Oxford, UK – 01 December 2018: Oxford Biomedica plc (“Oxford BioMedica” or “the Group”) (LSE:Oxford Biomedica), a leading gene and cell therapy group, today notes an announcement by Novartis on the longer-term analyses of both the ELIANA and JULIET pivotal trials in children and young adult patients with relapsed or refractory (r/r) acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and adult patients with r/r diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), respectively. Kymriah® (tisagenlecleucel) continued to demonstrate strong efficacy with durable responses and maintained a consistent and well-characterised safety profile. These data are being presented at the 60th American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting. Additionally, today, the New England Journal of Medicine published online the 14-month results from JULIET, the study led by the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania1.
In the 24-month follow-up analysis of the ELIANA study in children and young adults with r/r B-cell ALL, Kymriah demonstrated deep and durable responses without subsequent therapy in a significant portion of patients in this population. Among 79 evaluable patients, who were followed for at least three months or discontinued earlier, 82% (95% confidence interval [CI], 72% – 90%) achieved complete response (CR) or CR with incomplete blood count recovery (CRi) within three months of infusion; and among these responding patients, 98% had negative minimal residual disease (MRD). The relapse-free survival rate was 62% at 24 months; and the median duration of remission (mDOR) and median overall survival (mOS) remained unreached, signifying responses are deep and sustained, and further reinforcing the potential for Kymriah to be a definitive therapy for many patients. The probability of OS was 76% (95% CI, 65% – 85%) at 12 months and 66% (95% CI, 58% – 79%) at 24 months. The safety profile observed in this updated analysis was consistent with previously reported results, with no emergence of new safety signals. Grade 3/4 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) – as defined by the rigorous Penn Grading Scale – occurred in 49% of patients. Within eight weeks of infusion, 13% of patients experienced grade 3 neurological events, with no grade 4 events or cerebral oedema2. These updated data will be presented in an oral session at the ASH annual meeting (Abstract # 895; Monday, December 3, 4:30PM PST).
Results from the 19-month analysis from the JULIET study of Kymriah in adult patients with r/r DLBCL (n=99) indicated prolonged durability of response in patients who had previously been through multiple rounds of chemotherapy and unsuccessful stem cell transplants (Abstract # 1684). The overall response rate (ORR) after a median of 19 months of follow-up was 54% (95% CI, 43% – 64%; CR, 40%; partial response [PR], 13%) among patients who were followed for at least 3 months or discontinued earlier. The mDOR was not reached at the time of analysis indicating most responders were still experiencing a response at the time of analysis; and the relapse-free probability, which was 66% (95% CI, 51%-78%) at 6 months, remained consistent at 64% (95% CI, 48%-76%) between 12-month and 18-month analyses. Further, 54% (15/28) of patients who had achieved a PR converted to CR. Median OS for all infused patients was 11.1 months (95% CI, 6.6 months-NE) and not reached
1Schuster S., et. al. Tisagenlecleucel in Adult Relapsed/Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. New England Journal of Medicine. December 2018.
2Grupp S., et al. Updated Analysis of the Efficacy and Safety of Tisagenlecleucel in Pediatric and Young Adult Patients with Relapsed/Refractory (r/r) Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. 60th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition. Abstract #112599.
(95% CI, 21 months-NE) for patients in CR. The OS probability was 48% (95% CI, 38%-57%) at 12 months and 43% (95%CI, 33%-53%) at 18 months (max follow-up, 29 months). Analyses of ORR, DOR and OS data showed consistent results across all patient subgroups, regardless of relapsed/refractory status, age and high-risk cytogenetics.
The safety profile observed in the 19-month follow-up from JULIET continued to be consistent with previous reports and no deaths occurred due to causes other than disease progression in this longer-term follow up analysis. Within eight weeks of infusion with Kymriah, Grade 3/4 CRS, as defined by the Penn Grading Scale, was reported in 23% of patients. CRS management was conducted per the Penn CRS management algorithm, which is specific to Kymriah. Tocilizumab and steroids were used in 16% and 11% of patients, respectively, to treat CRS. Eleven percent of patients had Grade 3/4 neurologic adverse events, which were managed with supportive care3.
3Schuster S., et. al. Sustained Disease Control for Adult Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: An Updated Analysis of Juliet, a Global Pivotal Phase 2 Trial of Tisagenlecleucel, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. 60th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition. Abstract #: 11525.
Oxford Biomedica is the sole manufacturer of the lentiviral vector used in Kymriah. The Group signed an agreement with Novartis in July 2017 for the commercial and clinical supply of lentiviral vectors used to generate Kymriah and other undisclosed CAR-T products. This collaboration has reached important milestones in 2018 with the US FDA approval of Kymriah to treat adult patients with r/r DLBCL, and the approval of Kymriah in these two distinct indications in the European Union, Canada and Switzerland. These important achievements follow the initial US launch of Kymriah in paediatric and young adult patients with r/r B-cell ALL in 2017. Oxford BioMedica signed an agreement with Novartis in July 2017 for the commercial and clinical supply of lentiviral vectors used to generate CTL019 and other undisclosed CAR-T products, for which Oxford BioMedica could potentially receive in excess of $100m from Novartis over the next three years.
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Notes for editors:
About the ELIANA Trial
ELIANA is the first paediatric global CAR-T cell therapy registration trial, examining patients in 25 centres in 11 countries across the US, Canada, Australia, Japan and the EU, including: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway and Spain, demonstrating effective distribution of Kymriah across four continents using a global supply chain. In 2012, Novartis and Penn entered into a global collaboration to further research, develop and commercialize CAR-T cell therapies, including Kymriah, for the investigational treatment of cancers.
About the JULIET Trial
JULIET is the first multi-centre global registration study for Kymriah in adult patients with r/r DLBCL. JULIET, led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, is the largest and only global registration study examining a CAR-T cell therapy in DLBCL, enrolling patients from 27 sites in 10 countries across the US, Canada, Australia, Japan and Europe, including Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Norway and the Netherlands.
About Kymriah
In August 2017, Kymriah became the first available chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy when it received FDA approval for children and young adults with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) that is refractory or has relapsed at least twice. Kymriah is a novel immunocellular therapy and a one-time treatment that uses a patient’s own T cells to fight cancer. Kymriah uses the 4-1BB costimulatory domain in its chimeric antigen receptor to enhance cellular expansion and persistence.
About Oxford Biomedica
Oxford Biomedica (LSE:Oxford Biomedica) is a leading gene and cell therapy group focused on developing life changing treatments for serious diseases. Oxford Biomedica and its subsidiaries (the “Group”) have built a sector leading lentiviral vector delivery platform (LentiVector®), which the Group leverages to develop in vivo and ex vivo products both in-house and with partners. The Group has created a valuable proprietary portfolio of gene and cell therapy product candidates in the areas of oncology, ophthalmology and CNS disorders. The Group has also entered into a number of partnerships, including with Novartis, Bioverativ, Sanofi, Axovant, Orchard Therapeutics, Boehringer Ingelheim/UK Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy Consortium/Imperial Innovations and GC LabCell, through which it has long-term economic interests in other potential gene and cell therapy products. Oxford Biomedica is based across several locations in Oxfordshire, UK and employs more than 360 people. Further information is available at www.oxb.com.