Medigene
and SynCore enter into Co-Development and Commercialization Agreement for
EndoTAG®-1 July 6, 2012, 11:00 a .m. EDT (Thomson Reuters ONE via COMTEX)
-- MediGene AG / Medigene and SynCore enter into Co-Development and
Commercialization Agreement for EndoTAG®-1 . Processed and transmitted by
Thomson Reuters ONE. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this
announcement. - SynCore receives exclusive rights to co-develop and
commercialize EndoTAG®-1 in
Asia, Australia and New
Zealand - Medigene retains all US ,
European and remaining RoW rights - Medigene will receive an upfront, milestone
payments and royalties - Medigene plans global pivotal phase III trial in
triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) - SynCore will assume costs for the Asian
part of the global pivotal phase III trial Martinsried/Munich, July 6, 2012.
Medigene AG (frankfurt:MDG)(frankfurt:Prime Standard) announced that it has
granted exclusive rights for co-development and commercialization of EndoTAG®-1 in Asia, Australia and New Zealand to
SynCore Biotechnology Co., Ltd. ("SynCore"), a subsidiary of the
Sinphar Pharmaceutical Group (Taiwan Stock Exchange, Symbol: 1734). Medigene
plans a pivotal global phase III trial of EndoTAG®-1
in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) with the aim of
achieving worldwide market approval. Under the terms of the agreement, SynCore
will fund the Asian part of the clinical trial, representing about 50% of the
total number of patients to be included. Subject to clinical trial approval,
approximately 400 patients are expected to be enrolled in the global pivotal
phase III trial in TNBC. Furthermore, Medigene receives an upfront payment from
SynCore and is eligible to payments upon certain development and approval
milestones as well as royalties. Medigene retains all US , European and remaining
rest-of-the-world (RoW) rights to EndoTAG®-1 with the ability to grant further
licenses. Medigene anticipates submission for market approval for EndoTAG®-1 in 2018. The agreement does not impact
Medigene's financial guidance for 2012 and the management confirms that the
company's funding is expected to be secured beyond 2013. Dr. Frank Mathias, CEO
of Medigene AG stated, "EndoTAG®-1 has shown promising overall survival
data in patients with TNBC, a type of breast cancer for which only limited
treatment options are available. We are excited to continue with the
development of EndoTAG®-1 and look forward to working with our partner,
SynCore, to advance the product through a pivotal study and to seek worldwide marketing
approval for the benefit of breast cancer patients. Medigene is now very well
positioned with the ongoing development of two advanced clinical drug
candidates and a solid financial profile supporting the company's growth
strategy." Dr. Frank Why-Ju Chu, CEO of SynCore commented: "We are
pleased to expand our partnership with Medigene, which started in 2011 with
Veregen®. With EndoTAG®-1, we seek to provide another innovative product to our
Asian patients. The co-development of EndoTAG®-1 fits very well with our
strategy to build an innovative late-stage pipeline." The Sinphar Group
specializes in the sales and marketing of pharmaceutical products as well as in
manufacturing for several global pharmaceutical companies like Johnson &
Johnson, Takeda, Shionogi and Astellas. Additionally, Sinphar is one of the
largest producers of paclitaxel (Phyxol®) in Asia .
Rationale for EndoTAG®-1 in
TNBC: EndoTAG®-1 has demonstrated encouraging efficacy in a Phase II trial in
combination with paclitaxel in patients with TNBC. In a sub-group of patients
with first line treatment for metastatic/relapsed TNBC and ECOG performance 0/1 in this study (total of 119 out of 133
patients), EndoTAG®-1 plus paclitaxel resulted in a median overall survival of
17.8 months (10.1 months for the paclitaxel alone group)1. Subject to clinical
trial approval, about 400 patients will have to be enrolled to demonstrate
clinical benefit in terms of overall survival, as previously discussed with the
European Medicines Agency (EMA). This is a significantly smaller number of
patients needed compared to trials in other indications, e.g. pancreatic
cancer. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to receive EndoTAG®-1 plus paclitaxel
weekly or paclitaxel weekly alone (same total dose of paclitaxel in both arms).
About EndoTAG®-1: EndoTAG®-1 is a novel composition of the established cytostatic drug
paclitaxel combined with neutral and positive lipids. The positively charged
lipids imply that EndoTAG®-1 interacts with newly developed, negatively charged
endothelial cells, which are primarily required for the growth of tumor blood
vessels. The EndoTAG®-1 paclitaxel component attacks the endothelial cells as
they divide, thus targeting the blood supply to tumors without affecting the
supply to healthy tissue. By doing this, EndoTAG®-1 is expected to prevent the
formation of new tumor blood vessels and to inhibit tumor growth. Medigene has
successfully completed two clinical phase II trials of EndoTAG®-1 in the indications pancreatic cancer and
triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). EndoTAG®-1 is protected by a number of
patent families. In TNBC, EndoTAG®-1 is protected by granted patents with terms
up to 2029 (USA ).
In Europe and other countries, patent
applications in TNBC with a term until 2027 are pending. Additional patent
applications covering the product with terms up to 2031 (USA , Europe, Asia
and other countries) are pending.
About Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC): Triple-negative breast tumors are malignant
and do not show any HER2 receptors or hormone receptors for estrogen or
progesterone. About 15% of all breast cancer cases rank among this group. There
are very few treatment options available, since conventional anti-hormonal
treatments or treatments targeting HER2 are not appropriate. In case of relapse
following initial surgery, the only remaining treatment option is chemotherapy.
About SynCore Bio: SynCore Biotechnology Co., Ltd, a joint venture between the
publicly listed pharmaceutical company Sinphar Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd and the
National Health Research Institute of Taiwan, is focused on the development of
new drugs. Currently, it is conducting a phase I first-in-man trial on an
anti-cancer new chemical entity. Another anti-cancer NCE project is in the
pre-IND stage. In addition, SynCore Biotechnology Co. also obtained an
exclusive development and commercialization right of an anti-dry AMD new drug,
MC 1101, in Asia at 2011 from a US Biotech company, MacuCLEAR. MC 1101 is
currently undergoing a US FDA phase II/III trial.
About Sinphar Pharmaceutical: Sinphar Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd (Taiwan Stock
Exchange, Symbol: 1734), with subsidiaries in China and Canada, specializes in the sales and
marketing of pharmaceutical products and dietary supplements as well as in
manufacturing for several global pharma companies like Johnson & Johnson,
Takeda, Shionogi and Astellas. Additionally, Sinphar is one of the largest
producers of paclitaxel (Phyxol®) in Asia . It
is also involved in the research and development of botanical new drugs. Two
projects are currently undergoing US FDA phase II trials. Its manufacturing
facilities are approved by the Taiwanese FDA and Japan PMDA according to PIC/s
GMP guidelines. Further information can be obtained at: www.sinphar.com .
ENDOTAG-1®,
A CATIONIC LIPOSOME CONTAINING PACLITAXEL, DEMONSTRATES ANTI-ANGIOGENIC AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
ACTIVITY IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IN VIVO
M.
Schmitt-Sody, P. Metz, O. Gottschalk, B. Schulze, H. Bohnenkamp, U. Michaelis, E.
Guenzi, M. Funk and V. Jansson
Abstract Introduction:
Inflammation and angiogenesis are hallmarks of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that
contribute largely to the formation of pannus tissue and joint destruction in
patients suffering from RA. We have recently shown that intravenously applied
cationic liposomes target efficiently angiogenic endothelial cells in the
synovial vasculature of rheumatoid joints and therefore may also serve as
potent vehicles for systemic drug delivery and therapy in RA. Therefore the aim
of our study was to quantify the antiangiogenic and antiinflammatory properties
of EndoTAG-1® (paclitaxel formulated in cationic liposomes) in the inflamed
joints of murine models of RA and to compare the therapeutical efficacy of
EndoTAG-1® to Taxol® (paclitaxel in Cremophor EL).
Materials and Methods: Targeting of fluorescently labelled cationic liposomes to the synovial
vasculature in mice with antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) was analysed by
intravital microscopy. Density of functional vessels and adhesion of
fluorescently labelled platelets or leukocytes were determined after treatment
with EndoTAG-1®. Knees were subjected to clinical scoring and histopathological
analysis. Results: EndoTAG-1® treatment of AIA mice with developing or in
established disease showed a strong attenuation of the course of the disease as
well as a potent anti-inflammatory effect. Histological analysis of knee
sections demonstrated a dramatic reduction of the pannus and infiltration of
inflammatory cells. Enrichment of EndoTAG at the synovial vasculature of AIA
mice was observed when compared with healthy mice. Treatment of AIA mice with
EndoTAG-1® concomitant to disease induction showed a complete remission of the
course of the disease as shown by a significant decrease of clinical scores
compared to both control and Taxol® treated groups. A complete inhibition (98%)
of neo-vascularisation was observed in the synovial vasculature of mice with
AIA that were treated with EndoTAG-1® whereas Taxol® alone showed only 50%
inhibitory effect. Rolling and adhesion of platelets were reduced to 53% (paclitaxel
5%) and 98% (paclitaxel 57%), respectively. Discussion: Our in vivo data
clearly demonstrates that anti-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory activity of
Endo-TAG-1® contribute to the therapeutical efficacy of this drug in RA. Notably,
therapeutic efficacy with Endo-TAG-1® was superior to Taxol®. This strongly
suggests that systemic delivery of cationic liposomes is very well suited to
enrich compounds to rheumatoid joints for therapy and could be a promising
treatment option for RA.
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