95.7% of patients responded to Breyanzi in the TRANSCEND FL trial

Breyanzi provided sustained clinical benefit with median duration of response not reached and the majority (77.1%) of responders in ongoing response at 18 months

Breyanzi is a personalized therapy with a differentiated profile, offering durable responses and a consistent safety profile across trials

PRINCETON, NJ, USA I May 15, 2024 I Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval for Breyanzi® (lisocabtagene maraleucel; liso-cel), a CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) who have received two or more prior lines of systemic therapy. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trial(s). Breyanzi is also now included in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN®) Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for B-cell Lymphomas as a Category 2A recommendation for third-line and subsequent therapy for relapsed or refractory FL.*

In relapsed or refractory FL, Breyanzi is delivered as a one-time infusion** with a single dose containing 90 to 110 x 106 CAR-positive viable T cells. Please see the Important Safety Information section below, including Boxed WARNINGS for Breyanzi regarding Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), Neurologic Toxicities, and Secondary Hematological Malignancies.

Breyanzi is a cornerstone of our cell therapy portfolio, providing a differentiated profile across a wide array of B-cell malignancies,” said Bryan Campbell, senior vice president, Head of Commercial, Cell Therapy, Bristol Myers Squibb. “Today’s approval of Breyanzi for relapsed or refractory FL provides an option with potential for lasting remission in a one-time infusion and a safety profile that allows for administration and monitoring in both the inpatient and outpatient setting in an increasing number of certified treatment centers in the U.S.”

Historically, FL has been considered an incurable disease, and patients frequently relapse following front-line therapy, with prognosis worsening after each subsequent relapse. Despite advances in treatment, there remains an unmet need for additional options that offer treatment-free intervals with durable, complete responses.

The Phase 2 TRANSCEND FL study included the largest primary analysis set of patients with relapsed or refractory FL of a clinical trial evaluating a CAR T cell therapy in this patient population. Based on the U.S. Prescribing Information (USPI), in patients treated with Breyanzi in the third-line plus setting andincluded in the primary efficacy analysis set (n=94), the overall response rate (ORR) was 95.7% (95% CI: 89.5-98.8). ORR was defined as the percentage of patients achieving a partial or complete response per Lugano criteria as assessed by an Independent Review Committee (IRC). The complete response (CR) rate was 73.4% (95% CI: 63.3-82.0) and required a negative bone marrow biopsy for confirmation. Responses were rapid and durable with a median time to response of one month (range: 0.6-3.3) and median duration of response (DOR) not reached (95% CI: 18.04-NR), with 80.9% of responders remaining in response at 12 months, and 77.1% of responders remaining in response at 18 months. Results from the primary analysis of TRANSCEND FL presented at the 2023 International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma showed an ORR of 97% (95% CI: 91.6-99.4; one-sided p<0.0001) in efficacy evaluable patients (n=101), with 94% of patients achieving a CR (95% CI: 87.5-97.8; one-sided p<0.0001).

“In the treatment of relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma, patients often cycle through treatments with typically shorter responses with each new line of therapy. Those who have experienced early disease progression have notably poor prognosis,” said M. Lia Palomba, M.D., TRANSCEND investigator and lymphoma and cell therapy specialist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. “The FDA approval of liso-cel for patients with relapsed or refractory FL is an important advancement in addressing an ongoing unmet need in the FL treatment paradigm, providing patients a new option that has shown remarkably high response rates and an established safety profile.”

Breyanzi has exhibited a consistent safety profile and across clinical trials, any grade cytokine release syndrome (CRS) occurred in 53% of patients, including Grade >3 CRS in 4% of patients. The median time to onset was 5 days (range: 1 to 63 days). Any grade neurologic events (NEs) occurred in 31% of patients, with Grade >3 NEs occurring in 10% of patients. The median time to onset of NEs was 8 days (range: 1 to 63 days). The safety profile of Breyanzi allows for the option of outpatient treatment and management of patients. Patients in the TRANSCEND FL study were treated in the inpatient and outpatient setting.

“The lymphoma community has felt an urgent need for advancements in the treatment of relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma,” said Meghan Gutierrez, chief executive officer, Lymphoma Research Foundation. “The approval of Breyanzi offers patients a new and meaningful treatment option that provides hope for lasting remission, and we are grateful to those who have contributed to this exciting milestone for patients.”

Bristol Myers Squibb offers various programs and resources to address the needs of patients and caregivers, and provides support that allows for access to therapies, including Breyanzi. Bristol Myers Squibb also supports the patient and physician treatment experience by providing Cell Therapy 360, a digital service platform, which optimizes access to relevant information, manufacturing updates, and patient and caregiver support.

*NCCN makes no warranties of any kind whatsoever regarding their content, use or application and disclaims any responsibility for their application or use in any way.
**Treatment process includes leukapheresis, manufacturing, administration, and adverse event monitoring.

About TRANSCEND FL
TRANSCEND FL (NCT04245839) is an open-label, global, multicenter, Phase 2, single-arm study to determine the efficacy and safety of Breyanzi in patients with relapsed or refractory indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, including follicular lymphoma. The primary outcome measure is overall response rate, including best overall response of complete response or partial response as determined by an Independent Review Committee. Secondary outcome measures include complete response rate, duration of response, progression-free survival, and safety.

About FL
Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the second most common form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and the most common subtype of indolent NHL, accounting for 20 to 30 percent of all NHL cases. The average age of diagnosis for FL is 65 years of age. FL develops when white blood cells cluster together to form lumps in a person’s lymph nodes or organs. It is characterized by periods of remission and relapse, and the disease becomes more difficult to treat after relapse or disease progression.

About Breyanzi
Breyanzi is a CD19-directed CAR T cell therapy with a 4-1BB costimulatory domain, which enhances the expansion and persistence of the CAR T cells. Breyanzi is made from a patient’s own T cells, which are collected and genetically reengineered to become CAR T cells that are then delivered via infusion as a one-time treatment.

Breyanzi is approved in the U.S. for the treatment of relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) after at least one prior line of therapy and received accelerated approval for the treatment of relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma after at least two prior lines of therapy. Breyanzi is also approved in Japan, the European Union (EU), and Switzerland for the second-line treatment or relapsed or refractory LBCL, and in Japan, the European Union, Switzerland, the UK and Canada for relapsed and refractory LBCL after two or more lines of systemic therapy.

Bristol Myers Squibb’s clinical development program for Breyanzi includes clinical studies in other types of lymphoma. For more information, visit clinicaltrials.gov.

Indication
BREYANZI is a CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T cell immunotherapy indicated for the treatment of:

  • adult patients with large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL), including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified (including DLBCL arising from indolent lymphoma), high-grade B cell lymphoma, primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, and follicular lymphoma grade 3B, who have:
    • refractory disease to first-line chemoimmunotherapy or relapse within 12 months of first-line chemoimmunotherapy; or
    • refractory disease to first-line chemoimmunotherapy or relapse after first-line chemoimmunotherapy and are not eligible for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) due to comorbidities or age; or
    • relapsed or refractory disease after two or more lines of systemic therapy.

Limitations of Use: BREYANZI is not indicated for the treatment of patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma.

  • Adult patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) who have received at least 2 prior lines of therapy, including a Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor and a B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) inhibitor. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trial(s).
  • Adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) who have received 2 or more prior lines of systemic therapy. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trial(s).

Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS and Medication Guide.

Bristol Myers Squibb: Creating a Better Future for People with Cancer
Bristol Myers Squibb is inspired by a single vision—transforming patients’ lives through science. The goal of the company’s cancer research is to deliver medicines that offer each patient a better, healthier life and to make cure a possibility. Building on a legacy across a broad range of cancers that have changed survival expectations for many, Bristol Myers Squibb researchers are exploring new frontiers in personalized medicine, and through innovative digital platforms, are turning data into insights that sharpen their focus. Deep understanding of causal human biology, cutting-edge capabilities and differentiated research platforms uniquely position the company to approach cancer from every angle.

Cancer can have a relentless grasp on many parts of a patient’s life, and Bristol Myers Squibb is committed to taking actions to address all aspects of care, from diagnosis to survivorship. As a leader in cancer care, Bristol Myers Squibb is working to empower all people with cancer to have a better future.

Learn more about the science behind cell therapy and ongoing research at Bristol Myers Squibb here.

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, Facebook and Instagram.

SOURCE: Bristol Myers Squibb