Disrupting apoptosis is a mechanism that cancerous cells use to avoid being killed; this can be performed by overexpressing pro-survival factors, such as induced myeloid leukemia cell differentiation protein Mcl-1. Researchers from Abbvie Inc. have recently published preclinical data on a potent and selective Mcl-1 inhibitor, ABBV-467, for the treatment of hematologic cancers.
If there had been any lingering market concerns following the temporary partial clinical hold earlier this year for Arcellx Inc.’s multiple myeloma CAR T-cell therapy, CART-ddBCMA, they were likely put to rest as partner Gilead Sciences Inc.’s Kite unit expanded the scope of the firms’ late 2022 collaboration to include lymphomas. At the same time, Kite exercised an option to negotiate a license for Arcellx’s ARC-Sparx program, ACLX-001, in multiple myeloma.
Israeli biotech Biolinerx Ltd. will hand off the rights to its stem cell mobilizer, motixafortide, in Asia to China’s Gloria Biosciences Co. Ltd. via an out-licensing deal worth up to $280 million, news that sent stocks soaring nearly 13% on Oct. 31.
Among the avalanche of abstracts for the upcoming American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual conference released early on Nov. 2 were data from Arcellx Inc.’s phase I study of CART-ddBCMA in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The results caught investors’ attention as the company’s stock (NASDAQ:ACLX) jumped 18.5% upward to close at $40.77 per share.
Israeli biotech Biolinerx Ltd. will hand off the rights to its stem cell mobilizer, motixafortide, in Asia to China’s Gloria Biosciences Co. Ltd. via an out-licensing deal worth up to $280 million, news that sent stocks soaring nearly 13% on Oct. 31.
Mission Bio Inc. released its Tapestri single-cell minimal residual disease (MRD) assay for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) on September 26, with the goal of enabling greater personalization of care for patients with blood cancers. The test can provide insights into the progression of AML and help identify targets for treatment in addition to identifying patients truly experiencing relapse as distinct from having pre-leukemic or precursor clones.
Supporting their conclusions with data from the same phase III study, the EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use adopted a positive opinion for extending the use of Oncopeptides AB’s Pepaxti (melflufen) to earlier lines of treating relapsed, refractory multiple myeloma even as the FDA dug in its heels about withdrawing the drug from the U.S. market.
With the U.S. FDA’s approval of Biolinerx Ltd.’s stem cell mobilization agent Aphexda (motixafortide) for treating multiple myeloma (MM) patients, the company is prepping for a launch in the next two or three weeks.
Less than a week after approving Johnson & Johnson’s bispecific antibody, Talvey (talquetamab-tgvs), for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (r/r MM) under accelerated review, the U.S. FDA has followed suit with Pfizer Inc.’s equivalent, Elrexfio (elranatamab-bcmm). The accelerated clearance of Elrexfio – a B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) bispecific antibody that targets BCMA on myeloma cells and the CD3 receptor on T cells – covers it for adult patients who have received at least four prior lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody.
Oricell Therapeutics Co. Ltd. has become the latest Chinese biotech to advance an independently developed CAR T therapy, announcing Aug. 10 that China’s regulatory body gave IND approval for Oricar-017. Oricar-017 is the Shanghai-based biotech’s GPRC5D-directed CAR T therapy developed to treat patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.
