South San Francisco - Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY), today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Tecentriq plus Cotellic and Zelboraf for the treatment of BRAF V600 mutation-positive advanced melanoma patients.

The safety profile observed in the Tecentriq combination was consistent with the known safety profiles of the individual medicines.

The supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Tecentriq was granted under Priority Review. The review was also conducted under Project Orbis, an initiative of the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence that provides a framework for concurrent submission and review of oncology products among international partners.

'When receiving a cancer immunotherapy combined with targeted therapies, patients with BRAF V600 mutation-positive advanced melanoma were able to live for more than 15 months without their disease worsening,' said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. 'Today's FDA approval of this Tecentriq combination represents an important step forward for many patients living with advanced melanoma.'

The approval is based on results from the Phase III IMspire150 study, in which the addition of Tecentriq to Cotellic and Zelboraf helped people live longer without their disease worsening or death (progression-free survival, PFS), compared to placebo plus Cotellic and Zelboraf (median PFS 15.1 months versus 10.6 months respectively; hazard ratio, HR=0.78; confidence interval: 0.63-0.97; P=0.025). The most common adverse reactions (rate 20%) in patients who received Tecentriq plus Cotellic and Zelboraf were rash (75%), musculoskeletal pain (62%), fatigue (51%), hepatotoxicity (50%), pyrexia (49%), nausea (30%), pruritus (26%), edema (26%), stomatitis (23%), hypothyroidism (22%), and photosensitivity reaction (21%).

Genentech has an extensive development program for Tecentriq, including multiple ongoing and planned Phase III studies across lung, genitourinary, skin, breast, gastrointestinal, gynecological and head and neck cancers. This includes studies evaluating Tecentriq both alone and in combination with other medicines.

For those who qualify, Genentech will offer patient assistance programs for people prescribed Tecentriq plus Cotellic and Zelboraf by their doctor through Genentech Access Solutions.

About the IMspire150 study

IMspire150 is a Phase III, multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized study in people with previously untreated BRAF V600 mutation-positive metastatic or unresectable locally advanced melanoma. The study compared the efficacy and safety of Tecentriq plus Cotellic and Zelboraf to the combination of placebo plus Cotellic and Zelboraf. The primary endpoint of the study was investigator-assessed PFS. Key secondary endpoints include PFS by an independent review committee, overall survival, objective response rate, duration of response and other safety and pharmacokinetic measures.

About advanced melanoma

Melanoma is less common, but more aggressive and deadlier than other forms of skin cancer. When melanoma is diagnosed early, it is generally a curable disease, but most people with advanced melanoma have a poor prognosis. The American Cancer Society estimates there will be more than 96,000 new cases of melanoma and 7,000 melanoma deaths this year in the United States.

In recent years, there have been significant advances in treatment for advanced melanoma and people with the disease have more options. However, it continues to be a serious health issue with a high medical need and a steadily increasing incidence over the past 30 years.

About Tecentriq (atezolizumab)

Tecentriq is a monoclonal antibody designed to bind with a protein called PD-L1. Tecentriq is designed to bind to PD-L1 expressed on tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells, blocking its interactions with both PD-1 and B7.1 receptors. By inhibiting PD-L1, Tecentriq may enable the re-activation of T cells. Tecentriq may also affect normal cells.

About Cotellic (cobimetinib)

Cotellic is designed to inhibit MEK1/2, proteins in a cell signaling pathway that helps control cell growth and survival. Cotellic, when used in combination with Zelboraf, is approved in the United States and Europe, as well as many countries around the world, for the treatment of people with melanoma that has spread to other parts of the body or cannot be removed by surgery and has a BRAF V600 mutation. Cotellic was discovered by Exelixis and is being developed by Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, in collaboration with Exelixis.

About Zelboraf (vemurafenib)

Zelboraf is a prescription medicine for the treatment of people with melanoma that has spread to other parts of the body or cannot be removed by surgery and has a BRAF V600 mutation. Zelboraf is designed to inhibit some mutated forms of BRAF, which cause abnormal signaling inside cancer cells leading to tumor growth. BRAF is a protein in a cell signaling pathway that helps control cell growth and survival. Zelboraf was the first approved product in its class. Zelboraf was co-developed under a 2006 license and collaboration agreement between Roche and Plexxikon Inc., the small molecule structure-guided R&D center of the Daiichi Sankyo Group.

About Genentech Access Solutions

Access Solutions is part of Genentech's commitment to helping people access the Genentech medicines they are prescribed, regardless of their ability to pay. The team of in-house specialists at Access Solutions is dedicated to helping people navigate the access and reimbursement process, and to providing assistance to eligible patients in the United States who are uninsured or cannot afford the out-of-pocket costs for their medicine.

About Genentech in skin cancer

Genentech has been studying new treatments for skin cancer for more than 20 years. We continue to study our skin cancer medicines in combination with other medicines, including cancer immunotherapies, in several types of cancer.

About Genentech in cancer immunotherapy

Genentech has been developing medicines to redefine treatment in oncology for more than 35 years, and today, realizing the full potential of cancer immunotherapy is a major area of focus. With more than 20 immunotherapy molecules in development, Genentech is investigating the potential benefits of immunotherapy alone, and in combination with various chemotherapies, targeted therapies and other immunotherapies with the goal of providing each person with a treatment tailored to harness their own unique immune system.

In addition to Genentech's approved PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor, the company's broad cancer immunotherapy pipeline includes other checkpoint inhibitors, individualized neoantigen therapies and T cell bispecific antibodies.

About Genentech

Founded more than 40 years ago, Genentech is a leading biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines to treat patients with serious and life-threatening medical conditions. The company, a member of the Roche Group, has headquarters in South San Francisco, California.

Contact:

Tel: (650) 467-6800

(C) 2020 Electronic News Publishing, source ENP Newswire