CTI BioPharma And Baxter International Announce Phase 3 Data Of Pacritinib In Patients With Myelofibrosis To Be Presented In Late-Breaking Session At ASCO

SEATTLE and DEERFIELD, Ill., April 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- CTI BioPharma Corp. (CTI BioPharma) (NASDAQ and MTA: CTIC) and Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX) today announced that data from the randomized Phase 3 PERSIST-1 trial evaluating the investigational agent pacritinib in patients with myelofibrosis will be highlighted in a late-breaking oral presentation at the upcoming American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2015 Meeting (May 29-June 2, 2015 in Chicago, Ill). These data have also been selected as part of this year's official ASCO press briefing titled "Targeted Therapy" to be held on Saturday, May 30, 2015 at 8:00 a.m. CT.

Myelofibrosis (a type of myeloproliferative neoplasm) is a rare, but serious and life-threatening chronic bone marrow disorder caused by the accumulation of malignant bone marrow cells that triggers an inflammatory response and scars the bone marrow. The replacement of bone marrow with scar tissue limits its ability to produce red blood cells, prompting the spleen and liver to take over this function. Pacritinib is a next generation JAK2/FLT3 inhibitor under investigation for the treatment of patients with myelofibrosis.

The details of the oral presentation are:

Title:  Results of the PERSIST-1 phase III study of pacritinib (PAC) versus best available therapy (BAT) in primary myelofibrosis (PMF), post-polycythemia vera myelofibrosis (PPV-MF) or post-essential thrombocythemia-myelofibrosis (PET-MF)
First Author: Ruben Mesa, M.D., Deputy Director, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Chair of the Division of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Scottsdale, AZ
Date/Time: Saturday, May 30 at 2:37 p.m. CT
Session: Leukemia, Myelodysplasia, and Transplantation
Abstract #: LBA7006

About the PERSIST Phase 3 Development Program of Pacritinib

Pacritinib is currently being evaluated in two Phase 3 clinical trials, known as the PERSIST program, for patients with myelofibrosis. The PERSIST clinical trials are intended to support a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In August 2014, pacritinib was granted Fast Track designation by the FDA for the treatment of intermediate and high risk myelofibrosis, including but not limited to patients with disease related thrombocytopenia, patients experiencing treatment emergent thrombocytopenia on other JAK2 therapy or patients who are intolerant of, or whose symptoms are sub-optimally managed on other JAK2 therapy. The FDA's Fast Track process is designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of drugs to treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need.

PERSIST-1 is a randomized (2:1), open-label, multinational Phase 3 clinical trial comparing the efficacy and safety of pacritinib with that of best available therapy (BAT), other than JAK inhibitors, in 327 patients with primary and secondary myelofibrosis (PMF), post-polycythemia vera myelofibrosis (PPV-MF) or post-essential thrombocythemia myelofibrosis (PET-MF), without exclusion for low platelet counts. PERSIST-2 is a randomized (2:1), open-label, multinational Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating pacritinib compared to BAT, including the approved JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor dosed according to product label for patients with myelofibrosis whose platelet counts are less than or equal to 100,000 per microliter. Patients will be randomized to receive 200 mg pacritinib twice daily (BID), 400 mg pacritinib once daily (QD) or BAT. The trial is designed to enroll up to 300 patients in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Russia. Additional details are available at www.clinicaltrials.gov or www.PERSISTprogram.com.

CTI BioPharma and Baxter entered into a worldwide license agreement in November 2013 to develop and commercialize pacritinib pursuant to which CTI BioPharma and Baxter will jointly commercialize pacritinib in the U.S. while Baxter has exclusive commercialization rights for all indications outside the U.S.

About Pacritinib

Pacritinib is an oral inhibitor with dual activity against JAK2 and FLT3. The JAK family of enzymes is a central component in signal transduction pathways, which are critical to normal blood cell growth and development, as well as inflammatory cytokine expression and immune responses. Mutations in these kinases have been shown to be directly related to the development of a variety of blood-related cancers, including myeloproliferative neoplasms, leukemia and lymphoma. The kinase profile of pacritinib suggests its potential therapeutic utility in conditions such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) due to its potent inhibition of c-fms, IRAK1, JAK2 and FLT3.¹

About Myelofibrosis and Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Myelofibrosis is a one of three main types of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), which are a closely related group of hematological blood cancers. The three main types of MPNs are myelofibrosis, polycethemia vera and essential thrombocytopenia.² Myelofibrosis is a serious and life-threatening chronic bone marrow disorder caused by the accumulation of malignant bone marrow cells that triggers an inflammatory response and scars the bone marrow. The replacement of bone marrow with scar tissue limits its ability to produce red blood cells, prompting the spleen and liver to take over this function. Symptoms that arise from this disease include enlargement of the spleen, anemia, extreme fatigue and pain.

The estimated prevalence of MPNs suggest there are approximately 300,000 people living with the disease in the U.S. of which myelofibrosis accounts for approximately 18,000 patients in the U.S.³ In Europe, there is a wide variation of prevalence observed across data sources. Myelofibrosis has a median age of 64 at the time of diagnosis³ and is a progressive disease with approximately 20 percent of patients eventually developing acute myeloid leukemia.⁴ The median survival for high-risk patients is less than one and a half years; median survival for myelofibrosis patients overall is approximately six years.⁵

About CTI BioPharma Corp.

CTI BioPharma Corp. (NASDAQ and MTA: CTIC) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the acquisition, development and commercialization of novel targeted therapies covering a spectrum of blood-related cancers that offer a unique benefit to patients and healthcare providers. CTI BioPharma has a commercial presence in Europe and a late-stage development pipeline, including pacritinib, CTI BioPharma's lead product candidate, which is currently being studied in a Phase 3 program for the treatment of patients with myelofibrosis. CTI BioPharma is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with offices in London and Milan under the name CTI Life Sciences Limited. For additional information and to sign up for email alerts and get RSS feeds, please visit www.ctibiopharma.com.

About Baxter International Inc.

Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures and markets products that save and sustain the lives of people with hemophilia, immune disorders, cancer, infectious diseases, kidney disease, trauma and other chronic and acute medical conditions. As a global, diversified healthcare company, Baxter applies a unique combination of expertise in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology to create products that advance patient care worldwide.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements related to pacritinib and related clinical trials conducted pursuant to a collaboration between Baxter International Inc. and CTI BioPharma Corp., which are within the meaning of the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, the outcome of which could materially and/or adversely affect actual future results and the trading price of the issuers' securities. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding expectations with respect to the potential therapeutic utility of pacritinib, the ability of the PERSIST-1 and PERSIST-2 trials to support a potential regulatory submission, the anticipated completion of enrollment, and the ability of pacritinib to meet unmet medical needs and future regulatory, development and commercialization plans. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. A number of results and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements: satisfaction of regulatory and other requirements; clinical trial results; changes in laws and regulations; product quality, product efficacy, study protocol, data integrity or patient safety issues; product development risks; and other risks identified in each issuer's most recent filings on Form 10-K and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Neither Baxter nor CTI BioPharma undertakes to update its forward-looking statements.

1. Singer J et al., ASH 2014 Abstract #1874: Comprehensive Kinase Profile of Pacritinib, a Non-Myelosuppressive JAK2 Kinase Inhibitor in Phase 3 Development in Primary and Post ET/PV Myelofibrosis.

2. MPN Research Foundation website, www.mpnresearchfoundation.org.

3. Based on Mesa R, ASH 2012 poster.

4. Cervantes F, Dupriez B, Pereira A, Passamonti F, Reilly JT, Morra E, Vannucchi AM, Mesa RA, Demory J-L, Barosi G, Rumi E, Tefferi A. New prognostic scoring system for primary myelofibrosis based on a study of the International Working Group for Myelofibrosis Research and Treatment. Blood. 2009; 113:2895-2901.

5. Vannucchi, A. Management of Myelofibrosis. ASH Education Book. 2011; 1:222-230.

CTI BioPharma Contact:
Monique Greer
206-272-4343
mgreer@ctibiopharma.com

Baxter Investor Contact:
Mary Kay Ladone
224-948-3371

Baxter Media Contact:
Kellie Hotz
224-948-5353
media@baxter.com

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SOURCE CTI BioPharma Corp.