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Monday, September 30, 2019

Genentech to present positive Tecentriq data

Genentech (OTCQX:RHHBY) is presenting positive results from the Phase III IMvigor130 study evaluating Tecentriq (atezolizumab) today at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress.
The company says IMvigor130 is the first positive Phase III study of a cancer immunotherapy combination in people with previously untreated advanced bladder cancer.
Genentech says the Tecentriq combination reduced the risk of disease worsening or death (progression-free survival) compared with chemotherapy alone.
Source: Press Release

Aquestive completes early-stage AQST-108 trial

Aquestive Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AQST) has completed its Phase 1 dose escalation proof-of-concept study in healthy subjects for AQST-108.
AQST-108 is an oral sublingual film formulation delivering systemic epinephrine that is in development for the treatment of anaphylaxis using Aquestive’s proprietary PharmFilm technologies.
Based on the results of this study, Aquestive is in the process of scheduling a pre-IND meeting with FDA.

Moderna announces open IND for Propionic Acidemia program

The FDA has completed the review of Moderna’s (NASDAQ:MRNA) IND application for mRNA-3927, its investigational mRNA therapeutic for propionic acidemia (PA) and allowed it to proceed to clinic.
Moderna plans to initiate an open-label Phase 1/2 study of multiple ascending doses of mRNA-3927 in primarily pediatric patients with PA in U.S. and Europe. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the safety and tolerability of mRNA-3927 administered via IV infusion, characterize the pharmacokinetic profile of mRNA-3927 and assess the pharmacodynamic response as assessed by changes in plasma biomarkers.
This is the second rare disease candidate from Moderna’s pipeline with an open IND.

Endo International rises 2.2% after litigation matters resolved

Endo International (NASDAQ:ENDPgains 2.2% in premarket trading after the culmination of two litigation matters regarding the compounding of vasopressin from bulk drug substances.
Vasopressin is the active ingredient in Vasostrict, which is made by Endo’s subsidiary Par Sterile Products.
In October 2017, Endo sued the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, saying the FDA’s interim policy authorizing the bulk compounding of drugs violated a law that only allows bulk compounding if the FDA first makes a determination that there is a genuine “clinical need” for compounding from a particular bulk drug substance.
FDA ultimately finalized new guidance and issued a decision that bulk compounders of vasporessin competing with Vasostrict could not satisfy the statutory “clinical need” requirement.
Soon after that, Athenex and two related entities sued the FDA, seeking to invalidate that decision. Endo intervened in that suit to defend the case along with the FDA and Department of Justice. The court decision in the case prohibits Athenex from selling its product and denied a motion for a stay of the ruling pending appear.
“In light of FDA’s determination that bulk compounding of vasopressin is impermissible under Section 503B and the Court’s decision to uphold that determination, we have agreed with the Department of Justice and the FDA to voluntarily dismiss Endo’s lawsuit,” said Matthew J. Maletta, Endo’s chief legal officer.

Mallinckrodt +13% after settling Ohio opioid cases

Mallinckrodt (NYSE:MNK) races higher in early trading after settling a legal case with two counties in Ohio involving opioid usage.
The company will pay $24M in cash, provide $6M in generic products and provide a $500K payment in two years in recognition of the counties’ time and expenses.
The settlement sees all named Mallinckrodt entities dismissed with prejudice from the lawsuit and stipulates the value of the settlement won’t be extrapolated to any other opioid-related claims.

FDA OKs Turning Point’s IND for TPX-0046

The FDA clears Turning Point Therapeutics’ (NASDAQ:TPTX) IND for TPX-0046, a novel therapy targeting solid tumors with abnormal RET genes by inhibiting RET and SRC kinases.
Under the IND, the company plans to initiate a Phase 1/2 first-in-human, open-label study later this year. The phase 1 portion will have a dose-finding design to assess the safety, tolerability, and preliminary clinical activity of TPX-0046 in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors harboring oncogenic RET fusions or mutations.
The phase 2 portion will evaluate the preliminary efficacy of TPX-0046 in multiple cohorts.

Acasti Pharma updates on Trilogy 1 and 2 trials

Acasti Pharma (NASDAQ:ACSTreports additional milestones reached and provides a business update on its clinical trials.
ACST’s TRILOGY Phase 3 trials in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia continue to progress, and the Company remains on track to report topline TRILOGY 1 and 2 results in December 2019 and January 2020, respectively.
Both of TRILOGY studies have achieved 100% patient randomization, and nearly 80% of the patients in both studies combined have now completed their 6-month plan.
Data clean up is approx. 90% complete in TRILOGY 1.
In addition to the preliminary topline data, the Company plans to present the full data set, including results for key secondary and exploratory endpoints of interest such as Non-HDL-C, LDL-C, VLDL, HDL-C and HbA1c at key scientific meetings in 2020.
Shares are up 4% premarket.