Key highlights
- Latest readout of the BEXMAB study shows more responding patients and good durability of remission amongst HR HMA-failed MDS patients.
- 4/5 of the initial Phase 1 HR HMA-failed MDS patients were still alive after eight months of follow-up.
- While data do not yet allow the precise estimation of median overall survival, the survival benefit seen with the current follow-up already for these 5 first patients is very encouraging. This compares favorably to what has been seen with contemporary comparators.
- 3 additional HMA-failed HR MDS patients have been enrolled in Phase 1 part, leading to a total of 7 out of 8 patients responding, an overall response rate of 87.5%.
- Faron will be hosting a virtual webinar to discuss the additional data tomorrow, Tuesday, 19 March at 11.00 EET/
9am GMT .
Previous BEXMAB study results indicated a high overall response rate (ORR) of 5/5 amongst HR HMA-failed MDS patients, for whom there is no approved treatment. The majority of the initial Phase 1 patients have now been on treatment with bexmarilimab together with azacitidine for more than six months, and only one patient has been lost due to transformation of their HR MDS into acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Out of these initial 5 patients, 4 remain alive after eight months. Normally, patients with relapsed or refractory HR MDS have a median overall survival (mOS) of fewer than six months. The mOS of patients treated in the BEXMAB trial is not yet available but, based on the current data, it is estimated to be significantly higher than traditionally seen with current standard of care (or with current approved treatments).
After the already reported 5 HMA-failed HR MDS patients, 3 new HMA-failed HR MDS patients were enrolled, filling the remaining Phase 1 slots. Whilst it is too early to assess these patients for survival or durability, the previously seen high ORR has been corroborated with 2/3 responders. The third patient dropped out of the study early in cycle two due to an unrelated serious adverse event (SAE), bringing the current ORR to 7/8 patients (87.5%) in the HMA-failed HR MDS population. The best responses for these 8 patients are as follows: 1 complete response (CR), 3 marrow complete remissions (mCR), 1 partial response (PR), 2 hematological improvements, and 1 stable disease (SD) that dropped out early due to an unrelated SAE.
Mika Kontro, MD, PhD, Associate Professor at the
Dr.
For the 5 frontline HR MDS patients with 100% ORR previously reported at the
Faron will be hosting a virtual webinar to discuss these data tomorrow, Tuesday, 19 March, at 11.00 EET/
There will be an opportunity to ask questions during the webcast. To register for the event visit: https://faron.videosync.fi/bexmab-study-update/ or contact the IR team for more information at investor.relations@faron.com.
For more information please contact:
Investor Contact
Managing Director
daniel@lifesciadvisors.com
+1 (617) 430-7576
Media Contact
ICR Consilium
Phone: +44 (0)20 3709 5700
E-mail: faron@consilium-comms.com
Phone: +44 (0) 207 213 0880
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7418 8900
Phone: +358 (0)40 555 4727
Jukka Järvelä
Phone: +358 (0)50 553 8990
About BEXMAB
The BEXMAB study is an open-label Phase 1/2 clinical trial investigating bexmarilimab in combination with standard of care (SoC) in the aggressive hematological malignancies of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The primary objective is to determine the safety and tolerability of bexmarilimab in combination with SoC (azacitidine) treatment. Directly targeting Clever-1 could limit the replication capacity of cancer cells, increase antigen presentation, ignite an immune response, and allow current treatments to be more effective. Clever-1 is highly expressed in both AML and MDS and associated with therapy resistance, limited T cell activation and poor outcomes.
About Bexmarilimab
Bexmarilimab is Faron's wholly owned, investigational immunotherapy designed to overcome resistance to existing treatments and optimize clinical outcomes, by targeting myeloid cell function and igniting the immune system. Bexmarilimab binds to Clever-1, an immunosuppressive receptor found on macrophages leading to tumor growth and metastases (i.e. helps cancer evade the immune system). By targeting the Clever-1 receptor on macrophages, bexmarilimab alters the tumor microenvironment, reprogramming macrophages from an immunosuppressive (M2) state to an immunostimulatory (M1) one, upregulating interferon production and priming the immune system to attack tumors and sensitizing cancer cells to standard of care.
About
Faron (AIM: FARN, First North: FARON) is a global, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focused on tackling cancers via novel immunotherapies. Its mission is to bring the promise of immunotherapy to a broader population by uncovering novel ways to control and harness the power of the immune system. The Company’s lead asset is bexmarilimab, a novel anti-Clever-1 humanized antibody, with the potential to remove immunosuppression of cancers through reprogramming myeloid cell function. Bexmarilimab is being investigated in Phase I/II clinical trials as a potential therapy for patients with hematological cancers in combination with other standard treatments. Further information is available at www.faron.com.
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