Biopharmaceutical company Immunomedics announced that the company’s president and CEO, Cynthia L. Sullivan, provided an update on Immunomedics’ antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) programs during the company’s presentation at the New York Biotechnology Association’s Annual Meeting on May 29, 2013.
Immunomedics currently has three ADCs in clinical development, but recent results are especially encouraging from the two being studied in patients with advanced solid tumors – particularly metastatic colorectal and triple-negative breast cancers. Tumor shrinkage, including partial responses determined by RECIST criteria, was achieved in dose-escalation trials of IMMU-130 and IMMU-132 ADC product candidates.
Both ADC product candidates involve SN-38, which is the active metabolite of irinotecan – used in treating metastatic colorectal and other cancers – conjugated by Immunomedics’ proprietary technology to labetuzumab (anti-CEACAM5 humanized monoclonal antibody; IMMU-130) or the anti-TROP-2 humanized antibody, hRS7 (IMMU-132). IMMU-130 is being studied in advanced colorectal cancer patients who have failed irinotecan therapy, while IMMU-132 is being tested in 13 types of cancer, including colorectal, triple-negative breast, bladder, pancreas, prostate, kidney, and ovarian.
“Since we have seen tumor shrinkage, including partial responses, so early in these trials, and that SN-38 bound to two different antibodies has been active, our confidence is increased regarding the future potential of these ADC candidates for treating these major cancer types after they become refractive to conventional chemotherapeutic agents,” Sullivan said. “The major toxicities, to date, have been diarrhea and neutropenia, which generally can be alleviated by other medications, and these appear to be less frequent and milder than with irinotecan therapy.”
Sullivan added that the Phase Ib trial of 90Y-clivatuzumab tetraxetan in patients with advanced, third-line pancreatic cancer is nearing completion of follow-up, and analysis of survival results is continuing. The trial compared clivatuzumab alone with the combination of clivatuzumab with low-dose gemcitabine in an open-label, randomized trial.
For more information, visit www.immunomedics.com
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