WILMINGTON, Del. & BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Incyte (NASDAQ:INCY) and MorphoSys US Inc., a fully owned subsidiary of MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; NASDAQ:MOR), today announced new three-year follow-up data from the ongoing Phase 2 L-MIND study of tafasitamab (Monjuvi®) in combination with lenalidomide in adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). A total of 80 out of 81 enrolled study patients receiving tafasitamab plus lenalidomide were included in the efficacy analysis at approximately three years follow-up (≥35 months)[1].The long-term analysis, as assessed by an independent review committee (IRC), showed that patients treated with tafasitamab plus lenalidomide had an overall response rate (ORR) of 57.5% (95% CI = 45.9, 68.5; 46 out of 80 patients), including a complete response (CR) rate of 40% (32 out of 80 patients). Additionally, the median duration of response (DoR) was 43.9 months (95% CI = 26.1, Not Reached [NR]), with a median overall survival (OS) of 33.5 months (95% CI = 18.3, NR) and median progression free survival (PFS) of 11.6 months (95% CI = 6.3, 45.7).
These data (abstract #7513) are available on demand as part of the 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, held virtually June 4-8, 2021, and will be presented as a poster and poster discussion in the Hematologic Malignancies—Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia session.
“The three-year efficacy data, combined with the safety and tolerability profile of tafasitamab, further support a therapeutic option for patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL who are ineligible for transplant – a traditionally difficult-to-treat population,” said Gilles Salles, M.D., Ph.D., Lymphoma Service Chief at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and lead investigator of the L-MIND study*. “I am encouraged to see the confirmed favorable outcome of patients in the L-MIND study, which suggest that this combination treatment regimen could potentially offer a paradigm shift and long-term disease control.”
The new results – based on an October 30, 2020 data cut-off – build on previous findings showing durable responses and a consistent safety profile of tafasitamab in combination with lenalidomide followed by tafasitamab monotherapy in autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT)-ineligible patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL.
“We are pleased that long-term data from the L-MIND study underscore the clinically-significant durable responses that are possible with tafasitamab plus lenalidomide as a treatment for relapsed or refractory DLBCL,” said Peter Langmuir, M.D., Group Vice President, Oncology Targeted Therapies, Incyte. “We look forward to continuing to build the body of clinical evidence supporting tafasitamab as a treatment option for patients with DLBCL, as well as exploring other potential indications for tafasitamab through our ongoing research and development program.”
“The three-year follow-up data not only show a durable response and consistent safety profile in patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL treated with tafasitamab plus lenalidomide, it also suggests the combination could potentially lead to durable remission,” said Nuwan Kurukulasuriya, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Global Head of Medical Affairs, MorphoSys. “We are looking forward to sharing these long-term follow-up findings with the scientific community.”
In July 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Monjuvi® (tafasitamab-cxix) in combination with lenalidomide for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from low grade lymphoma, and who are not eligible for ASCT. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on ORR. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial(s). The U.S. approval is based on an efficacy subgroup of 71 patients confirmed by central lab. The FDA decision represented the first approval of a second-line treatment for adult patients with DLBCL who progressed during or after first-line therapy.
About Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)
DLBCL is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in adults worldwide[2], characterized by rapidly growing masses of malignant B-cells in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, bone marrow or other organs. It is an aggressive disease with about 40% of patients not responding to initial therapy or relapsing thereafter[3], leading to a high medical need for new, effective therapies[4], especially for patients who are not eligible for an autologous stem cell transplant in this setting.
About L-MIND
The L-MIND trial is a single arm, open-label Phase 2 study (NCT02399085) investigating the combination of tafasitamab and lenalidomide in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who have had at least one, but no more than three prior lines of therapy, including an anti-CD20 targeting therapy (e.g., rituximab), who are not eligible for high-dose chemotherapy or refuse subsequent autologous stem cell transplant. The study’s primary endpoint is overall response rate (ORR). Secondary outcome measures include duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). In May 2019, the study reached its primary completion.
For more information about L-MIND, visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02399085.
About Tafasitamab
Tafasitamab is a humanized Fc-modified cytolytic CD19 targeting monoclonal antibody. In 2010, MorphoSys licensed exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize tafasitamab from Xencor, Inc. Tafasitamab incorporates an XmAb® engineered Fc domain, which mediates B-cell lysis through apoptosis and immune effector mechanism including antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP).
Monjuvi® (tafasitamab-cxix) is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in combination with lenalidomide for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from low grade lymphoma, and who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial(s).
In January 2020, MorphoSys and Incyte entered into a collaboration and licensing agreement to further develop and commercialize tafasitamab globally. Monjuvi® is being co-commercialized by Incyte and MorphoSys in the United States. Incyte has exclusive commercialization rights outside the United States.
A marketing authorization application (MAA) seeking the approval of tafasitamab in combination with lenalidomide in the European Union has been validated by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and is currently under review for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL, including DLBCL arising from low grade lymphoma, who are not candidates for ASCT.
Tafasitamab is being clinically investigated as a therapeutic option in B-cell malignancies in a number of ongoing combination trials.
Monjuvi® is a registered trademark of MorphoSys AG.
XmAb® is a registered trademark of Xencor, Inc.
Important Safety Information
What are the possible side effects of MONJUVI?
MONJUVI may cause serious side effects, including:
- Infusion reactions. Your healthcare provider will monitor you for infusion reactions during your infusion of MONJUVI. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get fever, chills, rash, flushing, headache, or shortness of breath during an infusion of MONJUVI.
- Low blood cell counts (platelets, red blood cells, and white blood cells). Low blood cell counts are common with MONJUVI, but can also be serious or severe. Your healthcare provider will monitor your blood counts during treatment with MONJUVI. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or above, or any bruising or bleeding.
- Infections. Serious infections, including infections that can cause death, have happened in people during treatments with MONJUVI and after the last dose. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or above, or develop any signs and symptoms of an infection.
The most common side effects of MONJUVI include:
- Feeling tired or weak
- Diarrhea
- Cough
- Fever
- Swelling of lower legs or hands
- Respiratory tract infection
- Decreased appetite
These are not all the possible side effects of MONJUVI.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Before you receive MONJUVI, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:
- Have an active infection or have had one recently.
- Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. MONJUVI may harm your unborn baby. You should not become pregnant during treatment with MONJUVI. Do not receive treatment with MONJUVI in combination with lenalidomide if you are pregnant because lenalidomide can cause birth defects and death of your unborn baby.
- You should use an effective method of birth control (contraception) during treatment and for at least 3 months after your final dose of MONJUVI.
- Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think that you may be pregnant during treatment with MONJUVI.
- Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if MONJUVI passes into your breastmilk. Do not breastfeed during treatment for at least 3 months after your last dose of MONJUVI.
You should also read the lenalidomide Medication Guide for important information about pregnancy, contraception, and blood and sperm donation.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medications you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Please see the full Prescribing Information for Monjuvi, including Patient Information, for additional Important Safety Information.
About Incyte
Incyte is a Wilmington, Delaware-based, global biopharmaceutical company focused on finding solutions for serious unmet medical needs through the discovery, development and commercialization of proprietary therapeutics. For additional information on Incyte, please visit Incyte.com and follow @Incyte.
About MorphoSys
MorphoSys (FSE & NASDAQ: MOR) is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapies for people living with cancer and autoimmune diseases. Based on its leading expertise in antibody, protein and peptide technologies, MorphoSys is advancing its own pipeline of new drug candidates and has created antibodies which are developed by partners in different areas of unmet medical need. In 2017, Tremfya® (guselkumab) – developed by Janssen Research & Development, LLC and marketed by Janssen Biotech, Inc., for the treatment of plaque psoriasis – became the first drug based on MorphoSys’ antibody technology to receive regulatory approval. In July 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval of the company’s proprietary product Monjuvi® (tafasitamab-cxix) in combination with lenalidomide in patients with a certain type of lymphoma. Headquartered near Munich, Germany, the MorphoSys group, including the fully owned U.S. subsidiary MorphoSys US Inc., has more than 600 employees. More information at www.morphosys.com or www.morphosys-us.com.
Monjuvi® is a registered trademark of MorphoSys AG.
Tremfya® is a registered trademark of Janssen Biotech, Inc.
References:
1 Johannes Duell, M.D., et al. Long-term analyses from L-MIND, a Phase II study of tafasitamab (MOR208) combined with lenalidomide (LEN) in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R DLBCL). 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. Abstract #7513.
2 Sarkozy C, et al. Management of relapsed/refractory DLBCL. Best Practice Research & Clinical Haematology. 2018 31:209–16. doi.org/10.1016/j.beha.2018.07.014.
3 Skrabek P, et al. Emerging therapies for the treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Current Oncology. 2019 26(4): 253–265. doi.org/10.3747/co.26.5421.
4 Skrabek P, et al. Emerging therapies for the treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Current Oncology. 2019 26(4): 253–265. doi.org/10.3747/co.26.5421.
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