IASO Bio and Innovent Present Updated Data of BCMA CAR-T Cell Therapy (Equecabtagene Autoleucel) at EHA 2022

SHANGHAI and NANJING, China and SAN JOSE, Calif., June 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- IASO Biotherapeutics ("IASO Bio"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in discovering, developing, and manufacturing innovative cell therapies and antibody products, and Innovent Biologics, Inc. ("Innovent," HKEX: 01801), today jointly announced that the updated data from phase 1/2 study of Equecabtagene Autoleucel (IASO Bio R&D code: CT103A, Innovent R&D code: IBI326), a fully-human anti-B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for the treatment of relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM), was presented in the form of an oral presentation at the 27th European Hematology Association (EHA) Annual Meeting in Vienna on June 9-12, 2022.

Presentation Title: Updated Phase 1/2 Data of the Safety and Efficacy of CT103A, Fully-Human BCMA-Directed CAR-T Cells in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma
Session Title: Relapsed/refractory myeloma: BCMA-directed therapies
Abstract Code: EHA-S187
Session date and Time: Sunday, June 12, 2022, at 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM CEST
Place: Vienna, Austria or online
Speaker: Chunrui Li, MD, Ph.D., from Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology

The updated data from the Phase 1/2 study with a longer duration of follow-up in more patients has showed durable and deepening efficacy, manageable safety and long-term in vivo persistence, indicating that Equecabtagene Autoleucel has the potential to be a breakthrough therapy for patients with R/R MM. 

The updated data is from the 14 clinical sites involved in the Phase 1/2 clinical study of Equecabtagene Autoleucel (ChiCTR1800018137, NCT05066646) in the treatment of patients with R/R MM. As of the data cutoff date of January 21, 2022, 79 patients received recommended phase 2 dose（RP2D）of 1.0×10⁶ CAR-T cells/kg with the median follow-up of nine months (range 1.2, 19.6) and median prior five lines of therapy(range 3,23). Among the 79 patients, 34.2% (27/79) had high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities, 34.2%（27/79）had extramedullary multiple myeloma (EMM), and 15.2%（12/79）had received prior CAR-T therapy.

Equecabtagene Autoleucel demonstrated a favorable and manageable safety profile: Among the 79 patients, 94.9% (75/79) experienced cytokine release syndrome (CRS). The majority experienced 1~2 CRS, and no patient experienced grade 3 CRS. The median time to CRS onset was six days after infusion, and the median duration of CRS was five days. Only two patients experienced immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), including one patient who experienced grade 1 ICANS and one who experienced grade 2 ICANS. All patients with CRS or ICANS have recovered.

Equecabtagene Autoleucel showed favorable and durable efficacy: Among the 79 patients, the overall response rate (ORR) was 94.9% (75/79), with 89.9 (71/79) of those patients achieving very good partial response (VGPR) or deeper responses, and the complete response/stringent complete response (CR/sCR) rate was 68.4% (54/79). Equecabtagene Autoleucel also demonstrated favorable efficacy in 10 patients with EMM, achieving an ORR of 100% (10/10) and a CR/sCR rate of 90.0% (9/10). In all 79 patients, 92.4% (73/79) achieved minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity, all CR/sCR subjects achieved MRD negativity, and the median duration of MRD negativity was not reached.

Equecabtagene Autoleucel demonstrated favorable efficacy in patients who had received prior CAR-T therapy: Among the 12 patients who previously received CAR-T therapy, the ORR was 75.0% (9/12), with 41.7% (5/12) of those patients achieving CR/sCR.

Equecabtagene Autoleucel demonstrated robust expansion and prolonged persistence: The expansion of Equecabtagene Autoleucel in peripheral blood reached the peak at a median of 12 days, with a median Cmax of 92,000 copies/ug DNA. Equecabtagene Autoleucel was still detectable in 62.3% (38/61) and 53.3% (8/15) of the subjects who completed 6-months and 12-month follow-ups after infusion. Soluble BCMA in peripheral blood of patients rapidly declined after Equecabtagene Autoleucel infusion and persistently remained below the detectable limit.

Equecabtagene Autoleucel has low immunogenicity: 16.5% (13/79) of the subjects tested anti-drug antibody (ADA)-positive after Equecabtagene Autoleucel infusion. Among them，1.3% (1/79) tested ADA-positive before Equecabtagene Autoleucel infusion, and 2.5% (2/79) tested ADA-positive within three months.

"Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy is a revolutionary new pillar in cancer treatment. In our previous studies, Equecabtagene Autoleucel has shown excellent efficacy and manageable safety profiles. Its CAR structure contains fully human single-chain fragment variables (scFvs) to bypass potential anti-CAR immunogenicity of the host while retaining antitumor activity. At the 27^th EHA conference, we updated the data on the efficacy and safety of Equecabtagene Autoleucel in R/R MM patients with longer median follow-up extended to 9.0 months, the CR/sCR deepened to 68.4%, compared with the CR/sCR of 58.2% with a median follow-up of 7.0 months, which were released at 63^rd ASH conference in 2021. The updated data showed long-lasting safety and deepening efficacy of Equecabtagene Autoleucel. We are glad that Equecabtagene Autoleucel also shows favorable efficacy on patients who have relapsed after receiving prior CAR-T therapy. This has meaningful clinical value and is worthy of further exploration in the clinic to potentially bring forth new hope to patients with R/R MM." Prof. Chunrui Li, MD, PhD, from Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology. 

Multiple Myeloma is a deadly blood cancer that often infiltrates the bone marrow causing anemia, kidney failure, immune problems, and bone fractures. For multiple myeloma patients, common first-line drug treatments include proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory drugs, and alkylating agents. While treatment may result in remission, most patients will inevitably enter the relapsed or refractory stage as there's currently no cure. As a result, there is a significant unmet need for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. In the United States, MM accounts for nearly 2% of new cancer cases and more than 2% of all cancer-related deaths. According to Frost & Sullivan, the number of new MM cases in the United States rose from 30,300 in 2016 to 32,300 in 2020 and is expected to increase to 37,800 by 2025. Additionally, the total number of patients diagnosed with MM increased from 132,200 in 2016 to 144,900 in 2020 and is expected to rise to 162,300 by 2025. In China, the number of new MM cases rose from 18,900 in 2016 to 21,100 in 2020 and is expected to increase to 24,500 by 2025. The total number of patients diagnosed with MM in China increased from 69,800 in 2016 to 113,800 in 2020 and is expected to rise to 182,200 by 2025.

Equecabtagene Autoleucel is an innovative therapy co-developed by Innovent and IASO Bio, with a fully-human anti- BCMA CAR-T cell therapy which uses lentivirus as a gene vector to transfect autologous T cells. The CAR contains a fully-human scFv, CD8a hinge and transmembrane, and 4-1BB-mediated co-stimulation and CD3ζ activation domains. Based on rigorous screening and comprehensive in vivo and in vitro evaluation, Equecabtagene Autoleucel is proven to have potent and rapid anti-myeloma activity and outstanding safety, efficacy, and persistence results.  

Equecabtagene Autoleucel was granted "Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD)" by the NMPA kn February 2021 and was granted "Orphan Drug Designation (ODD)"by the Office of Orphan Products Development (OOPD) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2022. The NMPA has accepted the New Drug Application for Equecabtagene Autoleucel for the Treatment of Relapsed and/or Refractory Multiple Myeloma in June 2022.

In addition to multiple myeloma, the NMPA has accepted the investigational new drug (IND) application of Equecabtagene Autoleucel for a new expanded indication of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD).

IASO Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of novel cell therapies for oncology and autoimmune diseases. Leveraging its proprietary fully-human antibody discovery platform (IMARS), high-throughput CAR-T drug priority platform, and proprietary manufacturing processes, IASO Bio is developing a rich clinical-stage pipeline of multiple autologous and allogeneic CAR-T and biologics product candidates. This includes a diversified portfolio of 10 novel pipeline products, including IASO's leading asset, Equecabtagene Autoleucel, an innovative anti-BCMA CAR-T cell therapy under pivotal study for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM), which received NDA acceptance of the China NMPA. Equecabtagene Autoleucel was granted "Breakthrough Therapy Designation" by the NMPA in February 2021 and granted "Orphan Drug Designation (ODD)" by the Office of Orphan Products Development (OOPD) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2022. In addition to multiple myeloma, the NMPA has accepted its IND application for the new extended indication of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD). In addition, the company's in-house developed fully-human CD19/CD22 dual-targeted CAR-T cell therapy has entered phase 1/2 registrational clinical trial for the treatment of CD19/CD22-positive relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (r/r B-NHL). It was also granted Orphan Drug Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in October 2021. For more information on IASO Bio, please visit www.iasobio.com and www.linkedin.com/company/iasobiotherapeutics/.

Inspired by the spirit of "Start with Integrity, Succeed through Action" Innovent's mission is to develop and commercialize high-quality biopharmaceutical products that are affordable to ordinary people. Established in 2011, Innovent is committed to developing, manufacturing, and commercializing high-quality, innovative medicines for the treatment of cancer, metabolic, autoimmune, and other major diseases. On October 31, 2018, Innovent was listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited with the stock code: 01801.HK.

Since its inception, Innovent has developed a fully integrated multi-functional platform which that includes R&D, CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls), clinical development, and commercialization capabilities. Leveraging the platform, the company has built a robust pipeline of 32 valuable assets in the fields of cancer, autoimmune, metabolic, ophthalmology, and other major therapeutic areas, with 7 products approved for marketing in China – TYVYT® (sintilimab injection), BYVASDA® (bevacizumab biosimilar injection), SULINNO® (adalimumab biosimilar injection), HALPRYZA® (rituximab biosimilar injection) , Pemazyre® (pemigatinib oral inhibitor), and olverembatinib (BCR-ABL TKI) and Cyramza® (ramucirumab) , 2 assets under NMPA NDA review, 4 assets in Phase 3 or pivotal clinical trials, and an additional 19 molecules in clinical studies.

Innovent has built an international team with expertise in cutting-edge biological drug development and commercialization. The company has also entered into strategic collaborations with Eli Lilly and Company, Roche, Adimab, Incyte, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Hanmi and other international partners. For more information, please visit: www.innoventbio.com and www.linkedin.com/company/innovent-biologics/.

TYVYT® (sintilimab injection) is not an approved product in the United States.

BYVASDA® (bevacizumab biosimilar injection), SULINNO®, and HALPRYZA® (rituximab biosimilar injection) are not approved products in the United States.

TYVYT® (sintilimab injection, Innovent)

BYVASDA® (bevacizumab biosimilar injection, Innovent)

HALPRYZA® (rituximab biosimilar injection, Innovent)

SULINNO® (adalimumab biosimilar injection, Innovent)

Pemazyre® (pemigatinib oral inhibitor, Incyte Corporation). Pemazyre® was discovered by Incyte Corporation and licensed to Innovent for development and commercialization in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

CYRAMZA® (ramucirumab, Eli Lilly). Cyramza® was discovered by Eli Lilly and licensed to Innovent for commercialization in Mainland China.

This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Innovent Biologics, Inc. ("Innovent" or "Company") , are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. Innovent does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.

These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of Innovent with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond Innovent's control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, Innovent's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions.

Innovent, the Directors and the employees of Innovent assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or turn out to be incorrect.

SOURCE IASO Biotherapeutics