FDA Grants Priority Review to Genentech’s Cancer Immunotherapy Tecentriq

By: Genentech News

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY), announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company’s supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) and granted Priority Review for TECENTRIQ^® (atezolizumab), in combination with Avastin^® (bevacizumab), paclitaxel and carboplatin (chemotherapy), for the initial (first-line) treatment of people with metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The FDA is expected to make a decision on approval by September 5, 2018. A Priority Review designation is granted to medicines that the FDA has determined to have the potential to provide significant improvements in the treatment, prevention or diagnosis of a disease.

“Our Phase III results showed TECENTRIQ in combination with Avastin, paclitaxel and carboplatin has the potential to provide a significant survival benefit in the initial treatment of metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer,” said Sandra Horning, M.D., chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. “We are working closely with the FDA to bring this treatment regimen to people with this type of lung cancer as soon as possible.”

This sBLA is based on results from the Phase III IMpower150 study, which met its co-primary endpoints of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in the initial treatment of people with advanced non-squamous NSCLC. The safety profile of the combination was consistent with the safety profiles of the individual medicines, and no new safety signals were identified.

TECENTRIQ is currently approved by the FDA to treat people with metastatic NSCLC who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy, and have progressed on an appropriate FDA-approved targeted therapy if their tumor has ALK or EGFR gene abnormalities.

About the IMpower150 study

IMpower150 is a multicenter, open-label, randomized, controlled Phase III study evaluating the efficacy and safety of TECENTRIQ in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel with or without Avastin in people with stage IV non-squamous NSCLC who had not been treated with chemotherapy for their advanced disease. It enrolled 1,202 people, of which those with ALK and EGFR mutations were excluded from the primary intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis. People were randomized (1:1:1) to receive:

• TECENTRIQ plus carboplatin and paclitaxel (Arm A), or
• TECENTRIQ and Avastin plus carboplatin and paclitaxel (Arm B), or
• Avastin plus carboplatin and paclitaxel (Arm C, control arm).

The co-primary endpoints were OS and PFS, as determined by the investigator using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors Version 1.1 (RECIST v1.1). The primary analysis of the co-primary PFS endpoint in IMpower150 was assessed in two populations: all randomized people without an ALK or EGFR genetic mutation (intention-to-treat wild-type) and in a subgroup of people who had a specific biomarker (T-effector “Teff” gene signature expression). The co-primary OS endpoint was assessed in all randomized people without an ALK or EGFR genetic mutation (intention-to-treat wild-type). Key secondary endpoints included investigator-assessed PFS and OS, safety in the ITT population and in EGFR and ALK mutation subgroups.

About lung cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, it is estimated that more than 234,000 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2018, and NSCLC accounts for 85 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.

About the TECENTRIQ (atezolizumab) and Avastin (bevacizumab) combination

There is a strong scientific rationale to support further investigation of TECENTRIQ plus Avastin in combination. We are investigating this combination in a broad range of cancers, including first-line advanced NSCLC. Avastin, in addition to its anti-angiogenic effects, may further enhance TECENTRIQ’s ability to restore anti-cancer immunity by inhibiting VEGF-related immunosuppression, promoting T-cell tumor infiltration and enabling priming and activation of T-cell responses against tumor antigens.

About TECENTRIQ^® (atezolizumab)

TECENTRIQ is a monoclonal antibody designed to bind with a protein called PD-L1. TECENTRIQ is designed to bind to PD-L1 expressed on tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells, blocking its interactions with both PD-1 and B7.1 receptors. By inhibiting PD-L1, TECENTRIQ may enable the re-activation of T cells. TECENTRIQ may also affect normal cells.

About Avastin^® (bevacizumab)

Avastin is a prescription-only medicine that is a solution for intravenous infusion. It is a biologic antibody designed to specifically bind to a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that plays an important role throughout the lifecycle of the tumor to develop and maintain blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. Avastin is designed to interfere with the tumor blood supply by directly binding to the VEGF protein to prevent interactions with receptors on blood vessel cells. The tumor blood supply is thought to be critical to a tumor’s ability to grow and spread in the body (metastasize).

TECENTRIQ U.S. Indication (pronounced ‘tē-SEN-trik’)

TECENTRIQ is a prescription medicine used to treat:

a type of bladder and urinary tract cancer called urothelial carcinoma.

• TECENTRIQ may be used when your bladder cancer:
  • has spread or cannot be removed by surgery (advanced urothelial carcinoma), and
  • you are not able to take chemotherapy that contains a medicine called cisplatin, or
  • you have tried chemotherapy that contains platinum, and it did not work or is no longer working

The approval of TECENTRIQ in these patients is based on a study that measured response rate and duration of response. There is an ongoing study to confirm clinical benefit.

A type of lung cancer called non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

• TECENTRIQ may be used when your lung cancer:
  • has spread or grown, and
  • you have tried chemotherapy that contains platinum, and it did not work or is no longer working

If your tumor has an abnormal EGFR or ALK gene, you should have also tried an FDA-approved therapy for tumors with these abnormal genes, and it did not work or is no longer working.

It is not known if TECENTRIQ is safe and effective in children.

Important Safety Information

Important Information About TECENTRIQ

TECENTRIQ can cause the immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in many areas of the body and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become serious or life threatening and can lead to death.

Patients should call or see their healthcare provider right away if they get any symptoms of the following problems or these symptoms get worse.

TECENTRIQ can cause serious side effects, including:

• Lung problems (pneumonitis ) – signs and symptoms may include new or worsening cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain
• Liver problems (hepatitis) – signs and symptoms of hepatitis may include yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes, severe nausea or vomiting, pain on the right side of the stomach area (abdomen), drowsiness, dark urine (tea colored), bleeding or bruising more easily than normal, and feeling less hungry than usual
• Intestinal problems (colitis) – signs and symptoms of colitis may include diarrhea (loose stools) or more bowel movements than usual, blood or mucous in the stools or dark, tarry, sticky stools, and severe stomach area (abdomen) pain or tenderness
• Hormone gland problems (especially the thyroid, adrenal glands, pancreas, and pituitary) – signs and symptoms that the hormone glands are not working properly may include headaches that will not go away or unusual headaches, extreme tiredness, weight gain or weight loss, dizziness or fainting, feeling more hungry or thirsty than usual, hair loss, changes in mood or behavior (such as decreased sex drive, irritability, or forgetfulness), feeling cold, constipation, voice gets deeper, urinating more often than usual, nausea or vomiting, and stomach area (abdomen) pain
• Problems in other organs – signs and symptoms may include severe muscle weakness, numbness or tingling in hands or feet, confusion, blurry vision, double vision, or other vision problems, changes in mood or behavior, extreme sensitivity to light, neck stiffness, eye pain or redness, skin blisters or peeling, chest pain, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, or swelling of the ankles
• Severe infections – signs and symptoms of infection may include fever, cough, flu-like symptoms, pain when urinating, and frequent urination or back pain
• Severe infusion reactions – signs and symptoms of infusion reactions may include chills or shaking, itching or rash, flushing, shortness of breath or wheezing, swelling of the face or lips, dizziness, fever, feeling like passing out, and back or neck pain

Getting medical treatment right away may help keep these problems from becoming more serious. A healthcare provider may treat a patient with corticosteroid or hormone replacement medicines. A healthcare provider may delay or completely stop treatment with TECENTRIQ if a patient has severe side effects.

Before receiving TECENTRIQ, patients should tell their healthcare provider about all of their medical conditions, including if they:

• Have immune system problems (such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or lupus); have had an organ transplant; have lung or breathing problems; have liver problems; have a condition that affects their nervous system (such as myasthenia gravis or Guillain-Barre syndrome); or are being treated for an infection
• Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. TECENTRIQ can harm an unborn baby. If patients are able to become pregnant, they should use an effective method of birth control during treatment and for at least 5 months after the last dose of TECENTRIQ
• Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if TECENTRIQ passes into the breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment and for at least 5 months after the last dose of TECENTRIQ

Patients should tell their healthcare provider about all the medicines they take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

The most common side effects of TECENTRIQ in people with urothelial carcinoma include:

TECENTRIQ may cause fertility problems in females, which may affect the ability to have children. Patients should talk to their healthcare provider if they have concerns about fertility.

These are not all the possible side effects of TECENTRIQ. Patients should ask their healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information. Patients should call their doctor for medical advice about side effects.

Report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 orhttp://www.fda.gov/medwatch. Report side effect to Genentech at 1-888-835-2555.

Please visit http://www.Tecentriq.com for the TECENTRIQ full Prescribing Information for additional Important Safety Information.

Avastin Indications:

• Metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) for first- or second-line treatment in combination with intravenous 5-fluorouracil–based chemotherapy. It is also approved to treat mCRC for second-line treatment when used with fluoropyrimidine-based (combined with irinotecan or oxaliplatin) chemotherapy after cancer progresses following a first-line treatment that includes Avastin.
  • Avastin is not approved for use after the primary treatment of colon cancer that has not spread to other parts of the body.
• Advanced nonsquamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel in people who have not received chemotherapy for their advanced disease.
• Metastatic kidney cancer (mRCC) when used with interferon alfa.
• Glioblastoma (GBM) in adult patients whose cancer has progressed after prior treatment (recurrent or rGBM).
• Advanced cervical cancer (CC) in combination with paclitaxel and cisplatin or paclitaxel and topotecan is approved to treat persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cancer of the cervix.
• Recurrent ovarian cancer (rOC) . Avastin in combination with paclitaxel, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin or topotecan, is approved to treat platinum-resistant recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer (prOC) in women who received no more than two prior chemotherapy treatments. Avastin, either in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel or with carboplatin and gemcitabine, followed by Avastin alone, is approved for the treatment of patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer (psOC).

Possible serious side effects

Everyone reacts differently to Avastin therapy. So it’s important to know what the side effects are. Although some people may have a life-threatening side effect, most do not. Their doctor will stop treatment if any serious side effects occur. Patients should talk to their doctor if there are any signs of these side effects.

Most serious side effects (not common, but sometimes fatal):

• GI perforation. A hole that develops in the stomach or intestine. Symptoms include pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, constipation, or fever

• Wounds that don’t heal. A cut made during surgery can be slow to heal or may not fully heal. Avastin should not be used for at least 28 days before or after surgery and until surgicalwounds are fully healed 

• Serious bleeding. This includes vomiting or coughing up blood; bleeding in the stomach, brain, or spinal cord; nosebleeds; and vaginal bleeding. If a patient has recently coughed up blood or had serious bleeding, they should be sure to tell their doctor

Other possible serious side effects

• Abnormal passage in the body. This type of passage—known as a fistula—is an irregular connection from one part of the body to another and can sometimes be fatal
• Severe high blood pressure. Blood pressure that severely spikes or shows signs of affecting the brain. Blood pressure should be monitored every 2 to 3 weeks while on Avastin and after stopping treatment
• Kidney problems. These may be caused by too much protein in the urine and can sometimes be fatal
• Infusion reactions. These were uncommon with the first dose (less than 3% of patients). 0.2% of patients had severe reactions. Infusion reactions include high blood pressure or severe high blood pressure that may lead to stroke, trouble breathing, decreased oxygen in red blood cells, a serious allergic reaction, chest pain, headache, tremors, and excessive sweating. The patient’s doctor or nurse will monitor for signs of infusion reactions
• Severe stroke or heart problems. These may include blood clots, mini-stroke, heart attack, chest pain, and the heart may become too weak to pump blood to other parts of the body (congestive heart failure). These can sometimes be fatal
• Nervous system and vision problems. Signs include headache, seizure, high blood pressure, sluggishness, confusion, and blindness

Side effects seen most often

In clinical studies across different types of cancer, some patients experienced the following side effects:

• High blood pressure
• Too much protein in the urine
• Nosebleeds
• Rectal bleeding
• Back pain
• Headache
• Taste change
• Dry skin
• Inflammation of the skin
• Inflammation of the nose
• Watery eyes

Avastin is not for everyone

Patients should talk to their doctor if they are:

• Undergoing surgery. Avastin should not be used for 28 days before or after surgery and until surgical wounds are fully healed
• Pregnant or think they are pregnant. Data have shown that Avastin may harm a woman’s unborn baby. Birth control should be used while patients are on Avastin. If Avastin is stopped, patients should keep using birth control for 6 months before trying to become pregnant

• Planning to become pregnant. Taking Avastin could cause a woman’s ovaries to stop working and may impair her ability to have children
• Breastfeeding. Breastfeeding while on Avastin may harm the baby and is therefore not recommended

Patients should talk with their doctor if they have any questions about their condition or treatment.

Report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or http://www.fda.gov/medwatch. Report side effects to Genentech at (888) 835-2555.

For full Prescribing Information on Avastin please visit http://www.avastin.com.

About Genentech in Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy

For more than 30 years, Genentech has been developing medicines with the goal to redefine treatment in oncology. Today, we’re investing more than ever to bring personalized cancer immunotherapy (PCI) to people with cancer. The goal of PCI is to provide each person with a treatment tailored to harness his or her own immune system to fight cancer. Genentech is studying more than 20 investigational medicines, 10 of which are in clinical trials. In every study we are evaluating biomarkers to identify which people may be appropriate candidates for our medicines. For more information visithttp://www.gene.com/cancer-immunotherapy.

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.

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