4) in the CP arm (hazard ratio 0.48 [95% CI: 0.36, 0.64], p-value<0.0001). The confirmed ORR was 53% (95% CI: 44, 62) in the amivantamab + CP arm and 29% (95% CI: 23, 35) in the CP arm (p-value<0.0001).

At the prespecified second interim analysis of OS, with 85% of the deaths needed for the final analysis, there was no statistically significant difference in OS. The stratified OS hazard ratio was 0.73 (95% CI: 0.54, 0.99).

The most common adverse reactions (≥20%) were rash, infusion-related reactions, fatigue, nail toxicity, nausea, constipation, edema, stomatitis, decreased appetite, musculoskeletal pain, vomiting, and COVID-19 infection.

The recommended amivantamab-vmjw dose is based on baseline body weight. See the prescribing information for specific dosage information.

This review was conducted under Project Orbis, an initiative of the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence. Project Orbis provides a framework for concurrent submission and review of oncology drugs among international partners. For this review, FDA collaborated with the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA), and Health Canada. The application reviews are ongoing at the other regulatory agencies.

Expedited Programs

This review used the Assessment Aid, a voluntary submission from the applicant to facilitate the FDA’s assessment. submission from the applicant to facilitate the FDA’s assessment.

FDA approves pembrolizumab with chemotherapy for unresectable advanced or metastatic malignant pleural mesothelioma

On September 17, 2024, the Food and Drug Administration approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck) with pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy as first-line treatment of unresectable advanced or metastatic malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).

Full prescribing information for Keytruda will be posted on Drugs@FDA. 

Efficacy and Safety

Efficacy was investigated in KEYNOTE-483 (NCT02784171), a randomized, open-label trial in patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic MPM and no prior systemic therapy for advanced/metastatic disease. Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive either pembrolizumab for up to 2 years in combination with pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy for up to 6 cycles (n=222) or pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy for up to 6 cycles (n=218).

The main efficacy outcome measure was overall survival (OS). Additional efficacy outcome measures were progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and duration of response (DoR), as assessed by blinded independent central review, according to modified RECIST 1.1 for mesothelioma. The trial demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in OS for patients treated with pembrolizumab with chemotherapy compared to those who received chemotherapy alone. Median OS was 17.3 months (95% CI: 14.4, 21.3) versus 16.1 months (95% CI: 13.1, 18.2) (hazard ratio [HR] 0.79 [95% CI: 0.64, 0.98]; p=0.0162).  

Median PFS was 7.1 months (95% CI: 6.9, 8.1) vs 7.1 months (95% CI: 6.8, 7.7) in pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy and the chemotherapy alone arm, respectively (HR 0.80 [95% CI: 0.65, 0.99]; p=0.0194). Confirmed ORR was 52% (95% CI: 45.5, 59.0) in the pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy arm and 29% (95% CI: 23.0, 35.4) in the chemotherapy alone arm. Median DoR was 6.9 months (95% CI: 5.8, 8.3) and 6.8 months (95% CI: 5.5, 8.5), respectively.

Adverse reactions occurring in patients with MPM were similar to those receiving pembrolizumab with pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy. See the prescribing information for complete details.

The recommended pembrolizumab dose is 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity for up to 2 years.

This review was conducted under Project Orbis, an initiative of the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence. Project Orbis provides a framework for concurrent submission and review of oncology drugs among international partners. For this review, FDA collaborated with the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and Health Canada. The application reviews are ongoing at the other regulatory agencies.

Expedited Programs

This review used the Assessment Aid, a voluntary submission from the applicant to facilitate the FDA’s assessment.

This application was granted priority review. FDA expedited programs are described in the Guidance for Industry: Expedited Programs for Serious Conditions-Drugs and Biologics.

Healthcare professionals should report all serious adverse events suspected to be associated with the use of any medicine and device to FDA’s MedWatch Reporting System or by calling 1-800-FDA-1088.

For assistance with single-patient INDs for investigational oncology products, healthcare professionals may contact OCE’s Project Facilitate at 240-402-0004 or email OncProjectFacilitate@fda.hhs.gov.

Follow the Oncology Center of Excellence on X (formerly Twitter) @FDAOncology

FDA approves Kisqali with an aromatase inhibitor & Kisqali Femara Co-Pack for early high-risk breast cancer

On September 17, 2024, the Food and Drug Administration approved ribociclib (Kisqali, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation) with an aromatase inhibitor for the adjuvant treatment of adults with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative stage II and III early breast cancer at high risk of recurrence. Additionally, FDA also approved the ribociclib and letrozole co-pack (Kisqali Femara Co-Pack, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation) for the same indication.

Full prescribing information for Kisqali and Kisqali Femara Co-Pack will be posted on Drugs@FDA.

Efficacy and Safety

Efficacy of ribociclib with a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor (NSAI) was evaluated in NATALEE (NCT03701334), a randomized, open-label, multicenter trial in 5101 adults with HR-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer. The trial included patients with any lymph node involvement (excluding microscopic nodal involvement), or if there was no nodal involvement, either tumor size > 5 cm, or tumor size 2 to 5 cm with either Grade 2 (and high genomic risk or Ki67 ≥ 20%) or Grade 3.

Participants were randomized (1:1) to receive ribociclib (400 mg) + NSAI or NSAI alone; patients could receive goserelin as indicated. Randomization was stratified by anatomic stage, prior chemotherapy (neoadjuvant versus adjuvant), menopausal status (premenopausal and males versus postmenopausal) and region (North America/Western Europe/Oceania versus rest of the world).

The main efficacy outcome measure was invasive disease-free survival (iDFS). iDFS was defined as randomization to the first occurrence of the following: local or regional invasive breast recurrence, distant recurrence, death from any cause, contralateral invasive breast cancer, or secondary primary non-breast invasive cancer (excluding basal and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin).

A statistically significant improvement in iDFS was observed in the intent-to-treat patient population at an interim analysis. Efficacy results at the final iDFS analysis showed that iDFS at 36 months was 90.7% (95% CI: 89.3, 91.8) in the ribociclib + NSAI arm and 87.6% (95% CI: 86.1, 88.9) in the NSAI arm, with a hazard ratio of 0.749 (95% CI: 0.628, 0.892). At the time of the iDFS final analysis, OS was immature.

The adverse reactions observed on the NATALEE trial were consistent with the current safety profile for ribociclib in combination with an NSAI. The prescribing information provides additional safety information. 

In the adjuvant treatment setting, the recommended ribociclib dose is 400 mg (two 200 mg film-coated tablets) taken orally, once daily for 21 consecutive days followed by 7 days off in 28-day treatment cycles. Refer to the prescribing information for the recommended dosage of the aromatase inhibitor. 

Kisqali has newly updated storage conditions. Kisqali should now be refrigerated until dispensed to patients. After dispensing, healthcare providers should advise patients to store Kisqali at room temperature for up to 2 months.

Expedited Programs

This review used the Assessment Aid, a voluntary submission from the Applicant to facilitate the FDA’s assessment. 

Healthcare professionals should report all serious adverse events suspected to be associated with the use of any medicine and device to FDA’s MedWatch Reporting System or by calling 1-800-FDA-1088.

For assistance with single-patient INDs for investigational oncology products, healthcare professionals may contact OCE’s Project Facilitate at 240-402-0004 or email OncProjectFacilitate@fda.hhs.gov.

Follow the Oncology Center of Excellence on X: @FDAOncology

European Commission Approves Astellas’ PADCEV in Combination with KEYTRUDA for First-Line Treatment of Advanced Urothelial Cancer

Aug 28, 2024

- First regimen approved in advanced urothelial cancer to demonstrate superiority to platinum-containing chemotherapy, the standard of care for nearly 40 years1 -

- European Marketing Authorization based on positive overall survival and progression-free survival results from the global Phase 3 EV-302 trial1 -

TOKYO, August 28, 2024 – Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Naoki Okamura, “Astellas”) today announced that the European Commission has granted Marketing Authorization for PADCEVTM (enfortumab vedotin, an antibody-drug conjugate [ADC]) in combination with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab, a PD-1 inhibitor) for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic urothelial cancer, who are eligible for platinum-containing chemotherapy.

The approval is based on results from the Phase 3 EV-302 clinical trial (also known as KEYNOTE-A39) which showed that enfortumab vedotin in combination with pembrolizumab nearly doubled median overall survival (OS) and signficantly extended progression-free survival (PFS) compared to platinum-containing chemotherapy.1

Dr. Thomas Powles, Barts Cancer Institute Biomedical Research Centre, UK
“Having an effective new first-line treatment for advanced urothelial cancer is opening a long-awaited new chapter in the management of this usually fatal disease. The impressive effects of the treatment combination were clearly seen during the Phase 3 clinical trial program, with enfortumab vedotin in combination with pembrolizumab significantly extending overall survival and progression-free survival compared to platinum-containing chemotherapy. I look forward to seeing the treatment combination implemented as a first-line regimen in the clinical setting.”

Alex Filicevas, Executive Director, World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition
“Despite Europe having the highest reported rates of new bladder cancer cases in the world, awareness remains low, resulting in many patients only being correctly diagnosed at the stage of advanced disease. New treatment options are desperately needed to improve disease outcomes for these patients and provide hope for a better future for the whole bladder cancer patient community.”

Ahsan Arozullah, MD, MPH, Senior Vice President and Head of Oncology Development, Astellas
“In line with the recent updates to European clinical guidelines, we are delighted that the European Commission has approved enfortumab vedotin in combination with pembrolizumab as first-line treatment for patients with unresectable or metastatic urothelial cancer. This approval is testament to our ongoing partnership with clinical trial investigators, study participants and their families, and the broader bladder cancer community. We look forward to patients across the European Union gaining benefit from this combination early in their treatment journey.”

Bladder cancer is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer across the European region.2 Every year, more than 165,000 people are diagnosed with the disease and it claims the lives of over 50,000 people in the European Union (EU).3 Diagnosis often comes late, with many patients presenting with advanced or metastatic disease where survival outcomes are particularly poor.4,5

The Phase 3 EV-302 clinical trial explored the efficacy and safety of enfortumab vedotin in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with previously untreated unresectable locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer (la/mUC). Results showed that the treatment combination resulted in a median OS of 31.5 months (95% CI: 25.4-NR) compared to 16.1 months (95% CI: 13.9-18.3) with platinum-containing chemotherapy, representing a 53% reduction in risk of death (Hazard Ratio [HR]=0.47; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.38-0.58; P<0.00001). The median PFS of 12.5 months (95% CI: 10.4-16.6) with the combination compared to 6.3 months (95% CI: 6.2-6.5) with chemotherapy represents a 55% reduction in the risk of cancer progression or death (HR=0.45; 95% CI: (0.38-0.54); P<0.00001). During the EV-302 trial, approximately 30% of patients completed treatment with chemotherapy and then went on to receive maintenance therapy with avelumab, a PD-L1 inhibitor, which is reflective of current real world clinical practice.1 Results were presented at the 2023 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.1

The European Marketing Authorization is valid in all 27 EU member states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, and is aligned to recently updated clinical guidelines from the European Society for Medical Oncology and European Association of Urology which recommend enfortumab vedotin in combination with pembrolizumab as first-line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer.6,7 Astellas is working closely with local regulatory authorities and health technology assessment bodies across the EU to ensure that patients who may gain benefit are able to access the treatment combination as soon as possible.

The approval follows the December 2023 approval of enfortumab vedotin in combination with pembrolizumab for the treatment of adult patients with la/mUC by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the European Commission approval of enfortumab vedotin as a monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with la/mUC who have previously received a platinum-containing chemotherapy and a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) or programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor in April 2022.8,9

Astellas has already reflected the impact from this result in its financial forecast for the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2025.

For more information, please see the press release “Astellas Receives Positive CHMP Opinion for PADCEVTM (enfortumab vedotin) in combination with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) for First-Line Treatment of Advanced Bladder Cancer” issued on July 29, 2024.

About EV-302
EV-302 is an ongoing, open-label, randomized, controlled Phase 3 trial, evaluating enfortumab vedotin in combination with pembrolizumab versus platinum-containing chemotherapy in patients with previously untreated la/mUC. The trial enrolled 886 patients with previously untreated la/mUC who were eligible for cisplatin- or carboplatin-containing chemotherapy regardless of PD-L1 status. Patients were randomized to receive either enfortumab vedotin in combination with pembrolizumab or platinum-containing chemotherapy. The dual primary endpoints of this trial are OS and PFS per RECIST v1.1 by blinded independent central review (BICR). Select secondary endpoints include ORR per RECIST v1.1 by BICR, DOR per RECIST v1.1 by BICR, and safety.1

The most common (≥3%) Grade 3 or higher adverse events related to treatment with enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab were maculo-papular rash, hyperglycemia, neutropenia, peripheral sensory neuropathy, diarrhea, and anemia. The safety results in EV-302 are consistent with those previously reported with this combination in EV-103 in cisplatin-ineligible patients with la/mUC. No new safety issues were identified.1

The EV-302 trial is part of an extensive clinical program evaluating this combination in multiple stages of urothelial cancer and other solid tumors. Findings from EV-302 were presented at the 2023 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress and were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.1

For more information on the EV-302 trial (NCT04223856) go to https://clinicaltrials.gov.

About Bladder and Urothelial Cancer
Urothelial cancer, or bladder cancer, begins in the urothelial cells, which line the urethra, bladder, ureters, renal pelvis, and some other organs.10 Urothelial cancer accounts for 90% of all bladder cancers and can also be found in the renal pelvis, ureter, and urethra.11,12 If cancer is not able to be treated with surgery, it is called unresectable.13 If cancer has spread to surrounding organs or muscles, it is called locally advanced disease.14 If cancer has spread to other parts of the body, it is called metastatic disease.15 Approximately 12% of cases are unresectable locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer at diagnosis.4

Bladder cancer is diagnosed in approximately 614,000 people and causes 220,000 deaths worldwide each year.16 In Europe, bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer; more than 165,000 people are diagnosed with the disease in the EU each year.2,3 Continuous treatment and surveillance makes bladder cancer one of the most expensive cancer types over the lifetime of a patient and, in fact, have been shown to be the costliest cancer when compared to other malignancies.17

About PADCEVTM (enfortumab vedotin)
PADCEV (enfortumab vedotin) is a first-in-class antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that is directed against Nectin-4, a protein located on the surface of cells and highly expressed in bladder cancer.9,18 Nonclinical data suggest the anticancer activity of enfortumab vedotin is due to its binding to Nectin-4-expressing cells, followed by the internalization and release of the anti-tumor agent monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) into the cell, which result in the cell not reproducing (cell cycle arrest) and in programmed cell death (apoptosis).9

PADCEV is indicated in the EU as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer who have previously received a platinum-containing chemotherapy and a programmed death receptor-1 or programmed death-ligand 1 inhibitor, and in combination with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic urothelial cancer, who are eligible for platinum-containing chemotherapy.9

Ongoing Investigational Trials
EV-302 (NCT04223856) is an open-label, randomized, controlled Phase 3 trial, evaluating enfortumab vedotin in combination with pembrolizumab versus platinum-containing chemotherapy in patients with previously untreated locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer (la/mUC) who were eligible for cisplatin- or carboplatin-containing chemotherapy regardless of PD-L1 status.

EV-103 (NCT03288545) is an ongoing, multi-cohort, open-label, multicenter Phase 1b/2 trial investigating enfortumab vedotin alone or in combination with pembrolizumab and/or chemotherapy in first- or second-line settings in patients with la/mUC and in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC).

Enfortumab vedotin in combination with pembrolizumab is being investigated in an extensive program in multiple stages of urothelial cancer, including two Phase 3 clinical trials in MIBC in EV-304 (NCT04700124, also known as KEYNOTE-B15) and EV-303 (NCT03924895, also known as KEYNOTE-905). The use of enfortumab vedotin in combination with pembrolizumab in second-line urothelial cancer and MIBC has not been proven safe or effective.

EV-203 (NCT04995419) is a Phase 2, multicenter, single-arm bridging trial in China designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetic performance of enfortumab vedotin as treatment for patients in China. A total of 40 patients were enrolled in the trial.

EV-104 (NCT05014139) is a Phase 1 trial exploring enfortumab vedotin in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). The trial will be conducted in two-parts, assessing dose escalation and dose expansion with enfortumab vedotin when administered intravesically as a monotherapy.

EV-202 (NCT04225117) is an ongoing, multi-cohort, open-label, multicenter Phase 2 trial investigating enfortumab vedotin alone in patients with previously treated advanced solid tumors. This trial also has a cohort that is investigating enfortumab vedotin in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with previously untreated recurrent / metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Important Safety Information
For Important Safety Information for enfortumab vedotin please see the full Summary of Product Characteristics at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/padcev-epar-product-information_en.pdf

Ordspono™ (odronextamab)R/R follicular lymphoma or R/R DLBCL, both 3rd Line

Ordspono™ (odronextamab) Approved in the European Union for the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Follicular Lymphoma and Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma

Approval of Ordspono is based on data demonstrating robust and durable responses in both relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, including in the post-CAR-T setting

Ordspono is Regeneron’s first approved bispecific antibody and will provide an off-the-shelf option that can be administered in the out-patient setting, with hope for complete remission

TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Aug. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) today announced that the European Commission (EC) has approved Ordspono™ (odronextamab) to treat adult patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma (FL) or R/R diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), after two or more lines of systemic therapy. This marks the first regulatory approval of Ordspono in the world for these patients. Ordspono is a bispecific antibody that acts by linking the lymphoma cell to a killer T cell.

“The EC approval of Ordspono is a meaningful advancement for EU patients and their physicians as a new option to treat both indolent and aggressive lymphomas,” said Stefano Luminari, M.D., Professor of Oncology at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, hematologist at the Hematology Unit of Arcispedale Sant Maria Nuova in Reggio Emilia, and a trial investigator. “In clinical trials, Ordspono demonstrated remarkable complete response rates in follicular lymphoma, as well as compelling efficacy results in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, including in the post-CAR-T setting. Physicians, especially in the community setting, will have an off-the-shelf option that can be administered out-patient – offering the chance for complete remission.”

The approval is based on results from the Phase 1 ELM-1 and pivotal Phase 2 ELM-2 trials, which demonstrated robust, durable response rates in adults with R/R FL or R/R DLBCL:

• In R/R FL, results from ELM-2 (N=128) as assessed by an independent review committee (IRC) showed an objective response rate (ORR) of 80%, with 73% achieving a complete response (CR). Among complete responders, the median duration of response (DoR) was 25 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 20 months to not estimable [NE]).

• In R/R DLBCL,

  • results from ELM-2 (N=127) in patients who were CAR-T therapy naive, as assessed by an IRC showed 52% ORR, with 31% achieving a CR. Among complete responders the median DoR was 18 months (95% CI: 10 months to NE).

  • results from ELM-1 (N=60) in patients who had progressed after CAR-T therapy, as assessed by an IRC showed 48% ORR, with 32% achieving a CR. Among responders (n=29), the median DoR was 15 months (95% CI: 3 months to NE).

The most common adverse reactions were cytokine release syndrome (CRS; 54%), neutropenia (41%), pyrexia (39%), anemia (38%), thrombocytopenia (27%), diarrhea (24%) and COVID-19 (22%). The most common serious adverse reactions were CRS (14%), pneumonia (9%), COVID-19 (9%) and pyrexia (6%). Ordspono can cause serious or fatal infections, and CRS, which may be serious or life-threatening.

“Ordspono marks the first approval from our bispecific antibody platform, which we hope will increasingly contribute to our growing portfolio of practice-changing medicines for oncology and other diseases,” said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., Board co-Chair, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron. “Building upon this approval, we are excited about our OLYMPIA program, which includes multiple Phase 3 trials investigating Ordspono as a monotherapy and in various combinations, in earlier lines of therapy. We’re also excited to be advancing our broader pipeline of CD3 and other bispecific therapies, both to additional hematologic cancers such as myeloma, as well as to solid tumors.”

About FL and DLBCL
FL and DLBCL are the two most common subtypes of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). While FL is a slow-growing subtype, it is an incurable disease, and most patients will relapse after initial treatment. DLBCL is an aggressive subtype, with up to 50% of high-risk patients experiencing progression after first-line treatment. It is estimated that approximately 120,000 FL cases and 163,000 DLBCL cases are diagnosed annually worldwide. In Europe, it is estimated that approximately 15,000 FL cases and 31,000 DLBCL cases are diagnosed each year.

About the Ordspono (odronextamab) Clinical Trial Program
Ordspono is a CD20xCD3 bispecific antibody designed to bridge CD20 on cancer cells with CD3-expressing T cells to facilitate local T-cell activation and cancer-cell killing. Ordspono as monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with R/R FL or R/R DLBCL, after two or more lines of systemic therapy. For complete product information, please see the Summary of Product Characteristics that can be found on www.ema.europa.eu in due course.

ELM-1 is an ongoing, open-label, multicenter Phase 1 trial to investigate the safety and tolerability of odronextamab in patients with CD20+ B-cell malignancies previously treated with CD20-directed antibody therapy, including a cohort of patients who had progressed after CAR-T therapy.

ELM-2 is an ongoing, open-label, multicenter Phase 2 trial investigating odronextamab across five independent disease-specific cohorts, including DLBCL, FL, mantle cell lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma and other subtypes of B-NHL. The primary endpoint is ORR according to the Lugano Classification as assessed by IRC, and secondary endpoints include CR, progression-free survival, overall survival and DoR.

Regeneron is conducting a broad Phase 3 development program, known as OLYMPIA, investigating odronextamab in earlier lines of therapy and other B-NHLs. In addition, Regeneron is investigating odronextamab in combination with a costimulatory bispecific antibody, REGN5837 (CD22xCD28), and Regeneron’s PD-1 inhibitor cemiplimab for R/R aggressive B-NHL through the ATHENA-1 and CLIO-1 studies, respectively. These potential uses are investigational, and their safety and efficacy have not been evaluated by any regulatory authority. For more information, visit the Regeneron clinical trials website, or contact via clinicaltrials@regeneron.com or +1 844-734-6643.

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.

FDA Approves RYBREVANT (amivantamab) plus LAZCLUZE (lazertinib) in first-line chemotherapy-free treatment for patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC

RARITAN, New Jersey (August 20, 2024) – Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved RYBREVANT® (amivantamab-vmjw) plus LAZCLUZE™ (lazertinib) for the first-line treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test.1,2

With this milestone, RYBREVANT® plus LAZCLUZE™ becomes the first and only multitargeted, chemotherapy-free combination regimen with demonstrated superiority versus osimertinib approved for the first-line treatment of patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC.1,2 RYBREVANT® is an EGFR- and MET*-directed bispecific antibody that engages the immune system, and LAZCLUZE™ is a highly selective, brain-penetrant, third-generation oral EGFR TKI**. RYBREVANT® plus LAZCLUZE™ is the only multitargeted regimen targeting both the common EGFR mutations directly.1,2

“This approval is a crucial development for patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC, who have faced significant unmet needs for far too long,” said Jill Feldman†, lung cancer survivor and co-founder of the EGFR Resisters, a patient advocacy group. “Having witnessed firsthand the remarkable evolution in lung cancer treatment, this profoundly important milestone brings a novel therapeutic approach to patients and their families. I’m thrilled that more patients can now experience the progression-free survival benefits seen in the MARIPOSA study.”

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, resulting in 1.8 million deaths each year, with NSCLC accounting for 80 to 85 percent of all cases.3,4 Of patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC, between 25 and 39 percent never receive second-line therapy, due to disease progression and lack of treatment options.5,6,7 The five-year survival rate is less than 20 percent for all people with advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC treated with current standard of care TKI monotherapy.8,9 Acquired resistance mechanisms after TKI monotherapy makes subsequent treatment more difficult.8,9

“The unique combination of RYBREVANT and LAZCLUZE demonstrated superior efficacy in the first-line treatment of certain patients with EGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC as shown with the MARIPOSA study,” said Alexander Spira‡, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, Director, Virginia Cancer Specialists Research Institute, and study investigator. “Patients will now have the option of a potential new first-line standard of care with significant clinical benefits over osimertinib. This first-line therapy uses a targeted approach aiming to achieve the best possible patient outcomes while reserving chemotherapy for later stages of treatment when resistance becomes more complex.”

The FDA approval is based on positive results from the Phase 3 MARIPOSA study, which showed RYBREVANT® plus LAZCLUZE™ reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 30 percent compared to osimertinib (median progression-free survival [PFS]: 23.7 months versus 16.6 months) in the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations.1,2 The median duration of response (DOR) was nine months longer with RYBREVANT® plus LAZCLUZE™ versus osimertinib (25.8 months versus 16.7 months), a secondary endpoint of the study.

“Building on more than three decades of oncology innovation, we are uniquely positioned to build best-in-class treatments where survival rates have remained stagnant for years,” said Jennifer Taubert, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Chairman, Innovative Medicine, Johnson & Johnson. “RYBREVANT plus LAZCLUZE establishes a new benchmark in the advanced first-line setting, and we look forward to bringing this new chemotherapy-free treatment regimen to patients.”

“Johnson & Johnson is deeply committed to setting new standards of care for people living with some of the most devastating and complex diseases of our time,” said John Reed, M.D., Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Innovative Medicine, R&D, Johnson & Johnson. “Today’s FDA approval of chemotherapy-free RYBREVANT plus LAZCLUZE in the first line is an incredible step towards our goal of altering the trajectory of lung cancer and reducing the impact of the world’s leading cause of cancer mortality.”

The safety profile of RYBREVANT® plus LAZCLUZE™ was consistent with the profiles of the individual treatments. Venous thromboembolic events (VTE) were observed with the combination. Adverse event (AE) rates were consistent in this arm as compared to other RYBREVANT® regimens.

MARIPOSA Publications & Presentations
Results from MARIPOSA were first presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology 2023 Congress and recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Results presented at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting and published in Annals of Oncology demonstrated the combination’s significant benefit for patients who have at least one high-risk feature, which represents 85 percent of all EGFR-mutated NSCLC cases.10

Longer-term follow-up data from MARIPOSA will be presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2024 World Congress on Lung Cancer (WCLC) in September.

Regulatory Milestones
This approval marks the second new indication this year for RYBREVANT®, following the March 1, 2024, U.S. FDA approval of RYBREVANT® in combination with chemotherapy (carboplatin-pemetrexed) for the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations, based on the Phase 3 PAPILLON study.1

On June 17, Johnson & Johnson announced the submission of a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the U.S. FDA for a fixed combination of amivantamab and recombinant human hyaluronidase for subcutaneous administration (SC amivantamab) for all currently approved or submitted indications of intravenous (IV) RYBREVANT®. This application is based on the Phase 3 PALOMA-3 study, with preliminary results showing a five-fold reduction in infusion-related reactions (IRR) with a five-minute administration of SC amivantamab.11 Longer overall survival (OS), PFS and DOR were also observed with SC amivantamab.11 On August 14, the U.S. FDA designated this application for Priority Review.

About the MARIPOSA Study
MARIPOSA (NCT04487080), which enrolled 1,074 patients, is a randomized, Phase 3 study evaluating RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™ versus osimertinib and versus LAZCLUZE™ alone in first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with EGFR exon 19 deletions or substitution mutations. The primary endpoint of the study is PFS (using RECIST v1.1 guidelines) as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR). Secondary endpoints include OS, overall response rate (ORR), DOR, second progression-free survival (PFS2) and intracranial PFS.12

About RYBREVANT®
RYBREVANT® (amivantamab-vmjw), a fully-human bispecific antibody targeting EGFR and MET with immune cell-directing activity, is approved in the U.S., Europe, and in other markets around the world as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test, whose disease has progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy.1 In the subcutaneous formulation, amivantamab is co-formulated with recombinant human hyaluronidase PH20 (rHuPH20), Halozyme’s ENHANZE® drug delivery technology.

RYBREVANT® is approved in the U.S. in combination with chemotherapy (carboplatin and pemetrexed) for the first-line treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test. In April 2024, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended the approval of RYBREVANT® in Europe for this indication.

RYBREVANT® is approved in the U.S. in combination with LAZCLUZE™ for the first-line treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with EGFR exon 19 deletions or L858R substitution mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test. A marketing authorization application (MAA) and type II extension of indication application were submitted to the EMA seeking approval of LAZCLUZE™ in combination with RYBREVANT® based on the MARIPOSA study.

In November 2023, Johnson & Johnson submitted a supplemental BLA to the U.S. FDA for RYBREVANT® in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC who progressed on or after osimertinib based on the MARIPOSA-2 study. A type II extension of indication application was also submitted to the EMA seeking approval of RYBREVANT® for this indication.

In June 2024, Johnson & Johnson submitted a BLA to the U.S. FDA for the subcutaneous formulation of RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™ for all currently approved or submitted indications of intravenous (IV) RYBREVANT® in certain patients with NSCLC. In August 2024, the U.S. FDA designated this application for Priority Review.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for NSCLC# prefer next-generation sequencing-based strategies over polymerase chain reaction-based approaches for the detection of EGFR exon 20 insertion variants. The NCCN Guidelines include:

• Amivantamab-vmjw (RYBREVANT®) plus chemotherapy as a preferred (Category 1 preferred recommendation) subsequent therapy for patients with locally advanced or metastatic NCSLC with EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations who experienced disease progression after treatment with osimertinib.13 §¶

• Amivantamab-vmjw (RYBREVANT®) plus carboplatin and pemetrexed as a preferred (Category 1 preferred recommendation) first-line therapy in treatment-naive patients with newly diagnosed advanced or metastatic EGFR exon 20 insertion mutation-positive advanced NSCLC, or as a subsequent therapy option (Category 2A recommendation) for patients that have progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy with or without immunotherapy and have EGFR exon 20 insertion mutation-positive advanced NSCLC.13 §¶

• Amivantamab-vmjw (RYBREVANT®) as a subsequent therapy option (Category 2A recommendation) for patients that have progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy with or without an immunotherapy and have EGFR exon 20 insertion mutation-positive NSCLC.13 §¶

In addition to MARIPOSA, RYBREVANT® is being studied in multiple clinical trials in NSCLC, including:

• The Phase 3 MARIPOSA-2 (NCT04988295) study assessing the efficacy of RYBREVANT® (with or without LAZCLUZE™) and carboplatin-pemetrexed versus carboplatin-pemetrexed alone in patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR ex19del or L858R substitution NSCLC after disease progression on or after osimertinib.14

• The Phase 3 PAPILLON (NCT04538664) study assessing RYBREVANT® in combination with carboplatin-pemetrexed versus chemotherapy alone in the first-line treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations.15

• The Phase 3 PALOMA-3 (NCT05388669) study assessing LAZCLUZE™ with subcutaneous amivantamab compared to intravenous amivantamab in patients with EGFR-mutated advanced or metastatic NSCLC.11

• The Phase 1 CHRYSALIS (NCT02609776) study evaluating RYBREVANT® in patients with advanced NSCLC.16

• The Phase 1/1b CHRYSALIS-2 (NCT04077463) study evaluating RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™ and LAZCLUZE™ as a monotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC with EGFR mutations.17

• The Phase 1 PALOMA (NCT04606381) study assessing the feasibility of subcutaneous administration of amivantamab based on safety and pharmacokinetics and to determine a dose, dose regimen and formulation for amivantamab subcutaneous delivery.18

• The Phase 2 PALOMA-2 (NCT05498428) study assessing subcutaneous amivantamab in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors including EGFR-mutated NSCLC.19

• The Phase 1/2 METalmark (NCT05488314) study assessing RYBREVANT® and capmatinib combination therapy in locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC.20

• The Phase 1/2 PolyDamas (NCT05908734) study assessing RYBREVANT® and cetrelimab combination therapy in locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC.21

• The Phase 2 SKIPPirr study (NCT05663866) exploring how to decrease the incidence and/or severity of first-dose infusion-related reactions with RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™ in relapsed or refractory EGFR-mutated advanced or metastatic NSCLC.22

For more information, visit: https://www.RYBREVANT.com.

About LAZCLUZE™
In 2018, Janssen Biotech, Inc., entered into a license and collaboration agreement with Yuhan Corporation for the development of LAZCLUZE™ (lazertinib, marketed as LACLAZA in Korea). LAZCLUZE™ is an oral, third-generation, brain-penetrant EGFR TKI that targets both the T790M mutation and activating EGFR mutations while sparing wild-type EGFR. An analysis of the efficacy and safety of LAZCLUZE™ from the Phase 3 LASER301 study was published in The Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2023.

Access to RYBREVANT® and LAZCLUZETM
J&J offers comprehensive access and support information and resources to assist patients in gaining access to RYBREVANT® and LAZCLUZE™. Our patient support program, J&J withMe, is available to provide personalized support to help patients start and stay on their J&J medicines. J&J withMe offers providers help supporting their patients by verifying patients’ insurance coverage, providing information on Prior Authorization and Appeals processes and educating on reimbursement processes. Patients can connect to RYBREVANT withMe to receive cost support, regardless of insurance type, free, personalized one-on-one support from a Care Navigator, and resources and community connections. Learn more at RYBREVANTwithMe.com or by calling 833-JNJ-wMe1 (833-565-9631).♠

About Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, with NSCLC making up 80 to 85 percent of all cases.3,4 The main subtypes of NSCLC are adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma.23 Among the most common driver mutations in NSCLC are alterations in EGFR, which is a receptor tyrosine kinase controlling cell growth and division.24 EGFR mutations are present in 10 to 15 percent of Western patients with NSCLC with adenocarcinoma histology and occur in 40 to 50 percent of Asian patients.23,24,25,26,27,28 EGFR ex19del or EGFR L858R mutations are the most common EGFR mutations.29 The five-year survival rate for all people with advanced NSCLC and EGFR mutations treated with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors is less than 20 percent.8,9 EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations are the third most prevalent activating EGFR mutation.30 Patients with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations have a real-world five-year OS of eight percent in the frontline setting, which is worse than patients with EGFR ex19del or L858R mutations, who have a real-world five-year OS of 19 percent.31

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION1,2

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Infusion-Related Reactions

RYBREVANT® can cause infusion-related reactions (IRR); signs and symptoms of IRR include dyspnea, flushing, fever, chills, nausea, chest discomfort, hypotension, and vomiting. The median time to IRR onset is approximately 1 hour.

RYBREVANT® with LAZCLUZE™

RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™ can cause infusion-related reactions. In MARIPOSA (n=421), IRRs occurred in 63% of patients treated with RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™, including Grade 3 in 5% and Grade 4 in 1% of patients. The incidence of infusion modifications due to IRR was 54% of patients, and IRRs leading to dose reduction of RYBREVANT® occurred in 0.7% of patients. Infusion-related reactions leading to permanent discontinuation of RYBREVANT® occurred in 4.5% of patients receiving RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™.

RYBREVANT® with Carboplatin and Pemetrexed

In PAPILLON (n=151), infusion-related reactions occurred in 42% of patients treated with RYBREVANT® in combination with carboplatin and pemetrexed, including Grade 3 (1.3%) adverse reactions. The incidence of infusion modifications due to IRR was 40%, and 0.7% of patients permanently discontinued RYBREVANT®.

RYBREVANT® as a Single Agent

In CHRYSALIS (n=129), IRR occurred in 66% of patients treated with RYBREVANT®. Among patients receiving treatment on Week 1 Day 1, 65% experienced an IRR, while the incidence of IRR was 3.4% with the Day 2 infusion, 0.4% with the Week 2 infusion, and cumulatively 1.1% with subsequent infusions. Of the reported IRRs, 97% were Grade 1-2, 2.2% were Grade 3, and 0.4% were Grade 4. The median time to onset was 1 hour (range 0.1 to 18 hours) after start of infusion. The incidence of infusion modifications due to IRR was 62% and 1.3% of patients permanently discontinued RYBREVANT® due to IRR.

Premedicate with antihistamines, antipyretics, and glucocorticoids and infuse RYBREVANT® as recommended. Administer RYBREVANT® via a peripheral line on Week 1 and Week 2 to reduce the risk of infusion-related reactions. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of infusion reactions during RYBREVANT® infusion in a setting where cardiopulmonary resuscitation medication and equipment are available. Interrupt infusion if IRR is suspected. Reduce the infusion rate or permanently discontinue RYBREVANT® based on severity.

Interstitial Lung Disease/Pneumonitis

RYBREVANT® can cause severe and fatal interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis.

RYBREVANT® with LAZCLUZE™

In MARIPOSA, ILD/pneumonitis occurred in 3.1% of patients treated with RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™, including Grade 3 in 1.0% and Grade 4 in 0.2% of patients. There was one fatal case (0.2)% of ILD/pneumonitis and 2.9% of patients permanently discontinued RYBREVANT® and LAZCLUZE™ due to ILD/pneumonitis.

RYBREVANT® with Carboplatin and Pemetrexed

In PAPILLON, Grade 3 ILD/pneumonitis occurred in 2.6% of patients treated with RYBREVANT® in combination with carboplatin and pemetrexed, all patients required permanent discontinuation.

RYBREVANT® as a Single Agent

In CHRYSALIS, ILD/pneumonitis occurred in 3.3% of patients treated with RYBREVANT®, with 0.7% of patients experiencing Grade 3 ILD/pneumonitis. Three patients (1%) discontinued RYBREVANT® due to ILD/pneumonitis.

Monitor patients for new or worsening symptoms indicative of ILD/pneumonitis (e.g., dyspnea, cough, fever). For patients receiving RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™, immediately withhold both drugs in patients with suspected ILD/pneumonitis and permanently discontinue if ILD/pneumonitis is confirmed. For patients receiving RYBREVANT® as a single agent or in combination with carboplatin and pemetrexed, immediately withhold RYBREVANT® in patients with suspected ILD/pneumonitis and permanently discontinue if ILD/pneumonitis is confirmed.

Venous Thromboembolic (VTE) Events with Concomitant Use of RYBREVANT® and LAZCLUZE™

RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™ can cause serious and fatal venous thromboembolic (VTEs) events, including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. The majority of these events occurred during the first four months of therapy.

In MARIPOSA, VTEs occurred in 36% of patients receiving RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™, including Grade 3 in 10% and Grade 4 in 0.5% of patients. On-study VTEs occurred in 1.2% of patients (n=5) while receiving anticoagulation therapy. There were two fatal cases of VTE (0.5%), 9% of patients had VTE leading to dose interruptions of RYBREVANT®, and 7% of patients had VTE leading to dose interruptions of LAZCLUZE™; 1% of patients had VTE leading to dose reductions of RYBREVANT®, and 0.5% of patients had VTE leading to dose reductions of LAZCLUZE™; 3.1% of patients had VTE leading to permanent discontinuation of RYBREVANT® and 1.9% of patients had VTE leading to permanent discontinuation of LAZCLUZE™. The median time to onset of VTEs was 84 days (range: 6 to 777).

Administer prophylactic anticoagulation for the first four months of treatment. The use of Vitamin K antagonists is not recommended. Monitor for signs and symptoms of VTE events and treat as medically appropriate.

Withhold RYBREVANT® and LAZCLUZE™ based on severity. Once anticoagulant treatment has been initiated, resume RYBREVANT® and LAZCLUZE™ at the same dose level at the discretion of the healthcare provider. In the event of VTE recurrence despite therapeutic anticoagulation, permanently discontinue RYBREVANT® and continue treatment with LAZCLUZE™ at the same dose level at the discretion of the healthcare provider.

Dermatologic Adverse Reactions

RYBREVANT® can cause severe rash including toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), dermatitis acneiform, pruritus, and dry skin.

RYBREVANT® with LAZCLUZE™

In MARIPOSA, rash occurred in 86% of patients treated with RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™, including Grade 3 in 26% of patients. The median time to onset of rash was 14 days (range: 1 to 556 days). Rash leading to dose interruptions occurred in 37% of patients for RYBREVANT® and 30% for LAZCLUZE™, rash leading to dose reductions occurred in 23% of patients for RYBREVANT® and 19% for LAZCLUZE™, and rash leading to permanent discontinuation occurred in 5% of patients for RYBREVANT® and 1.7% for LAZCLUZE™.

RYBREVANT® with Carboplatin and Pemetrexed

In PAPILLON, rash occurred in 89% of patients treated with RYBREVANT® in combination with carboplatin and pemetrexed, including Grade 3 (19%) adverse reactions. Rash leading to dose reductions occurred in 19% of patients, and 2% permanently discontinued RYBREVANT® and 1.3% discontinued pemetrexed.

RYBREVANT® as a Single Agent

In CHRYSALIS, rash occurred in 74% of patients treated with RYBREVANT® as a single agent, including Grade 3 rash in 3.3% of patients. The median time to onset of rash was 14 days (range: 1 to 276 days). Rash leading to dose reduction occurred in 5% of patients, and RYBREVANT® was permanently discontinued due to rash in 0.7% of patients.

Toxic epidermal necrolysis occurred in one patient (0.3%) treated with RYBREVANT® as a single agent.

Instruct patients to limit sun exposure during and for 2 months after treatment with RYBREVANT®. Advise patients to wear protective clothing and use broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen. Alcohol-free (e.g., isopropanol-free, ethanol-free) emollient cream is recommended for dry skin.

When initiating RYBREVANT® treatment with or without LAZCLUZE™, administer alcohol-free emollient cream to reduce the risk of dermatologic adverse reactions. Consider prophylactic measures (e.g. use of oral antibiotics) to reduce the risk of dermatologic reactions. If skin reactions develop, start topical corticosteroids and topical and/or oral antibiotics. For Grade 3 reactions, add oral steroids and consider dermatologic consultation. Promptly refer patients presenting with severe rash, atypical appearance or distribution, or lack of improvement within 2 weeks to a dermatologist. For patients receiving RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™, withhold, dose reduce or permanently discontinue both drugs based on severity. For patients receiving RYBREVANT® as a single agent or in combination with carboplatin and pemetrexed, withhold, dose reduce or permanently discontinue RYBREVANT® based on severity.

Ocular Toxicity

RYBREVANT® can cause ocular toxicity including keratitis, blepharitis, dry eye symptoms, conjunctival redness, blurred vision, visual impairment, ocular itching, eye pruritus, and uveitis.

RYBREVANT® with LAZCLUZE™

In MARIPOSA, ocular toxicity occurred in 16% of patients treated with RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™, including Grade 3 or 4 ocular toxicity in 0.7% of patients. Withhold, reduce the dose, or permanently discontinue RYBREVANT® and continue LAZCLUZE™ based on severity.

RYBREVANT® with Carboplatin and Pemetrexed

In PAPILLON, ocular toxicity including blepharitis, dry eye, conjunctival redness, blurred vision, and eye pruritus occurred in 9%. All events were Grade 1-2.

RYBREVANT® as a Single Agent

In CHRYSALIS, keratitis occurred in 0.7% and uveitis occurred in 0.3% of patients treated with RYBREVANT®. All events were Grade 1-2.

Promptly refer patients with new or worsening eye symptoms to an ophthalmologist. Withhold, dose reduce or permanently discontinue RYBREVANT® based on severity. Continue LAZCLUZE™ based on severity.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity

Based on its mechanism of action and findings from animal models, RYBREVANT® and LAZCLUZE™ can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise females of reproductive potential of the potential risk to the fetus.

Advise female patients of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment and for 3 months after the last dose of RYBREVANT®.

Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with LAZCLUZE™ and for 3 weeks after the last dose. Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with LAZCLUZE™ and for 3 weeks after the last dose.

Adverse Reactions

RYBREVANT® with LAZCLUZE™

For the 421 patients in the MARIPOSA clinical trial who received RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™, the most common adverse reactions (≥20%) were rash (86%), nail toxicity (71%), infusion-related reactions (RYBREVANT®, 63%), musculoskeletal pain (47%), stomatitis (43%), edema (43%), VTE (36%), paresthesia (35%), fatigue (32%), diarrhea (31%), constipation (29%), COVID-19 (26%), hemorrhage (25%), dry skin (25%), decreased appetite (24%), pruritus (24%), nausea (21%), and ocular toxicity (16%). The most common Grade 3 or 4 laboratory abnormalities (≥ 2%) were decreased albumin (8%), decreased sodium (7%), increased ALT (7%), decreased potassium (5%), decreased hemoglobin (3.8%), increased AST (3.8%), increased GGT (2.6%) and increased magnesium (2.6%).

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 49% of patients who received RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™. Serious adverse reactions occurring in ≥2% of patients included VTE (11%), pneumonia (4.3%), ILD/pneumonitis and rash (2.9% each), COVID-19 (2.4%), pleural effusion, and infusion-related reaction (RYBREVANT®) (2.1% each). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 7% of patients who received RYBREVANT® in combination with LAZCLUZE™ due to death not otherwise specified (1.2%); sepsis and respiratory failure (1% each); pneumonia, myocardial infarction, and sudden death (0.7% each); cerebral infarction, pulmonary embolism (PE), and COVID-19 infection (0.5% each); and ILD/pneumonitis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and cardiopulmonary arrest (0.2% each).

RYBREVANT® with Carboplatin and Pemetrexed

For the 151 patients in the PAPILLON clinical trial who received RYBREVANT® in combination with carboplatin and pemetrexed, the most common adverse reactions (≥ 20%) were rash (90%), nail toxicity (62%), stomatitis (43%), infusion-related reaction (42%), fatigue (42%), edema (40%), constipation (40%), decreased appetite (36%), nausea (36%), COVID-19 (24%), diarrhea (21%), and vomiting (21%). The most common Grade 3 to 4 laboratory abnormalities (≥ 2%) were decreased albumin (7%), increased alanine aminotransferase (4%), increased gamma-glutamyl transferase (4%), decreased sodium (7%), decreased potassium (11%), decreased magnesium (2%), and decreases in white blood cells (17%), hemoglobin (11%), neutrophils (36%), platelets (10%), and lymphocytes (11%).

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 37% of patients who received RYBREVANT® in combination with carboplatin and pemetrexed. Serious adverse reactions in ≥2% of patients included rash, pneumonia, ILD, pulmonary embolism, vomiting, and COVID-19. Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 7 patients (4.6%) due to pneumonia, cerebrovascular accident, cardio-respiratory arrest, COVID-19, sepsis, and death not otherwise specified.

RYBREVANT® as a Single Agent

For the 129 patients in the CHRYSALIS clinical trial who received RYBREVANT® as a single agent, the most common adverse reactions (≥20%) were rash (84%), IRR (64%), paronychia (50%), musculoskeletal pain (47%), dyspnea (37%), nausea (36%), fatigue (33%), edema (27%), stomatitis (26%), cough (25%), constipation (23%), and vomiting (22%). The most common Grade 3 to 4 laboratory abnormalities (≥2%) were decreased lymphocytes (8%), decreased albumin (8%), decreased phosphate (8%), decreased potassium (6%), increased alkaline phosphatase (4.8%), increased glucose (4%), increased gamma-glutamyl transferase (4%), and decreased sodium (4%).

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 30% of patients who received RYBREVANT®. Serious adverse reactions in ≥2% of patients included pulmonary embolism, pneumonitis/ILD, dyspnea, musculoskeletal pain, pneumonia, and muscular weakness. Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 2 patients (1.5%) due to pneumonia and 1 patient (0.8%) due to sudden death.

LAZCLUZE™ Drug Interactions

Avoid concomitant use of LAZCLUZE™ with strong and moderate CYP3A4 inducers. Consider an alternate concomitant medication with no potential to induce CYP3A4.

Monitor for adverse reactions associated with a CYP3A4 or BCRP substrate where minimal concentration changes may lead to serious adverse reactions, as recommended in the approved product labeling for the CYP3A4 or BCRP substrate.

Please read full Prescribing Information for RYBREVANT®.

Please read full Prescribing Information for LAZCLUZE™.

About Johnson & Johnson
At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/ or at www.janssen.com/johnson-johnson-innovative-medicine. Follow us at @JanssenUS and @JNJInnovMed. Janssen Research & Development, LLC, and Janssen Biotech, Inc., are Johnson & Johnson companies.

TEPKINLY® (epcoritamab) Receives Second European Commission Approval for the Treatment of Adults with r/r Follicular Lymphoma

Company Announcement

• TEPKINLY is the first and only subcutaneous bispecific antibody approved as a monotherapy in the European Union to treat both relapsed or refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma (FL) and R/R diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), after two or more lines of systemic therapy
  

COPENHAGEN, Denmark; August 19, 2024 – Genmab A/S (Nasdaq: GMAB) today announced that the European Commission (EC) has granted conditional marketing authorization for TEPKINLY® (epcoritamab) as a monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma (FL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy. TEPKINLY is the first and only subcutaneous T-cell engaging bispecific antibody approved for the treatment of this patient population in the European Union (EU), as well as the European Economic Area (EEA) countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) and Northern Ireland.

“Follicular lymphoma can be challenging to treat and today’s approval of TEPKINLY for the treatment of relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy marks an important milestone for patients in the European Union who are in need of more options offering a balance of meaningful efficacy and favorable safety,” said Jan van de Winkel, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Genmab. “Alongside our partner AbbVie, we are committed to exploring the continued development of epcoritamab as a potential core therapy across B-cell malignancies.”

FL is typically a slow-growing form of Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) that arises from B-cell lymphocytes. FL is the second most common form of NHL overall, accounting for 20-30 percent of all NHL cases, and represents 10-20 percent of all lymphomas in the western world.i FL is considered incurable, and there is no standard of care treatment for third-line or later FL.i,ii Patients who achieve remission also often experience relapse.iii,iv,v

The conditional marketing authorization is supported by data from the Phase 1/2 EPCORE® NHL-1 clinical trial: an open-label, multi-cohort, multicenter, single-arm trial that evaluated TEPKINLY as monotherapy in patients with R/R FL after two or more lines of prior systemic therapy. Patients included in the study were refractory to both anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy and an alkylating agent (70% having double refractory disease), patients who were refractory to last prior treatment (82%), and patients whose disease progressed within two years of initiating first systemic therapy (52%). The results published in the Lancet Haematology showed that patients treated with TEPKINLY (n=128) had an overall response rate (ORR) of 83% and a complete response (CR) rate of 63%. At a median follow-up of 16.2 months, the median duration of response was 21.4 months (13.7, NR). Duration of complete response (DOCR) was not reached.

The study included a planned separate optimization cohort, which evaluated 86 patients with the recommended 3-step-up doses for cytokine release syndrome (CRS) mitigation. Hospitalization was not mandatory in the cycle 1 optimization cohort. With the optimized regimen, 40% of patients experienced Grade 1 CRS and 9% experienced Grade 2 (no Grade 3 or higher CRS were reported). No immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) cases were reported in this cohort.

The safety profile of epcoritamab in the pivotal cohort was similar to reports of epcoritamab monotherapy in the pivotal EPCORE NHL-1 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cohort. In the pooled safety population (n=382), the most common adverse reactions (≥ 20%) with TEPKINLY were CRS, injection site reactions, fatigue, viral infection, neutropenia, musculoskeletal pain, pyrexia, and diarrhea. The most frequent serious adverse reaction (≥ 10%) was cytokine release syndrome (34%). Fourteen patients (3.7%) experienced a fatal adverse reaction (pneumonia in 9 (2.4%) patients, viral infection in 4 (1.0%) patients, and ICANS in 1 (0.3%) patient.

“The approval of epcoritamab by the European Commission is a promising update for the lymphoma community,” said Kate Rogers, CEO of the Follicular Lymphoma Foundation. “Given that relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma can be a very challenging form of cancer to treat, especially in later lines of therapy, it is critical that patients and physicians have additional options when it comes to treating this type of cancer.”

About the EPCORE® NHL-1 Trial
EPCORE® NHL-1 is an open-label, multi-center safety and preliminary efficacy trial of epcoritamab that consists of three parts: a dose escalation part; an expansion part; and an optimization part. The trial was designed to evaluate subcutaneous epcoritamab in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (B-NHL), including FL. In the expansion part, additional patients were enrolled to further explore the safety and efficacy of epcoritamab in three cohorts of patients with different types of relapsed/refractory B-NHLs who have limited therapeutic options. The expansion part generated pivotal data from patients with FL and DLBCL. The optimization part evaluated additional CRS mitigation strategies during cycle 1. The primary endpoint of the expansion part was overall response rate (ORR) as assessed by an Independent Review Committee (IRC). Secondary efficacy endpoints included duration of response, complete response rate, duration of complete response, progression-free survival, and time to response as determined by the Lugano criteria. Overall survival, time to next therapy, and rate of minimal residual disease negativity were also evaluated as secondary efficacy endpoints. The primary endpoint of the optimization part was the rate of ≥ Grade 2 CRS events and all grade CRS events from first dose of epcoritamab through 7 days following administration of the second full dose of epcoritamab.

About Epcoritamab
Epcoritamab is an IgG1-bispecific antibody created using Genmab's proprietary DuoBody® technology and administered subcutaneously. Genmab's DuoBody-CD3 technology is designed to direct cytotoxic T cells selectively to elicit an immune response toward target cell types. Epcoritamab is designed to simultaneously bind to CD3 on T cells and CD20 on B cells and induces T-cell-mediated killing of CD20+ cells.vi

Epcoritamab (approved under the brand name EPKINLY in the U.S. and Japan, and TEPKINLY in the EU) has received regulatory approval in certain lymphoma indications in several territories. Epcoritamab is being co-developed by Genmab and AbbVie as part of the companies' oncology collaboration. The companies will share commercial responsibilities in the U.S. and Japan, with AbbVie responsible for further global commercialization. Both companies will pursue additional international regulatory approvals for the investigational R/R FL indication and additional approvals for the R/R DLBCL indication.

Genmab and AbbVie continue to evaluate the use of epcoritamab as a monotherapy, and in combination, across lines of therapy in a range of hematologic malignancies. This includes four ongoing Phase 3, open-label, randomized trials including a trial evaluating epcoritamab as a monotherapy in patients with R/R DLBCL compared to investigators choice chemotherapy (NCT04628494), a trial evaluating epcoritamab in combination with R-CHOP in adult participants with newly diagnosed DLBCL (NCT05578976), a trial evaluating epcoritamab in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide (R2) in patients with R/R FL (NCT05409066), and a trial evaluating epcoritamab in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide (R2) compared to chemoimmunotherapy in patients with previously untreated FL (NCT06191744). The safety and efficacy of epcoritamab has not been established for these investigational uses. Please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov for more information.

EU Indications and Important Safety Information about Tepkinly® (epcoritamab)

Indications
Tepkinly (epcoritamab) as monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy.

Tepkinly as monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy.

Important Safety Information

Contraindications
Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients.

Special warnings and precautions for use
Cytokine release syndrome (CRS)
CRS, which may be life-threatening or fatal, occurred in patients receiving Tepkinly. The most common signs and symptoms of CRS include pyrexia, hypotension and hypoxia. Other signs and symptoms of CRS in more than two patients include chills, tachycardia, headache and dyspnoea.

Most CRS events occurred in Cycle 1 and were associated with the first full dose of Tepkinly. Administer prophylactic corticosteroids to mitigate the risk of CRS. Patients should be monitored for signs and symptoms of CRS following Tepkinly administration. At the first signs or symptoms of CRS, institute treatment of supportive care with tocilizumab and/or corticosteroids as appropriate. Patients should be counselled on the signs and symptoms associated with CRS and patients should be instructed to contact their healthcare professional and seek immediate medical attention should signs or symptoms occur at any time. Management of CRS may require either temporary delay or discontinuation of Tepkinly based on the severity of CRS. Patients with DLBCL should be hospitalised for 24 hours after administration of the Cycle 1 Day 15 dose of 48 mg to monitor for signs and symptoms of CRS.

Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS)
ICANS, including a fatal event, have occurred in patients receiving Tepkinly. ICANS may manifest as aphasia, altered level of consciousness, impairment of cognitive skills, motor weakness, seizures, and cerebral oedema. The majority of cases of ICANS occurred within Cycle 1 of Tepkinly treatment, however some occurred with delayed onset. Patients should be monitored for signs and symptoms of ICANS following Tepkinly administration. At the first signs or symptoms of ICANS treatment with corticosteroids and non-sedating-anti-seizure medicinal products should be instituted as appropriate. Patients should be counselled on the signs and symptoms of ICANS and that the onset of events may be delayed. Patients should be instructed to contact their healthcare professional and seek immediate medical attention should signs or symptoms occur at any time. Tepkinly should be delayed or discontinued as recommended. Patients with DLBCL should be hospitalised for 24 hours after administration of the Cycle 1 Day 15 dose of 48 mg to monitor for signs and symptoms of ICANS .

Serious infections
Treatment with Tepkinly may lead to an increased risk of infections. Serious or fatal infections were observed in patients treated with Tepkinly in clinical studies. Administration of Tepkinly should be avoided in patients with clinically significant active systemic infections. As appropriate, prophylactic antimicrobials should be administered prior to and during treatment with Tepkinly. Patients should be monitored for signs and symptoms of infection, before and after Tepkinly administration, and treated appropriately. In the event of febrile neutropenia, patients should be evaluated for infection and managed with antibiotics, fluids and other supportive care, according to local guidelines.

Tumour Lysis Syndrome (TLS)
TLS has been reported in patients receiving Tepkinly. Patients at an increased risk for TLS are recommended to receive hydration and prophylactic treatment with a uric acid lowering agent. Patients should be monitored for signs or symptoms of TLS, especially patients with high tumour burden or rapidly proliferative tumours, and patients with reduced renal function. Patients should be monitored for blood chemistries and abnormalities should be managed promptly.

Tumour flare
Tumour flare has been reported in patients treated with Tepkinly. Manifestations could include localized pain and swelling. Consistent with the mechanism of action of Tepkinly, tumour flare is likely due to the influx of T-cells into tumour sites following Tepkinly administration. There are no specific risk factors for tumour flare that have been identified; however, there is a heightened risk of compromise and morbidity due to mass effect secondary to tumour flare in patients with bulky tumours located in close proximity to airways and/or a vital organ. Patients treated with Tepkinly should be monitored and evaluated for tumour flare at critical anatomical sites.

CD20-negative disease
There are limited data available on patients with CD20-negative DLBCL and patients with CD20-negative FL treated with Tepkinly, and it is possible that patients with CD20-negative DLBCL and CD20-negative FL may have less benefit compared to patients with CD20-positive DLBCL and patients with CD20-postitive FL, respectively. The potential risks and benefits associated with treatment of patients with CD20-negative DLBCL and FL with Tepkinly should be considered.

Immunisation
Live and/or live-attenuated vaccines should not be given during Tepkinly therapy. Studies have not been conducted in patients who received live vaccines.

Fertility, pregnancy and lactation
Tepkinly is not recommended during pregnancy and in women of childbearing potential not using contraception.

Effects on ability to drive and use machines
Tepkinly has minor influence on the ability to drive and use machines. Due to the potential for ICANS, patients should be advised to exercise caution while (or avoid if symptomatic) driving, cycling or using heavy or potentially dangerous machines.

Undesirable effects
Summary of the safety profile
The safety of Tepkinly was evaluated in 382 patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (N=167), FL (N=129) and FL (3-step step-up dose schedule N=86) after two or more lines of systemic therapy and included all the patients who enrolled to the 48 mg dose and received at least one dose of TEPKINLY. The most common adverse reactions (≥ 20%) were CRS, injection site reactions, fatigue, viral infection, neutropenia, musculoskeletal pain, pyrexia, and diarrhoea.

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 50% of patients. The most frequent serious adverse reaction (≥ 10%) was cytokine release syndrome (34%). Fourteen patients (3.7%) experienced a fatal adverse reaction (pneumonia in 9 (2.4%) patients, viral infection in 4 (1.0%) patients, and ICANS in 1 (0.3%) patient). Adverse reactions that led to discontinuation occurred in 6.8% of patients. Discontinuation of Tepkinly due to pneumonia occurred in 14 (3.7%) patients, viral infection in 8 (2.1%) patients, fatigue in 2 (0.5%) patients, and CRS, ICANS, or diarrhoea, in 1 (0.3%) patient each.

Dose delays due to adverse reactions occurred in 42% of patients. Adverse reactions leading to dose delays (≥ 3%) were viral infections (17%), CRS (11%), neutropenia (5.2%), pneumonia (4.7%), upper respiratory tract infection (4.2%), and pyrexia (3.7%).

This is not a complete summary of all safety information.

See Tepkinly® full Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) at www.ema.europa.eu

Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information.

About Genmab
Genmab is an international biotechnology company with a core purpose of guiding its unstoppable team to strive toward improving the lives of patients with innovative and differentiated antibody therapeutics. For 25 years, its passionate, innovative and collaborative team has invented next-generation antibody technology platforms and leveraged translational, quantitative and data sciences, resulting in a proprietary pipeline including bispecific T-cell engagers, antibody-drug conjugates, next-generation immune checkpoint modulators and effector function-enhanced antibodies. By 2030, Genmab’s vision is to transform the lives of people with cancer and other serious diseases with knock-your-socks-off (KYSO®) antibody medicines. 

Established in 1999, Genmab is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with international presence across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit Genmab.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X.

FDA approves neoadjuvant/adjuvant durvalumab for resectable non-small cell lung cancer

On August 15, 2024, the Food and Drug Administration approved durvalumab (Imfinzi, AstraZeneca) with platinum-containing chemotherapy as neoadjuvant treatment, followed by single-agent durvalumab as adjuvant treatment after surgery for adults with resectable (tumors ≥ 4 cm and/or node positive) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and no known epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements.

Full prescribing information for Imfinzi will be posted on Drugs@FDA. 

Efficacy and Safety

Efficacy was evaluated in AEGEAN (NCT03800134), a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial in 802 patients with previously untreated and resectable squamous or non-squamous NSCLC (Stage IIA to select Stage IIIB [AJCC, 8th edition]). Patients were randomized (1:1) to either durvalumab or placebo, with platinum-based chemotherapy, every 3 weeks for up to 4 cycles (neoadjuvant treatment) followed by either continued single-agent durvalumab or placebo, every 4 weeks for up to 12 cycles (adjuvant treatment). 

The major efficacy outcome measures were event-free survival (EFS) by blinded independent central review assessment and pathological complete response (pCR) by blinded central pathology review. Median EFS was not reached (95% CI: 31.9, not estimable [NE]) in the durvalumab arm and 25.9 months (95% CI: 18.9, NE) in the placebo arm (hazard ratio 0.68 [95% CI: 0.53, 0.88]; p-value=0.0039). The pCR rate was 17% (95% CI: 13, 21) and 4.3% (95% CI: 2.5, 7) in the durvalumab and placebo arms, respectively.  At the time of the prespecified interim analyses, overall survival (OS) was not formally tested for statistical significance; however, a descriptive analysis revealed no clear detriment.

The most common adverse reactions (≥20%) were anemia, nausea, constipation, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and rash. Of the patients who received neoadjuvant durvalumab, 1.7% were unable to receive surgery due to adverse reactions compared with 1% in the placebo arm. 

For patients with a body weight of ≥ 30 kg, the recommended durvalumab dosage is 1,500 mg every 3 weeks (neoadjuvant treatment) and every 4 weeks (adjuvant treatment). For patients with a body weight of < 30 kg, the recommended durvalumab dosage is 20 mg/kg. Durvalumab should be administered prior to chemotherapy when administered on the same day.

Expedited Programs

This review used the Assessment Aid, a voluntary submission from the applicant to facilitate the FDA’s assessment.