SAN MATEO, CALIF.–(Business Wire / Korea Newswire)–BeiGene, Ltd. (NASDAQ: BGNE; HKEX: 06160; SSE: 688235), a global oncology company, today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency issued positive opinions recommending an extended authorization for TEVIMBRA® (tislelizumab) in gastric or gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) adenocarcinoma and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
In G/GEJ adenocarcinoma, the CHMP positive opinion is for TEVIMBRA in combination with platinum- and fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of adult patients with HER2-negative locally advanced unresectable or metastatic G/GEJ cancer whose tumors express PD-L1 with a tumor area positivity (TAP) score ≥ 5%. In ESCC, the CHMP positive opinion is for TEVIMBRA in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic ESCC whose tumors express PD-L1 with a TAP score ≥ 5%.
“Survival rates in the advanced stages of gastric/gastroesophageal and esophageal cancers are among the lowest of all cancer types despite recent advances, and new treatment options are needed,” said Prof. Florian Lordick, Director and Professor of Oncology of the University Cancer Center Leipzig, Germany. “The RATIONALE-305 and 306 trials showed that tislelizumab plus chemotherapy improved survival compared to treatment with placebo plus chemotherapy, highlighting its potential to deliver better outcomes for eligible patients.”
“TEVIMBRA is foundational for BeiGene’s solid tumor portfolio. In line with our commitment to help patients affected by cancer in Europe and across the globe, we recently launched TEVIMBRA in the EU for eligible patients in both the first- and second-line NSCLC settings and second-line ESCC,” said Mark Lanasa, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer, Solid Tumors at BeiGene. “With these CHMP opinions, we are one step closer to bringing this innovative therapy to eligible patients with untreated G/GEJ cancer and ESCC , who face a poor prognosis and limited treatment options.”
The extension of indication application for first-line G/GEJ cancer is based on results from BeiGene’s RATIONALE-305 (NCT03777657), a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, global Phase 3 trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TEVIMBRA in combination with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic G/GEJ cancer. The study enrolled 997 patients at research centers across Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. The study met its primary endpoint and demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful overall survival (OS) benefit with a median OS of 15.0 months for patients treated with TEVIMBRA in combination with investigator’s choice of chemotherapy compared to 12.9 months for patients treated with placebo plus chemotherapy (n=997; HR: 0.80 [95% CI: 0.70, 0.92]; P=0.0011), resulting in a 20% reduction in the risk of death. In the PD-L1 ≥ 5% population, the median OS was 16.4 months for TEVIMBRA plus chemotherapy compared to 12.8 months for the placebo arm (HR: 0.71 [95% CI, 0.58-0.86]), which represents a 29% reduction in the risk of death.
The extension of indication application for first-line ESCC is based on results from BeiGene’s RATIONALE-306 (NCT03783442), a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, global Phase 3 study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TEVIMBRA in combination with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment in patients with unresectable, locally advanced recurrent or metastatic ESCC. The study enrolled 649 patients at research centers across Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. The study met its primary endpoint, with first-line TEVIMBRA in combination with chemotherapy resulting in statistically significant and clinically meaningful OS benefit compared with placebo plus chemotherapy in the intent-to-treat population. The median OS was 17.2 months for TEVIMBRA with chemotherapy versus 10.6 months for placebo plus chemotherapy (HR: 0.66 [95% CI, 0.54-0.80, 1-sided p-value of 0.0001]), a 34% reduction in the risk of death. Three-year OS in the PD-L1 ≥ 5% population was also substantially improved in favor of the TEVIMBRA arm (median 19.1 versus 10.0 months, respectively; HR: 0.62 [95% CI, 0.49-0.79]), demonstrating a 38% reduction in the risk of death.
The safety data in the applications included 1,534 patients who received TEVIMBRA monotherapy at the approved dosing regimen, and 1,319 patients with G/GEJ cancer, ESCC or NSCLC who received TEVIMBRA at the approved dosing regimen (200 mg every 3 weeks) in combination with various chemotherapies. The most common Grade 3 or 4 adverse reactions for TEVIMBRA given in combination with chemotherapy were neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, fatigue, hypokalemia, hyponatremia, pneumonia, decreased appetite, rash, lymphopenia, alanine aminotransferase increased, aspartate aminotransferase increased, diarrhea, pneumonitis, and hepatitis.
TEVIMBRA is approved in the EU for eligible patients with advanced or metastatic ESCC after prior platinum-based chemotherapy and for three non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) indications covering both the first- and second-line settings.
About Gastric and Gastroesophageal Junction (G/GEJ) Adenocarcinoma
Gastric (stomach) cancer is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the fifth highest leading cause of cancer mortality.[1] Nearly 1 million new patients were diagnosed with gastric cancer in 2022, and 660,000 deaths were reported globally. Gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma occurs at the area where the esophagus joins the stomach, which is just beneath the diaphragm (the thin sheet of breathing muscle under the lungs).[2]
About Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC)
Globally, esophageal cancer (EC) is the sixth most common cause of cancer-related deaths, and ESCC is the most common histologic subtype, accounting for nearly 90% of ECs. An estimated 957,000 new EC cases are projected in 2040, an increase of nearly 60% from 2020, underscoring the need for additional effective treatments.[3] EC is a rapidly fatal disease, and more than two-thirds of patients have advanced or metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis, with an expected five-year survival rate of less than 6% for those with distant metastases.[4]
About TEVIMBRA (Tislelizumab)
TEVIMBRA is a uniquely designed humanized immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody with high affinity and binding specificity against PD-1. It is designed to minimize binding to Fc-gamma (Fcγ) receptors on macrophages, helping to aid the body’s immune cells to detect and fight tumors.
Important Safety Information
The current European Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) for TEVIMBRA is available from the European Medicines Agency.
This information is intended for a global audience. Product indications vary by region.
About BeiGene
BeiGene is a global oncology company that is discovering and developing innovative treatments that are more affordable and accessible to cancer patients worldwide. With a broad portfolio, we are expediting development of our diverse pipeline of novel therapeutics through our internal capabilities and collaborations. We are committed to radically improving access to medicines for far more patients who need them. Our growing global team of more than 10,000 colleagues spans five continents. To learn more about BeiGene, please visit www.beigene.com and follow us on LinkedIn, X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook and Instagram.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws, including statements regarding tislelizumab’s potential to deliver better outcomes for eligible patients; and BeiGene’s plans, commitments, aspirations, and goals under the heading “About BeiGene.” Actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including BeiGene’s ability to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of its drug candidates; the clinical results for its drug candidates, which may not support further development or marketing approval; actions of regulatory agencies, which may affect the initiation, timing, and progress of clinical trials and marketing approval; BeiGene’s ability to achieve commercial success for its marketed medicines and drug candidates, if approved; BeiGene’s ability to obtain and maintain protection of intellectual property for its medicines and technology; BeiGene’s reliance on third parties to conduct drug development, manufacturing, commercialization, and other services; BeiGene’s limited experience in obtaining regulatory approvals and commercializing pharmaceutical products and its ability to obtain additional funding for operations and to complete the development of its drug candidates and achieve and maintain profitability; and those risks more fully discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in BeiGene’s most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in BeiGene’s subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and BeiGene undertakes no duty to update such information unless required by law.
[1] Ferlay J, Ervik M, Lam F, Laversanne M, Colombet M, Mery L, Piñeros M, Znaor A, Soerjomataram I, Bray F (2020). Global Cancer Observatory: Cancer Today. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer. Available from: https://gco.iarc.who.int/today. Accessed February 9, 2024.
[2] American Cancer Society. What Is Stomach Cancer? https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/stomach-cancer/about/what-is-stomach-cancer.html.
[3] Morgan E, et al. The Global Landscape of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Incidence and Mortality in 2020 and Projections to 2040: New Estimates From GLOBOCAN 2020. Gastroenterology. 2022 Sep;163(3):649-658.e2. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2022.05.054. Epub 2022 Jun 4. PMID: 35671803.
[4] National Cancer Institute. Cancer stat facts: esophageal cancer. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/esoph.html.
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