Pierre Fabre & Array BioPharma Announce a 62% Observed OS at One Year from the Phase 3 BEACON CRC Safety Lead-In of the Combination of Encorafenib, Binimetinib and Cetuximab in BRAF-Mutant CRC at the ESMO GI Congress

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Pierre Fabre and its partner Array BioPharma Inc. today announced updated safety and efficacy results, including OS, from the safety lead-in of the Phase 3 BEACON CRC trial evaluating the triplet combination of encorafenib, a BRAF inhibitor, binimetinib, a MEK inhibitor and cetuximab, an anti-EGFR antibody, in patients with BRAF ^V600E -mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). The results showed that, at the time of analysis, the OS data were fully mature through 12.6 months and that the median OS had not yet been reached. The one-year overall survival rate for this cohort was 62%. These data were presented in an oral presentation on Saturday, June 23, at the ESMO 20^th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer in Barcelona, Spain.

The median progression-free survival (mPFS) for patients treated with the triplet was 8 months [95% CI 5.6-9.3] and is similar between patients receiving one prior line of therapy and patients receiving two prior lines of therapy. The confirmed overall response rate (ORR) was 48% and among the 17 patients who received only one prior line of therapy the ORR was 62%.

“The results of the BEACON CRC safety lead-in demonstrate substantial improvements in efficacy outcomes when compared to current approved standard of care benchmarks in patients with BRAF-mutant metastatic CRC. The median progression-free survival of 8 months is a meaningful improvement compared to the benchmark of about 2 months, and the overall survival of 62% at 12 months is very promising given that with current approved standards of care, half of patients will succumb to their disease within 4 to 6 months,” said Axel Grothey, M.D., Division of Hematology/Oncology, Mayo Clinic. “These data underscore the potential of this triplet combination to benefit patients with BRAF ^V600E -mutant metastatic CRC, who, despite their poor prognosis, currently have limited effective treatment options.”

The triple combination was generally well-tolerated with no unexpected toxicities. The most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events seen in at least 10% of patients were fatigue (13%), anemia (10%), increased blood creatine kinase (10%) and increased aspartate aminotransferase (10%).

The presentation also referenced updated, mature Phase 2 results for the doublet of encorafenib and cetuximab that showed an mOS of 9.3 months, mPFS of 4.2 months and an ORR of 24%. The data cutoff for that analysis was January 2018 with the last patient enrolled in April of 2015; a detailed presentation of these data will occur at a future medical congress.

About Colorectal Cancer

Worldwide, colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer in men and the second most common in women, with approximately 1.4 million new diagnoses in 2012. Globally in 2012, approximately 694,000 deaths were attributed to colorectal cancer.¹ In the U.S. alone, an estimated 140,250 patients will be diagnosed with cancer of the colon or rectum in 2018, and approximately 50,000 are estimated to die of their disease.² In the U.S., BRAF mutations are estimated to occur in 10% to 15% of patients with colorectal cancer and represent a poor prognosis for these patients.^3-6 The risk of mortality in CRC patients with the BRAF ^V600E mutation is more than two times higher than for those with wild-type BRAF.⁷ Several approved standard of care benchmarks for patients with BRAF-mutant CRC whose disease has progressed after one or two prior lines of therapy, range between 4% to 8% ORR, 1.8 and 2.5 months mPFS and 4 and 6 months mOS.^8–14 Recently published results (April 2018; June 2017) from BRAF-containing triplet regimens in this population resulted in an mOS of approximately 9 months. Specifically, the triplet combination of dabrafenib, a BRAF inhibitor, trametinib, a MEK inhibitor and panitumumab, a monoclonal EGFR antibody, demonstrated an mOS of 9.1 months (n=91) and the triplet combination of vemurafenib, a BRAF inhibitor, cetuximab and irinotecan, a chemotherapy, demonstrated an mOS of 9.6 months (n=49).^8,15 Based on recent prospective historical data, the prevalence of microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) in tumours from patients with metastatic BRAF-mutant CRC ranged from 14% in a recent Phase 1b/2 trial (NCT01719380) (Pierre Fabre, data on file) to 18% in a recent Southwestern Oncology Group (SWOG) randomized phase 2 trial.⁸

About BEACON CRC

BEACON CRC is a randomized, open-label, global trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of encorafenib, binimetinib and cetuximab in patients with BRAF-mutant metastatic CRC whose disease has progressed after one or two prior regimens. BEACON CRC is the first and only Phase 3 trial designed to test a BRAF/MEK combo targeted therapy in BRAF-mutant advanced CRC. Thirty patients were treated in the safety lead-in and received the triplet combination (encorafenib 300 mg daily, binimetinib 45 mg twice daily and cetuximab per label). Of the 30 patients, 29 had a BRAF ^V600E mutation. MSI-H, resulting from defective DNA mismatch repair, was detected in only 1 patient. As previously announced, the triplet combination demonstrated good tolerability, supporting initiation of the randomized portion of the trial.

The randomized portion of the BEACON CRC trial is designed to assess the efficacy of encorafenib in combination with cetuximab with or without binimetinib compared to cetuximab and irinotecan-based therapy. Approximately 615 patients are expected to be randomized 1:1:1 to receive triplet combination, doublet combination (encorafenib and cetuximab) or the control arm (irinotecan-based therapy and cetuximab). The primary endpoint of the trial is overall survival of the triplet combination compared to the control arm. Secondary endpoints address efficacy of the doublet combination compared to the control arm, and the triplet combination compared to the doublet therapy. Other secondary endpoints include PFS, ORR, duration of response, safety and tolerability. Health related quality of life data will also be assessed. The trial is being conducted at over 200 investigational sites in North America, South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. Patient enrollment is expected to be completed in 2018.

About Encorafenib and Binimetinib

BRAF and MEK are key protein kinases in the MAPK signaling pathway (RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK). Research has shown this pathway regulates several key cellular activities including proliferation, differentiation, survival and angiogenesis. Inappropriate activation of proteins in this pathway has been shown to occur in many cancers, including melanoma and colorectal cancer. Encorafenib is a late-stage small molecule BRAF inhibitor and binimetinib is a late-stage small molecule MEK inhibitor, both of which target key enzymes in this pathway. Encorafenib and binimetinib are being studied in clinical trials in advanced cancer patients, including the Phase 3 BEACON CRC trial and the Phase 3 COLUMBUS trial.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently reviewing the New Drug Applications (NDAs) to support use of the combination of encorafenib and binimetinib for the treatment of patients with BRAF ^V600E or BRAF ^V600K -mutant, unresectable or metastatic melanoma. The FDA set a target action date under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) of June 30, 2018 for both applications. The European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as the Swiss Medicines Agency (Swissmedic) and the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), are reviewing the Marketing Authorization Applications (MAAs) submitted by Pierre Fabre and Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) has accepted the Manufacturing and Marketing Approval (MMA) applications submitted by Ono Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd.

Encorafenib and binimetinib are investigational medicines and are not currently approved in any country.

Pierre Fabre has exclusive rights to commercialize encorafenib and binimetinib in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Australia. Pierre Fabre’s development partner, Array BioPharma, has exclusive rights in the U.S. and Canada, and has granted Ono Pharmaceutical exclusive rights to commercialize both products in Japan and South Korea. Encorafenib and binimetinib are investigational medicines and are not currently approved in any country.

References

[1] Global Cancer Facts & Figures 3rd Edition. American Cancer Society. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/global-cancer-facts-and-figures/global-cancer-facts-and-figures-3rd-edition.pdf. Accessed June 2018.

[2] Cancer Facts & Figures 2018. American Cancer Society. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2018/cancer-facts-and-figures-2018.pdf. Accessed June 2018.

[3] Saridaki et al., PLoS One. 2013

[4] Loupakis et al., Br J Cancer. 2009

[5] Sorbye H, et al. PLoS One. 2015

[6] Vecchione, et al. Cell. 2016

[7] Safaee Ardekani G, Jafarnejad SM, Tan L, et al. The prognostic value of BRAF mutation in colorectal cancer and melanoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2012;7(10):e47054.

[8] Kopetz et al., ASCO 2017

[9] De Roock et al., Lancet Oncol, 2010

[10] Ulivi et al., J Transl Med. 2012

[11] Peeters et al., ASCO 2014

[12] Saridaki et al., PLoS One. 2013

[13] Loupakis et al., Br J Cancer. 2009

[14] Seymour et al., Lancet Oncol, 2013 (supplementary appendix)

[15] Corcoran et al., Cancer Discovery, 2018

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Contact information

Pierre Fabre
Valérie Roucoules, (33) 1 49 10 83 84
valerie.roucoules@pierre-fabre.com