CAMBRIDGE, MA, USA I January 16, 2018 I Leap Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:LPTX), a biotechnology company developing targeted and immuno-oncology therapeutics, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating Leap’s GITR agonist, TRX518, in combination with gemcitabine chemotherapy or in combination with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) or Opdivo® (nivolumab), anti-PD-1 therapies marketed by Merck (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada) or Bristol-Myers Squibb, respectively.

“TRX518 has demonstrated the ability to reduce immunosuppressive regulatory T cells and to activate tumor-killing T effector cells in clinical and preclinical studies.  The combination of TRX518 with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy has strong scientific rationale and could act synergistically, enabling improved responses without significant additional toxicity.  We look forward to evaluating the safety and efficacy of TRX518 in combination with pembrolizumab or nivolumab,” commented Diwakar Davar, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine of the University of Pittsburgh and an investigator on the study.

“There is strong preclinical evidence for synergistic efficacy when combining immune activators targeting GITR with chemotherapy,” commented Cynthia Sirard, M.D., Vice President, Clinical Development of Leap Therapeutics. “This trial represents an important step in our strategy to evaluate the combination activity of TRX518 as a backbone immunotherapy.”

The TRX518-003 study is a multipart study evaluating TRX518 as a monotherapy and in combination with gemcitabine, KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), or Opdivo® (nivolumab) in patients with advanced solid tumor malignancies.

The combination arms evaluating TRX518 with gemcitabine includes both dose escalation and dose confirmation cohorts and are designed to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, and efficacy of the combination. The study will enroll patients who have metastatic or locally advanced, incurable solid malignancies for which gemcitabine is clinically appropriate (e.g., non-small cell lung, breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and renal cancer). The TRX518 + gemcitabine study will enroll approximately 32 patients.

The combination arms evaluating TRX518 with pembrolizumab or nivolumab includes both dose escalation and dose confirmation cohorts and are designed to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, and efficacy of the combinations. The study will enroll patients who have received treatment with pembrolizumab or nivolumab for ≥4 months with a best response of stable disease and plans to continue treatment in accordance with package insert; or are not currently taking, but eligible for treatment with, pembrolizumab or nivolumab in accordance with the approved indications for each as referenced in the package insert. The TRX518 + PD-1 antagonist study will enroll approximately 64 patients.

About TRX518
TRX518 is a humanized monoclonal antibody with agonist activity targeting glucocorticord-inducible TNF-superfamily receptor (GITR). TRX518 is engineered to enhance immune responses to cancer. TRX518 is being studied in two ongoing repeat-dose clinical trials in patients with advanced solid tumor malignancies. Data from the trials have shown that patients receiving TRX518 monotherapy achieved durable stable disease with signs of pharmacodynamic activity including CD8+ T cell activation and modulation of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells.

About Leap Therapeutics
Leap Therapeutics (Nasdaq:LPTX) is developing targeted and immuno-oncology therapeutics. Leap’s most advanced clinical candidate, DKN-01, is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) protein, a Wnt pathway modulator. DKN-01 is in clinical trials in patients with esophagogastric cancer and biliary tract cancer, with an emerging focus on patients with defined mutations of the Wnt pathway and in combinations with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Leap’s second clinical candidate, TRX518, is a novel, humanized GITR agonist monoclonal antibody designed to enhance the immune system’s anti-tumor response that is in two advanced solid tumor studies.  For more information about Leap Therapeutics, visit http://www.leaptx.com or our public filings with the SEC that are available via EDGAR at http://www.sec.gov or via http://www.investors.leaptx.com/.

SOURCE: Leap Therapeutics