OXFORDSHIRE, England & CONSHOHOCKEN, Penn. & ROCKVILLE, Md., US – Immunocore Holdings Plc (Nasdaq: IMCR), a late-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of a novel class of T cell receptor (TCR) bispecific immunotherapies designed to treat a broad range of diseases, including cancer, infection and autoimmune disease, today announces that data from a phase 3 randomized trial comparing tebentafusp (IMCgp100) with investigator’s choice in first-line metastatic uveal melanoma (mUM) has been published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).
The paper concluded that tebentafusp is the first systemic treatment to show a survival benefit in mUM and should become a new treatment option for this poor prognosis disease.
“The publication of these phase 3 data in a leading peer-reviewed scientific publication like NEJM demonstrates the significance of Immunocore’s work in the field of TCR therapy,” said Bahija Jallal, Chief Executive Officer of Immunocore. “This further validates the potential of tebentafusp to provide a much needed treatment option for patients with metastatic uveal melanoma, making a meaningful difference to patients’ lives. In addition, we believe these data show the broader potential of Immunocore’s TCR technology for the treatment of other solid tumors.”
Results from the randomized, open-label, phase 3 trial of tebentafusp vs. investigator’s choice in previously untreated HLA-A*02:01-positive patients with mUM demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival (OS) as a first-line treatment in mUM. The OS Hazard Ratio (HR) in the intent-to-treat population favored tebentafusp, HR=0.51 (95% CI: 0.37, 0.71); p< 0.0001, over investigator’s choice (82% pembrolizumab; 12% ipilimumab; 6% dacarbazine). Treatment-related adverse events were manageable and consistent with the proposed mechanism.
Tebentafusp has been granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation, Fast Track designation and orphan drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Promising Innovative Medicine (PIM) designation under the UK Early Access to Medicines Scheme for metastatic uveal melanoma. Immunocore’s biologics license application for approval of tebentafusp for the treatment of HLA-A*02:01-positive adult patients with metastatic uveal melanoma was recently accepted by the FDA. In addition, the European Medicine Agency (EMA)’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) accepted Immunocore’s Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA).
About Immunocore
Immunocore is a late-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of a novel class of TCR bispecific immunotherapies called ImmTAX – Immune mobilizing monoclonal TCRs Against X disease – designed to treat a broad range of diseases, including cancer, infectious and autoimmune. Leveraging its proprietary, flexible, off-the-shelf ImmTAX platform, Immunocore is developing a deep pipeline in multiple therapeutic areas, including five clinical stage programs in oncology and infectious disease, advanced pre-clinical programs in autoimmune disease and multiple earlier pre-clinical programs. Immunocore’s most advanced oncology therapeutic candidate, tebentafusp, has demonstrated an overall survival benefit in a randomized Phase 3 clinical trial in metastatic uveal melanoma, a cancer that has historically proven to be insensitive to other immunotherapies.
About Tebentafusp
Tebentafusp is a novel bispecific protein comprised of a soluble T cell receptor fused to an anti-CD3 immune-effector function. Tebentafusp specifically targets gp100, a lineage antigen expressed in melanocytes and melanoma, and is the first molecule developed using Immunocore’s ImmTAC technology platform designed to redirect and activate T cells to recognise and kill tumor cells. Tebentafusp has been granted Priority Review; Real Time Oncology Review; Breakthrough Therapy designation; Fast Track designation; and orphan drug designation by the FDA in the United States; orphan drug status in the European Union; and Promising Innovative Medicine (PIM) designation under the UK Early Access to Medicines Scheme for metastatic uveal melanoma. Tebentafusp has also been granted accelerated assessment by the EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP). Tebentafusp is being reviewed under the FDA’s Project Orbis initiative, which enables concurrent review by the health authorities in partner countries that have requested participation. For more information about enrolling in tebentafusp clinical trials for metastatic uveal melanoma, please visit ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03070392).
About ImmTAC® Molecules
Immmunocore’s proprietary T cell receptor (TCR) technology generates a novel class of bispecific biologics called ImmTAC (Immune mobilising monoclonal TCRs Against Cancer) molecules that are designed to redirect the immune system to recognise and kill cancerous cells. ImmTAC molecules are soluble TCRs engineered to recognise intracellular cancer antigens with ultra-high affinity and selectively kill these cancer cells via an anti-CD3 immune-activating effector function. Based on the demonstrated mechanism of T cell infiltration into human tumours, the ImmTAC mechanism of action holds the potential to treat hematologic and solid tumours, regardless of mutational burden or immune infiltration, including immune “cold” low mutation rate tumours.
About Uveal Melanoma
Uveal melanoma is a rare and aggressive form of melanoma, which affects the eye. Metastatic uveal melanoma typically has a poor prognosis and has no currently accepted optimal management or treatment. Although it is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults, the diagnosis is rare, with approximately 8,000 new patients diagnosed globally each year (1,600-2,000 cases per year in the United States). Up to 50% of people with uveal melanoma will eventually develop metastatic disease. When the cancer spreads beyond the eye, only approximately half of patients will survive for one year.
CONTACT:
Immunocore – Debra Nielsen, Head of Communications – T: +1 (610) 368-8602 – E: [email protected] – Follow on Twitter: @Immunocore
Consilium Strategic Communications (corporate and financial) – Mary-Jane Elliott/ Chris Welsh/ Jessica Hodgson – T: +44 (0)203 709 5700 – E: [email protected]
Investor Relations – Clayton Robertson, Head of Investor Relations – T: +1 215-384-4781 – E: [email protected]