SAN DIEGO, June 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: HALO), a biotechnology company developing novel oncology and drug-delivery therapies, today announced results from a final analysis of 135 metastatic pancreatic cancer patients who were treated in Stage One of HALO 109-202, a phase 2 clinical study of its investigational new drug PEGPH20 in combination with ABRAXANE (nab-paclitaxel) and gemcitabine (PAG arm) as compared to ABRAXANE and gemcitabine alone (AG arm).
This final analysis of secondary and exploratory endpoints was conducted using the Ventana companion diagnostic to retrospectively identify high levels of hyaluronan (HA). The key results based on a February 2016 data cut-off showed in the HA-high patient population:
- Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 9.2 months in the PAG arm versus 6.0 months in the AG arm, hazard ratio (HR) with a 95 percent confidence interval (CI): 0.46 (0.15, 1.40);
- Overall response rate (ORR) of 50 percent, including one complete response in the PAG arm versus 33 percent and all partial responses in the AG arm;
- Median duration of response (DoR) of 8.1 months in the PAG arm versus 3.7 months in the AG arm;
- The exploratory analysis of median overall survival (OS) was similar between the treatment arms -- 11.8 months vs. 10.9 months in the PAG vs. AG arms respectively. Factors potentially having an impact on these results include less aggressive disease among patients in the AG arm and a greater than 40 percent discontinuation rate of PEGPH20 treatment at the time of the clinical hold, resulting in all patients receiving AG alone in both arms;
- The rate of thromboembolic (TE) events reduced from 43 percent to 9 percent in the PAG arm and from 25 percent to 6 percent in the AG arm with the introduction of prophylaxis with low molecular weight heparin (enoxaparin) from Stage One to Stage Two of the study.
“We are encouraged by the positive trends in this final Stage One dataset, even with PEGPH20 treatment being discontinued for more than 40 percent of patients in the PAG arm due to the prior clinical hold,” said Dr. Athena Countouriotis, senior vice president and chief medical officer. “The safety profile continues to show the benefit of prophylactic enoxaparin use and the dataset continues to support our ongoing phase 3 study.”
Prior interim analyses were based on patient follow up through December 2014. Results announced today include 14 months of additional follow up through February 2016. Stage One of HALO 202 enrolled a total of 146 patients between May 2013 to July 2014. The study was placed on clinical hold from April to July 2014 during which time PEGPH20 was discontinued while patients in both arms continued to receive treatment with ABRAXANE and gemcitabine alone. Stage Two enrolled a total of 133 patients as of February 2016 and Halozyme remains blinded to the overall efficacy. The company projects to report mature PFS and ORR results from Stage Two late in the fourth quarter.
Dr. Andrea Bullock, attending physician in Gastrointestinal Oncology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and an Instructor in Medicine at Harvard University said: “As one of the highest enrollers in the HALO 202 study, I am encouraged by the final data from Stage One in the HA-high patients. While the sample size remains small, the median PFS and ORR continue to favor the PEGPH20 combination treatment arm compared to the standard of care AG arm. I look forward to the Stage Two results later this year and to participating in the phase 3 global study very soon.”
Halozyme’s ongoing phase 3 study, HALO 301, uses the Ventana companion diagnostic to prospectively identify HA-high patients and mirrors the design of the phase 2 study including the current inclusion/exclusion criteria; 2:1 randomization; and dosing regimens. This double-blinded placebo-controlled study plans to enroll a total of 420 patients at approximately 200 centers within 20 countries. The co-primary endpoints are PFS and OS, with a target hazard ratio of 0.59 for PFS, which is well supported by the final results from Stage One of HALO 202.
Halozyme is the only oncology biotech targeting HA, a glycosaminoglycan or chain of natural sugars throughout the body that can accumulate around cancer cells inhibiting other therapies. PEGPH20 is designed to degrade HA to improve the access to tumor cells for chemotherapy, monoclonal antibodies and other immuno-therapy agents.
About HALO 301
HALO 301 is a phase 3 global, randomized, double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial evaluating investigational new drug PEGPH20 as a first-line therapy for potential treatment of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. The trial will be conducted at approximately 200 sites with two co-primary endpoints of progression free survival and overall survival in patients receiving investigational new drug PEGPH20 in combination with gemcitabine and ABRAXANE (nab-paclitaxel) compared to gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel alone. Secondary endpoints also include objective response rate and overall survival. More information may be found at clinicaltrials.gov (search HALO 301 or trial identifier NCT02715804) or www.HALO301.com.
About PEGPH20
PEGPH20 is an investigational PEGylated form of Halozyme’s proprietary recombinant human hyaluronidase under clinical development for the potential systemic treatment of tumors that accumulate hyaluronan.
FDA granted orphan drug designation to PEGPH20 for treatment of pancreatic cancer and fast track for PEGPH20 in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer. Additionally, the European Commission, acting on the recommendation from the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products of the European Medicines Agency, designated investigational drug PEGPH20 an orphan medicinal product for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
About Halozyme
Halozyme Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing novel oncology therapies that target the tumor microenvironment. Halozyme’s lead proprietary program, investigational drug PEGPH20, applies a unique approach to targeting solid tumors, allowing increased access of co-administered cancer drug therapies to the tumor in animal models. PEGPH20 is currently in development for metastatic pancreatic cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, gastric cancer, metastatic breast cancer and has potential across additional cancers in combination with different types of cancer therapies. In addition to its proprietary product portfolio, Halozyme has established value-driving partnerships with leading pharmaceutical companies including Roche, Baxalta, Pfizer, Janssen, AbbVie and Lilly for its ENHANZE drug delivery platform. Halozyme is headquartered in San Diego. For more information visit www.halozyme.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
In addition to historical information, the statements set forth above include forward-looking statements (including, without limitation, statements concerning the possible activity, benefits and attributes of PEGPH20, the possible method of action of PEGPH20, its potential application to improve cancer therapies and statements concerning future actions and clinical trials (including the potential identification of HA-High patients for inclusion in such clinical trials using the companion diagnostic) relating to the development of PEGPH20) that involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are typically, but not always, identified through use of the words “believe,” “enable,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “intends,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “predict,” “probable,” “potential,” “possible,” “should,” “continue,” and other words of similar meaning. Actual results could differ materially from the expectations contained in forward-looking statements as a result of several factors, including unexpected expenditures and costs, unexpected results or delays in development and regulatory review, clinical trials and the companion diagnostic not producing the results we expect, regulatory approval requirements, unexpected adverse events and competitive conditions. These and other factors that may result in differences are discussed in greater detail in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 9, 2016.
Contacts:
Jim Mazzola
858-704-8122
ir@halozyme.com
Chris Burton
858-704-8352
ir@halozyme.com
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