BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. (Nasdaq: BCTX, BCTXW) (TSX:
BCT) (“BriaCell” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage
biotechnology company specializing in targeted immunotherapies for
cancer, is pleased to announce positive initial efficacy data in
its 2021-2022 cohort of 12 advanced breast cancer patients. Disease
control, tumor shrinkage, and potential survival benefit were
observed amongst 12 patients in the Phase I/IIa clinical study of
Bria-IMT™ in combination with Incyte’s retifanlimab.
“We are very pleased to report that our
combination therapy with Incyte’s retifanlimab produced clear
evidence of tumor shrinkage and showed potential survival benefit
in heavily pre-treated advanced breast cancer patients,” stated Dr.
William V. Williams, BriaCell’s President & CEO. “We interpret
these results to offer a potential opportunity for treatment in
otherwise terminal patients. It’s very important to emphasize that
these responses and clinical benefit occurred in women with
advanced-stage breast cancer who have exhausted other treatment
options.”
This information is summarized in BriaCell’s
poster session at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC)
37th Annual Meeting, held November 10-12, 2022, in Boston,
Massachusetts. The poster session highlights BriaCell’s novel
off-the-shelf personalized cellular therapy approach to
immunotherapy treatment.
Title: An off-the-shelf
personalized cellular approach to immunotherapy for the treatment
of advanced solid tumors. Abstract Number:
257Location: Omni Boston Hotel, 450 Summer Street,
Boston, Massachusetts 02210, Poster Hall, Hall CDate and
Time: November 10, 2022, 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
Bria-IMT™ regimen combined with Incyte’s
retifanlimab
Seventy percent of evaluable patients
participating in the Phase I/IIa clinical study showed either
disease control or progression-free survival (PFS) benefits
compared with their last therapy regimen. Disease control rate
(DCR) of 57% (4/7) was observed in evaluable patients, measured as
the percentage of patients who have achieved certain clinical end
points (i.e. complete response, partial response and stable
disease). DCR is used in cancer clinical trials to measure the
clinical effectiveness of a treatment. PFS is the time period
during which a patient’s cancer does not get worse, commonly used
as a key survival and efficacy measurement compared to the PFS
values of their previous therapy regimen.
Prior to enrollment in the study, the 12
patients in the cohort had already been unsuccessfully heavily
pre-treated or were in the terminal stage of breast cancer, further
underscoring the uniquely positive outcome BriaCell’s treatment has
achieved. The 12 patients had each failed at least 2 prior systemic
therapy regimens (including chemotherapy, biological and “targeted”
therapy).
Disease control rates of the study are
impressive in our view, suggesting robust clinical efficacy of the
combination treatment. Importantly, we are very encouraged by the
early PFS data in our ongoing study, since it is commonly known in
cancer therapy that PFS values typically drop from one therapy to
the next in advanced cancers. Please note that the PFS data is
early data, as patients continue to remain in the study. The
positive PFS trend BriaCell has observed in this patient cohort
highlights the effectiveness of BriaCell’s treatment without
harmful side effects.
The study, recently awarded U.S. Food and Drug
Administration ("FDA") fast track designation, continues with
additional clinical data forthcoming.
In summary, these findings show evidence of
clinical and survival benefits in heavily pre-treated advanced
breast cancer patients, suggesting an additive or synergistic
effect of Bria-IMT™ in combination with PD-1 inhibitors, and
supporting the strategy of using the Bria-IMT™ combination regimen
with retifanlimab for the treatment of advanced breast cancer
patients. Overall, we are very impressed by the clinical data of
the combination study to date and look forward to sharing
additional data at the upcoming SABCS conference in December.
Evidence of immune system activation by
Bria-OTS+™ and Bria-PROS™
BriaCell’s poster presentation highlights the
development details and activities of BriaCell’s next generation
(enhanced version) off-the-shelf personalized immunotherapies.
BriaCell has recently developed its novel next
generation off-the-shelf personalized immunotherapies, including
Bria-OTS+™, and Bria-PROS™, that are designed to produce several
immune activating molecules in addition to their original immune
activating mechanisms for increased efficacy. This represents a
significant advancement in BriaCell’s novel off-the-shelf
personalized immunotherapy technology.
Both Bria-OTS+™ for advanced breast cancer, and
Bria-PROS™ for advanced prostate cancer, were able to activate
naïve T cells, suggesting their potential capabilities to produce
very strong immune responses in patients. Results show that the
very strong immune responses observed may be due to: 1) direct
activation of the components of the immune system such as naïve T
cells, and 2) indirect activation of the immune system components
via production of immune activating molecules.
We are impressed with the data showing very
strong immune responses for both Bria-OTS+™ and Bria-PROS™. We
expect both Bria-OTS+™ and Bria-PROS™ to boost the immune system
response and produce strong anti-tumor responses in patients with
advanced breast cancer and prostate cancer, respectively.
A copy of the poster will be posted at the
following:
https://briacell.com/novel-technology/scientific-publications/.
About BriaCell Therapeutics
Corp.
BriaCell is an immuno-oncology-focused
biotechnology company developing targeted and effective approaches
for the management of cancer. More information is available at
https://briacell.com/.
Safe Harbor
This press release contains “forward-looking
statements” that are subject to substantial risks and
uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical
fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press
release may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,”
“believe,” “contemplate,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,”
“seek,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,”
“target,” “aim,” “should,” “will,” “would,” or the negative of
these words or other similar expressions, although not all
forward-looking statements contain these words. Examples of
forward-looking statements in this news release include statements
that the Company makes regarding the potential opportunity for
treatment in terminal patients; the effect(s) of Bria-IMT™ on
patients, including the ability of Bria-IMT™ to control disease,
shrink tumors, and produce potential survival benefit; the clinical
efficacy of the Bria-IMT™ combination treatment; the effectiveness
of BriaCell's treatment without harmful side effects; the potential
success of the Bria-IMT™ program and the ability of the Company to
further advance its clinical study. Forward-looking statements are
based on BriaCell’s current expectations and are subject to
inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to
predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on
assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate.
These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully
under the heading “Risks and Uncertainties” in the Company's most
recent Management’s Discussion and Analysis, under the heading
"Risk Factors" in the Company's most recent Annual Information
Form, and under “Risks and Uncertainties” in the Company's other
filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, all of which are available
under the Company's profiles on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR
at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements
contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and
BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. undertakes no duty to update such
information except as required under applicable law.
Neither Toronto Stock Exchange nor its
Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the
policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for
the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Contact Information
Company Contact:William V.
Williams, MDPresident &
CEO1-888-485-6340info@briacell.com
Media Relations:Jules
AbrahamDirector of Public RelationsCORE
IR917-885-7378julesa@coreir.com
Investor Relations Contact:CORE
IRinvestors@briacell.com
BriaCell Therapeutics (NASDAQ:BCTX)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2023 to Apr 2023
BriaCell Therapeutics (NASDAQ:BCTX)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2022 to Apr 2023