These data supported advancing the clinical development program for epacadostat and Opdivo in these types of cancer
Combination of IDO1 enzyme inhibition plus Opdivo was generally well-tolerated in patients with select advanced solid tumors
WILMINGTON, DE & and NEW YORK, NY, USA I June 5, 2017 I Incyte Corporation (Nasdaq:INCY) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) today announced updated data from the ongoing Phase 1/2 ECHO-204 trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of epacadostat, Incyte’s investigational oral selective IDO1 enzyme inhibitor, in combination with Opdivo® (nivolumab), Bristol-Myers Squibb’s PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, in multiple advanced solid tumors. These data will be highlighted today in an oral presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago, Illinois.
“The clinical responses in the ECHO-204 trial in patients with melanoma and SCCHN who were treated with the combination of epacadostat and nivolumab further underscore the rationale for studying the therapeutic utility of IDO1 enzyme inhibition plus PD-1 blockade”
Efficacy data in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), treatment-naïve advanced melanoma (MEL), ovarian cancer (OC), and colorectal cancer (CRC) will be presented today. The data show that in patients with MEL treated with epacadostat (100 mg or 300 mg) plus nivolumab (n=40), the combined objective response rate (ORR) was 63 percent (25/40), including 2 complete responses (CRs) and 23 partial responses (PRs), and the combined disease control rate (DCR) was 88 percent (35/40). In previously-treated patients with SCCHN who were treated with epacadostat (100 mg or 300 mg) plus nivolumab (n=31), the combined ORR was 23 percent (7/31), including 1 CR and 6 PRs, and the combined DCR was 61 percent (19/31). Responses for MEL and SCCHN were observed regardless of PD-L1 expression and HPV status (in SCCHN), and all responses were ongoing at the data cutoff (February 13, 2017).
| ECHO-204 Objective Response Rates (ORR), Disease Control Rates (DCR) and Duration of Response (DoR) | |||||||||||||
| in MEL and SCCHN | |||||||||||||
| n/N (%) |
MEL | SCCHN | |||||||||||
| All pts | Epacadostat Dose | All Pts | Epacadostat Dose | ||||||||||
| Total | 100 mg BID | 300 mg BID | Total | 100 mg BID | 300 mg BID | ||||||||
| ORR | 25/40 (63) |
6/6 (100) |
19/34 (56) |
7/31 (23) 1 CR 6 PR |
1/7 (14) |
6/24 (25) |
|||||||
| 2 CR 23 PR |
all PR | 2 CR 17 PR |
1 PR | 1 CR 5 PR |
|||||||||
| DCR | 35/40 | 6/6 | 29/34 | 19/31 | 2/7 | 17/24 | |||||||
| (88) | (100) | (85) | (61) | (29) | (71) | ||||||||
| DoR | 25/25 responses ongoing | 8/8 responses ongoing | |||||||||||
| range 1+ to 41+ weeks | range 8+ to 32+ weeks | ||||||||||||
Epacadostat plus nivolumab did not demonstrate an efficacy signal in the unselected refractory OC and CRC patient populations.
“The clinical responses in the ECHO-204 trial in patients with melanoma and SCCHN who were treated with the combination of epacadostat and nivolumab further underscore the rationale for studying the therapeutic utility of IDO1 enzyme inhibition plus PD-1 blockade,” said Karl Lewis, M.D., Associate Professor, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado School of Medicine. “These preliminary Phase 1/2 data support further investigation of this novel immunotherapy combination in the planned Phase 3 programs.”
Epacadostat plus nivolumab was generally well-tolerated in patients with select advanced solid tumors. In Phase 1 (dose escalation), 36 patients were enrolled and no dose-limiting toxicities were observed. Among the 230 patients enrolled in Phase 2, the most frequent treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) (≥10 percent) in patients receiving epacadostat 100 mg BID (69/230) or 300 mg BID (161/230) and Opdivo were rash (35 percent and 32 percent, respectively), fatigue (23 percent and 38 percent, respectively), and nausea (19 percent and 21 percent, respectively). Rash was the most common Grade 3/4 TRAE (10 percent [epacadostat 100 mg BID] and 15 percent [epacadostat 300 mg BID]). TRAEs led to discontinuation in 6 percent (100 mg) and 12 percent (300 mg) of patients. There were no treatment-related deaths.
About ECHO-204
The ECHO-204 study (NCT02327078) is a Phase 1/2 study evaluating the safety and efficacy of epacadostat, Incyte’s selective IDO1 enzyme inhibitor, in combination with nivolumab in subjects with select advanced solid tumors and lymphomas, including melanoma (MEL), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), colorectal cancer (CRC), squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), ovarian cancer (OC), and B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) or Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) (in Phase 2, DLBCL was the only NHL sub-type permitted). Patients previously treated with anti-PD-1, PD-L1, anti-CTLA-4, or therapies specifically targeting T-cell co-stimulation were excluded from this trial (except for MEL subjects where prior first-line anti-CTLA-4 was permitted). Enrollment for the Phase 2 (epacadostat 100 or 300 mg BID + nivolumab 240 Q2W) tumor-specific cohorts is ongoing. For more information about ECHO-204, visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02327078.
About Epacadostat (INCB024360)
Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) is a key immunosuppressive enzyme that modulates the anti-tumor immune response by promoting regulatory T cell generation and blocking effector T cell activation, thereby facilitating tumor growth by allowing cancer cells to avoid immune surveillance. Epacadostat is an investigational, first-in-class, highly potent and selective oral inhibitor of the IDO1 enzyme that regulates the tumor immune microenvironment, thereby restoring effective anti-tumor immune responses. In single-arm studies, the combination of epacadostat and immune checkpoint inhibitors has shown proof-of-concept in patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma. In these studies, epacadostat combined with the CTLA-4 inhibitor ipilimumab or the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab improved response rates compared with studies of the immune checkpoint inhibitors alone.
Bristol-Myers Squibb & Immuno-Oncology: Advancing Oncology Research
At Bristol-Myers Squibb, patients are at the center of everything we do. Our vision for the future of cancer care is focused on researching and developing transformational Immuno-Oncology (I-O) medicines for hard-to-treat cancers that could potentially improve outcomes for these patients.
We are leading the scientific understanding of I-O through our extensive portfolio of investigational compounds and approved agents. Our differentiated clinical development program is studying broad patient populations across more than 35 types of cancers with 14 clinical-stage molecules designed to target different immune system pathways. Our deep expertise and innovative clinical trial designs position us to advance I-O/I-O, I-O/chemotherapy, I-O/targeted therapies and I-O/radiation therapies across multiple tumors and potentially deliver the next wave of therapies with a sense of urgency. We also continue to pioneer research that will help facilitate a deeper understanding of the role of immune biomarkers and how patients’ individual tumor biology can be used as a guide for treatment decisions throughout their journey.
We understand making the promise of I-O a reality for the many patients who may benefit from these therapies requires not only innovation on our part but also close collaboration with leading experts in the field. Our partnerships with academia, government, advocacy and biotech companies support our collective goal of providing new treatment options to advance the standards of clinical practice.
About Opdivo
Opdivo is a programmed death-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitor that is designed to uniquely harness the body’s own immune system to help restore anti-tumor immune response. By harnessing the body’s own immune system to fight cancer, Opdivo has become an important treatment option across multiple cancers.
Opdivo’s leading global development program is based on Bristol-Myers Squibb’s scientific expertise in the field of Immuno-Oncology and includes a broad range of clinical trials across all phases, including Phase 3, in a variety of tumor types. To date, the Opdivo clinical development program has enrolled more than 25,000 patients. The Opdivo trials have contributed to gaining a deeper understanding of the potential role of biomarkers in patient care, particularly regarding how patients may benefit from Opdivo across the continuum of PD-L1 expression.
In July 2014, Opdivo was the first PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor to receive regulatory approval anywhere in the world. Opdivo is currently approved in more than 57 countries, including the United States, the European Union and Japan. In October 2015, the company’s Opdivo and Yervoy combination regimen was the first Immuno-Oncology combination to receive regulatory approval for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and is currently approved in more than 47 countries, including the United States and the European Union.
OPDIVO AND YERVOY INDICATIONS & IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
INDICATIONS
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) as a single agent is indicated for the treatment of patients with BRAF V600 mutation-positive unresectable or metastatic melanoma. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on progression-free survival. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) as a single agent is indicated for the treatment of patients with BRAF V600 wild-type unresectable or metastatic melanoma.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY® (ipilimumab), is indicated for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on progression-free survival. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients with EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations should have disease progression on FDA-approved therapy for these aberrations prior to receiving OPDIVO.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who have received prior anti-angiogenic therapy.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) that has relapsed or progressed after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and brentuximab vedotin or after 3 or more lines of systemic therapy that includes autologous HSCT. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) with disease progression on or after platinum-based therapy.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy or have disease progression within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.
About Incyte
Incyte Corporation is a Wilmington, Delaware-based biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of proprietary therapeutics. For additional information on Incyte, please visit the Company’s website at www.incyte.com.
Follow @Incyte on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Incyte.
About the Bristol-Myers Squibb and Ono Pharmaceutical Collaboration
In 2011, through a collaboration agreement with Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb expanded its territorial rights to develop and commercialize Opdivo globally except in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, where Ono had retained all rights to the compound at the time. On July 2014, Ono and Bristol-Myers Squibb further expanded the companies’ strategic collaboration agreement to jointly develop and commercialize multiple immunotherapies – as single agents and combination regimens – for patients with cancer in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
About Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol-Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.
SOURCE: Incyte
