South San Francisco, CA February 20, 2019 Genentech Press Release
Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY), today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company’s New Drug Applications (NDAs) and granted Priority Review for entrectinib for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with neurotrophic tropomyosin receptor kinase (NTRK) fusion-positive, locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors who have either progressed following prior therapies or as initial therapy when there are no acceptable standard therapies, and for the treatment of people with metastatic, ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These NDAs are based on results from the integrated analysis of the pivotal Phase II STARTRK-2, Phase I STARTRK-1 and Phase I ALKA-372-001 trials, and data from the Phase I/Ib STARTRK-NG study. The FDA is expected to make a decision on approval by August 18, 2019.
“Entrectinib represents a unique approach to cancer treatment that can potentially target a range of hard-to-treat and rare NTRK fusion-positive tumors regardless of their site of origin, as well as treat ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer,” said Sandra Horning, M.D., chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. “By combining comprehensive genomic profiling with actionable targeted therapies, like entrectinib, we are advancing our personalized healthcare goal to find the right treatment for each patient. We are working closely with the FDA to make this potential new option available as soon as possible.”
The FDA grants Priority Review to medicines determined to have the potential to provide significant improvements in the treatment, prevention or diagnosis of a serious disease. Entrectinib was also granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) by the FDA in May 2017 for the treatment of NTRK fusion-positive, locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors in adult and pediatric patients who have either progressed following prior therapies or have no acceptable standard therapies. BTD is designed to expedite the development and review of medicines intended to treat serious or life-threatening diseases and to help ensure people have access to them through FDA approval as soon as possible.
Genentech is leveraging its expertise in developing personalized medicines and advanced diagnostics, in conjunction with Foundation Medicine, to develop a companion diagnostic that will help identify people with ROS1 and NTRK gene fusions.
About the integrated analysis
The integrated analysis included data from 53 people with ROS1-activating gene fusions and 54 people with locally advanced or metastatic NTRK fusion-positive solid tumors (10 tumor types, >19 histopathologies) from the Phase II STARTRK-2, Phase I STARTRK-1 and Phase I ALKA-372-001 trials. In addition, data from the Phase I/Ib STARTRK-NG study in pediatric patients were also included in the NDAs. The studies enrolled people across 15 countries and more than 150 clinical trial sites. Tumor types evaluated in the studies to date included breast, cholangiocarcinoma, colorectal, gynecological, neuroendocrine, non-small cell lung, salivary gland, pancreatic, sarcoma and thyroid cancers.
- STARTRK-2 is a Phase II, global, multicenter, open-label basket study in people with solid tumors that harbor an NTRK1/2/3, ROS1 or ALK-positive gene fusion. The primary endpoint is objective response rate (ORR), and duration of response (DoR) is a secondary endpoint. Other secondary outcome measures include time to response, clinical benefit rate, intracranial tumor response, progression-free survival (PFS), central nervous system (CNS) PFS and overall survival (OS).
- STARTRK-1 is a Phase I, multicenter, open-label dose escalation study of a daily continuous dosing schedule in people with solid tumors with NTRK1/2/3, ROS1 or ALK gene fusions in the U.S. and South Korea. The trial assessed the safety and tolerability of entrectinib via a standard dose escalation scheme and determined the recommended Phase II dose.
- ALKA-372-001 is a Phase I, multicenter, open-label dose escalation study of an intermittent and continuous entrectinib dosing schedule in people with advanced or metastatic solid tumors with TRKA/B/C, ROS1 or ALK gene fusions in Italy.
- STARTRK-NG is a Phase I/Ib dose escalation and expansion study evaluating the safety and efficacy of entrectinib in children and adolescent patients with no curative first-line treatment option, recurrent or refractory extracranial solid tumors or primary CNS tumors, with or without TRK, ROS1 or ALK fusions.
Results from the integrated analysis showed entrectinib shrank tumors (ORR) in more than half (57.4 percent) of people with NTRK fusion-positive solid tumors. Objective responses to entrectinib were seen across 10 different solid tumor types (median DoR = 10.4 months), including in people with and without CNS metastases at baseline. In these studies, entrectinib shrank tumors that had spread to the brain in more than half of people (intracranial response [IC ORR] = 54.5 percent), with more than a quarter of these people having a complete response.
Entrectinib shrank tumors in 77.4 percent of people with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive NSCLC. In addition, entrectinib demonstrated a durable response of more than two years (median DoR = 24.6 months). Importantly, entrectinib was shown to shrink intracranial tumors in more than half of people with CNS metastases at baseline (IC ORR = 55.0 percent).
The safety profile of entrectinib was consistent with that seen in previous analyses. The most commonly reported adverse reactions included fatigue, constipation, altered sense of taste (dysgeusia), swelling (edema), dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, nervous system disorders (dysesthesia), shortness of breath (dyspnea), pain, anemia, cognitive disorders, weight increased, vomiting, cough, blood creatinine increase, joint pain (arthralgia), fever (pyrexia), and muscle pain (myalgia).
About entrectinib
Entrectinib (RXDX-101) is an investigational, oral medicine in development for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors that harbor NTRK1/2/3 or ROS1 gene fusions. It is a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor designed to inhibit the kinase activity of the TRK A/B/C and ROS1 proteins, whose activating fusions drive proliferation in certain types of cancer. Entrectinib can block ROS1 and NTRK kinase activity and may result in the death of cancer cells with ROS1 or NTRK gene fusions. Entrectinib is being investigated across a range of solid tumor types, including breast, cholangiocarcinoma, colorectal, gynecological, neuroendocrine, non-small cell lung, salivary gland, pancreatic, sarcoma and thyroid cancers.
About NTRK fusion-positive cancer
Neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) fusion-positive cancer occurs when the NTRK1/2/3 genes fuse with other genes, resulting in altered TRK proteins (TRKA/TRKB/TRKC) that can activate signaling pathways involved in proliferation of certain types of cancer. NTRK gene fusions are tumor-agnostic, meaning they are present in tumors irrespective of site of origin. These fusions have been identified in a broad range of solid tumor types, including breast, cholangiocarcinoma, colorectal, gynecological, neuroendocrine, non-small cell lung, salivary gland, pancreatic, sarcoma and thyroid cancers. There is a high unmet medical need for treatments for people with life-threatening and hard-to-treat NTRK fusion-positive tumors.
About lung cancer
According to the American Cancer Society, it is estimated that more than 228,000 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2019, and NSCLC accounts for 84 percent of all lung cancers. It is estimated that approximately 60 percent of lung cancer diagnoses in the United States are made when the disease is in the advanced stages. While the ROS1 gene fusion can be found in any person with NSCLC, young never-smokers have the highest incidence of ROS1-positive NSCLC.
About Genentech in lung cancer
Lung cancer is a major area of focus and investment for Genentech, and we are committed to developing new approaches, medicines and tests that can help people with this deadly disease. Our goal is to provide an effective treatment option for every person diagnosed with lung cancer. We currently have four approved medicines to treat certain kinds of lung cancer and more than 10 medicines being developed to target the most common genetic drivers of lung cancer or to boost the immune system to combat the disease.
About Genentech
Founded more than 40 years ago, Genentech is a leading biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines to treat patients with serious and life-threatening medical conditions. The company, a member of the Roche Group, has headquarters in South San Francisco, California. For additional information about the company, please visit http://www.gene.com.