WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
ImmunoGen, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMGN), a leader in the expanding field of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for the treatment of cancer, today announced new preclinical data that demonstrate the potential for enhanced activity when combining mirvetuximab soravtansine with immune checkpoint inhibition. These data will be presented at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer’s (SITC) 31st Annual Meeting, which is being held November 9-13 in National Harbor, Maryland.
Mirvetuximab soravtansine is a first-in-class folate receptor alpha (FRα)-targeting ADC and is entering a Phase 3 trial, FORWARD I, as a single agent treatment for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Mirvetuximab is also being assessed in combination regimens with Keytruda®, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, as well as Doxil®, carboplatin and Avastin® for both platinum-resistant and platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer in the Phase 1b/2 FORWARD II trial. The Company expects initial data from FORWARD II in mid-2017.
“We are committed to continuing to drive innovation in the research and development of ADCs for the treatment of cancer. These preclinical data reinforce the potential of combining mirvetuximab soravtansine with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, which we are evaluating as part of our FORWARD II trial,” said Richard Gregory, Ph.D., executive vice president and chief scientific officer of ImmunoGen. “More broadly, these data suggest that ADCs using ImmunoGen’s maytansinoid technology may have an important role in promoting anti-tumor immunity in conjunction with immuno-oncology drugs.”
In a poster presentation, the Company will report in vitro data showing that treatment of FRα-expressing tumor cells with mirvetuximab soravtansine activates monocytes, a type of antigen presenting cell (APC). Monocyte activation required both the antibody component of mirvetuximab soravtansine, which interacts with Fcγ receptors on APCs and its cancer-killing agent DM4, which promotes immunogenic cell death of the tumor cells. Activation of APCs in the presence of tumor neo antigen would trigger an anti-tumor T cell response that could be enhanced by immune checkpoint inhibition.
Poster Presentation
Title: “Treatment of Tumor Cells with
Mirvetuximab Soravtansine, a FRα-Targeting Antibody-Drug Conjugate
(ADC), Activates Monocytes Through Fc-FcγR Interaction and
Immunogenic Cell Death”
- Poster session #316: Saturday, November 12 at 11:45pm ET.
For additional information, visit the SITC Annual Meeting website.
About Mirvetuximab Soravtansine
Mirvetuximab soravtansine
(IMGN853) is the first FRα-targeting ADC. It uses a FRα-binding antibody
to target the ADC specifically to FRα-expressing cancer cells and a
potent anti-tumor agent, DM4, to kill the targeted cancer cells.
Mirvetuximab soravtansine is ImmunoGen’s lead program and is entering Phase 3 testing in the FORWARD I trial as a single agent for the treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The candidate is also being assessed in combination regimens for both platinum-resistant and platinum-sensitive disease in Phase 1b/2 FORWARD II trial.
About ImmunoGen
ImmunoGen is a clinical-stage biotechnology
company that develops targeted cancer therapeutics using its proprietary
ADC technology. ImmunoGen’s lead product candidate, mirvetuximab
soravtansine, is being advanced to a Phase 3 trial for FRα-positive
platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, and is in Phase 1b/2 testing in
combination regimens for earlier-stage disease. ImmunoGen’s ADC
technology is used in Roche's marketed product, Kadcyla®, in
three other clinical-stage ImmunoGen product candidates, and in programs
in development by partners Amgen, Bayer, Biotest, CytomX, Lilly,
Novartis, Sanofi and Takeda. More information about the Company can be
found at www.immunogen.com.
Keytruda®, Doxil®, Avastin® and Kadcyla® are registered trademarks of their respective owners.
This press release includes forward-looking statements. For these statements, ImmunoGen claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. It should be noted that there are risks and uncertainties related to the development of novel anticancer products, including mirvetuximab soravtansine, including risks related to preclinical and clinical studies, their timings and results. A review of these risks can be found in ImmunoGen’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016 and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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