ENHERTU (fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki) Granted Priority Review in the US For the Treatment of HER2-positive Metastatic Gastric Cancer

Rhea-AI Summary

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo's ENHERTU® has received acceptance for its supplemental Biologics License Application and has been granted Priority Review by the FDA for treating HER2-positive metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. The FDA's action date is set for Q1 2021. This reflects critical advancements in treatment options, as current approved HER2-directed therapies are lacking for patients with poor prognosis after initial anti-HER2 treatment. The sBLA is based on the DESTINY-Gastric01 trial, showing significant improvements in patient outcomes.

Positive

• Acceptance of sBLA and Priority Review by the FDA for ENHERTU.
• Potential to address unmet need for HER2-positive gastric cancer treatment.
• DESTINY-Gastric01 trial shows significant improvement in objective response rate and overall survival.

Negative

• ENHERTU has not yet been approved for gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma.
• Concerns over safety due to adverse reactions like interstitial lung disease and neutropenia.

WILMINGTON, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (Daiichi Sankyo)’s ENHERTU® (fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki) has received acceptance for its supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) and has also been granted Priority Review in the US for the treatment of patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) grants Priority Review to applications for medicines that offer significant advances over available options by demonstrating safety or efficacy improvements, preventing serious conditions, or enhancing patient compliance. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act date, the FDA action date for their regulatory decision, is during the first quarter of 2021.

There are more than 27,000 new cases of gastric cancer in the US each year, of which approximately one in five are HER2 positive.^1,2 For patients with metastatic gastric cancer who progress on initial treatment with an anti-HER2 medicine, there are no other approved HER2-directed medicines.

José Baselga, Executive Vice President, Oncology R&D, said: “Once patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer progress following initial treatment with an anti-HER2 regimen, there are no approved HER2-directed medicines. The prognosis for these patients is poor, as available treatment options offer only limited clinical benefit. This milestone brings us one step closer to delivering a potentially practice-changing medicine to patients with gastric cancer in the US.”

Antoine Yver, Executive Vice President and Global Head, Oncology Research and Development, Daiichi Sankyo, said: “The results of the DESTINY-Gastric01 trial are unprecedented as they represent the first time a HER2-directed medicine has demonstrated an improvement in survival following chemotherapy and HER2 treatment in the metastatic setting. Building on the recent Breakthrough Therapy Designation, the filing of the application and Priority Review by the FDA for this potential new indication for ENHERTU reflects the importance of the data and the significant unmet need for patients with previously treated HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer.”

The sBLA is based on results from the DESTINY-Gastric01 randomized Phase II trial, which demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in objective response rate (ORR), the primary endpoint, and overall survival (OS), a key secondary endpoint, for patients treated with ENHERTU versus chemotherapy (paclitaxel or irinotecan monotherapy).

The safety and tolerability profiles of ENHERTU in DESTINY-Gastric01 were consistent with that observed in the gastric cancer cohort of the Phase I trial and previously reported ENHERTU trials in other tumors.³ The most common Grade 3 or higher treatment-emergent adverse events were decreased neutrophil count, anemia, decreased white blood cell count and decreased appetite. There were 12 (9.6%) cases of confirmed treatment-related interstitial lung disease (ILD) or pneumonitis in 125 patients treated with ENHERTU as determined by an independent review committee. The majority of cases were Grade 1 or 2 with two Grade 3, one Grade 4 and no Grade 5 (ILD-related deaths).

The results from the trial were presented during the American Society of Clinical Oncology ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program and simultaneously published online in The New England Journal of Medicine in May 2020.⁴

ENHERTU received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the US FDA in May 2020 for patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma who have received two or more prior regimens including trastuzumab and Orphan Drug Designation for patients with gastric cancer, including GEJ adenocarcinoma. ENHERTU has not been approved in the US for gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma.

FDA-Approved Indication for ENHERTU

ENHERTU is a HER2-directed antibody and topoisomerase inhibitor conjugate indicated for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens in the metastatic setting.

This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.

WARNING: INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE and EMBRYO-FETAL TOXICITY Interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pneumonitis, including fatal cases, have been reported with ENHERTU. Monitor for and promptly investigate signs and symptoms including cough, dyspnea, fever, and other new or worsening respiratory symptoms. Permanently discontinue ENHERTU in all patients with Grade 2 or higher ILD/pneumonitis. Advise patients of the risk and to immediately report symptoms. Exposure to ENHERTU during pregnancy can cause embryo-fetal harm. Advise patients of these risks and the need for effective contraception.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Contraindications

None.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Interstitial Lung Disease / Pneumonitis

Severe, life-threatening, or fatal interstitial lung disease (ILD), including pneumonitis, can occur in patients treated with ENHERTU. In clinical studies, of the 234 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer treated with ENHERTU, ILD occurred in 9% of patients. Fatal outcomes due to ILD and/or pneumonitis occurred in 2.6% of patients treated with ENHERTU. Median time to first onset was 4.1 months (range: 1.2 to 8.3).

Advise patients to immediately report cough, dyspnea, fever, and/or any new or worsening respiratory symptoms. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of ILD. Promptly investigate evidence of ILD. Evaluate patients with suspected ILD by radiographic imaging. Consider consultation with a pulmonologist. For asymptomatic ILD/pneumonitis (Grade 1), interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 0, then if resolved in ≤28 days from date of onset, maintain dose. If resolved in >28 days from date of onset, reduce dose one level. Consider corticosteroid treatment as soon as ILD/pneumonitis is suspected (e.g., ≥0.5 mg/kg prednisolone or equivalent). For symptomatic ILD/pneumonitis (Grade 2 or greater), permanently discontinue ENHERTU. Promptly initiate corticosteroid treatment as soon as ILD/pneumonitis is suspected (e.g., ≥1 mg/kg prednisolone or equivalent). Upon improvement, follow by gradual taper (e.g., 4 weeks).

Neutropenia

Severe neutropenia, including febrile neutropenia, can occur in patients treated with ENHERTU. Of the 234 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who received ENHERTU, a decrease in neutrophil count was reported in 30% of patients and 16% had Grade 3 or 4 events. Median time to first onset was 1.4 months (range: 0.3 to 18.2). Febrile neutropenia was reported in 1.7% of patients.

Monitor complete blood counts prior to initiation of ENHERTU and prior to each dose, and as clinically indicated. Based on the severity of neutropenia, ENHERTU may require dose interruption or reduction. For Grade 3 neutropenia (Absolute Neutrophil Count [ANC] <1.0 to 0.5 x 109/L) interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 2 or less, then maintain dose. For Grade 4 neutropenia (ANC <0.5 x 109/L) interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 2 or less. Reduce dose by one level. For febrile neutropenia (ANC <1.0 x 109/L and temperature >38.3ºC or a sustained temperature of ≥38ºC for more than 1 hour), interrupt ENHERTU until resolved. Reduce dose by one level.

Left Ventricular Dysfunction

Patients treated with ENHERTU may be at increased risk of developing left ventricular dysfunction. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decrease has been observed with anti-HER2 therapies, including ENHERTU. In the 234 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who received ENHERTU, two cases (0.9%) of asymptomatic LVEF decrease were reported. Treatment with ENHERTU has not been studied in patients with a history of clinically significant cardiac disease or LVEF <50% prior to initiation of treatment.

Assess LVEF prior to initiation of ENHERTU and at regular intervals during treatment as clinically indicated. Manage LVEF decrease through treatment interruption. Permanently discontinue ENHERTU if LVEF of <40% or absolute decrease from baseline of >20% is confirmed. When LVEF is >45% and absolute decrease from baseline is 10-20%, continue treatment with ENHERTU. When LVEF is 40-45% and absolute decrease from baseline is <10%, continue treatment with ENHERTU and repeat LVEF assessment within 3 weeks. When LVEF is 40-45% and absolute decrease from baseline is 10-20%, interrupt ENHERTU and repeat LVEF assessment within 3 weeks. If LVEF has not recovered to within 10% from baseline, permanently discontinue ENHERTU. If LVEF recovers to within 10% from baseline, resume treatment with ENHERTU at the same dose. When LVEF is <40% or absolute decrease from baseline is >20%, interrupt ENHERTU and repeat LVEF assessment within 3 weeks. If LVEF of <40% or absolute decrease from baseline of >20% is confirmed, permanently discontinue ENHERTU. Permanently discontinue ENHERTU in patients with symptomatic congestive heart failure.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity

ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise patients of the potential risks to a fetus. Verify the pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to the initiation of ENHERTU. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment and for at least 7 months following the last dose of ENHERTU. Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for at least 4 months after the last dose of ENHERTU.

Adverse Reactions

The safety of ENHERTU was evaluated in a pooled analysis of 234 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who received at least one dose of ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg in DESTINY-Breast01 and Study DS8201-A-J101. ENHERTU was administered by intravenous infusion once every three weeks. The median duration of treatment was 7 months (range: 0.7 to 31).

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 20% of patients receiving ENHERTU. Serious adverse reactions in >1% of patients who received ENHERTU were interstitial lung disease, pneumonia, vomiting, nausea, cellulitis, hypokalemia, and intestinal obstruction. Fatalities due to adverse reactions occurred in 4.3% of patients including interstitial lung disease (2.6%), and the following events occurred in one patient each (0.4%): acute hepatic failure/acute kidney injury, general physical health deterioration, pneumonia, and hemorrhagic shock.

ENHERTU was permanently discontinued in 9% of patients, of which ILD accounted for 6%. Dose interruptions due to adverse reactions occurred in 33% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose interruption were neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, upper respiratory tract infection, fatigue, nausea, and ILD. Dose reductions occurred in 18% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose reduction were fatigue, nausea, and neutropenia.

The most common adverse reactions (frequency ≥20%) were nausea (79%), fatigue (59%), vomiting (47%), alopecia (46%), constipation (35%), decreased appetite (32%), anemia (31%), neutropenia (29%), diarrhea (29%), leukopenia (22%), cough (20%), and thrombocytopenia (20%).

Use in Specific Populations

• Pregnancy: ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise patients of the potential risks to a fetus. There are clinical considerations if ENHERTU is used in pregnant women, or if a patient becomes pregnant within 7 months following the last dose of ENHERTU.
• Lactation: There are no data regarding the presence of ENHERTU in human milk, the effects on the breastfed child, or the effects on milk production. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in a breastfed child, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment with ENHERTU and for 7 months after the last dose.
• Females and Males of Reproductive Potential: Pregnancy testing: Verify pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to initiation of ENHERTU. Contraception: Females: ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for at least 7 months following the last dose. Males: Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for at least 4 months following the last dose. Infertility: ENHERTU may impair male reproductive function and fertility.
• Pediatric Use: Safety and effectiveness of ENHERTU have not been established in pediatric patients.
• Geriatric Use: Of the 234 patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, 26% were ≥65 years and 5% were ≥75 years. No overall differences in efficacy were observed between patients ≥65 years of age compared to younger patients. There was a higher incidence of Grade 3-4 adverse reactions observed in patients aged ≥65 years (53%) as compared to younger patients (42%).
• Hepatic Impairment: In patients with moderate hepatic impairment, due to potentially increased exposure, closely monitor for increased toxicities related to the topoisomerase inhibitor.

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. at 1-877-437-7763 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or fda.gov/medwatch.

Please see accompanying full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS, and Medication Guide.

Notes

Gastric cancer

Gastric (stomach) cancer is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer mortality with a five-year survival rate of 5% for metastatic disease; there were approximately one million new cases reported in 2018 and 783,000 deaths.^5,6, In the US, it is estimated that 27,600 new cases of gastric cancer will be diagnosed in 2020 and more than 11,000 people will die from the disease.¹

Approximately one in five gastric cancers are HER2 positive.² HER2 is a tyrosine kinase receptor growth-promoting protein expressed on the surface of many types of tumors including breast, gastric, lung and colorectal cancers. Gastric cancer is usually diagnosed in the advanced stage, but even when diagnosed in earlier stages of the disease the survival rate remains modest.⁷ Recommended 1st-line treatment for HER2-positive advanced or metastatic gastric cancer is combination chemotherapy plus trastuzumab, an anti-HER2 medicine, which has been shown to improve survival outcomes when added to chemotherapy. For metastatic gastric cancer that progresses on 1st-line treatment, there are no other approved HER2-targeted medicines.⁸

DESTINY-Gastric01

DESTINY-Gastric01 is a Phase II, open-label, multi-center, randomized controlled trial testing the safety and efficacy of ENHERTU versus investigator’s choice of chemotherapy in a primary cohort of 188 patients from Japan and South Korea with HER2-positive (defined as IHC3+ or IHC2+/ISH+), advanced gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma who have progressed on two or more prior treatment regimens including fluoropyrimidine and platinum chemotherapy and trastuzumab. Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive ENHERTU or investigator’s choice of chemotherapy (paclitaxel or irinotecan monotherapy). Patients were treated with ENHERTU 6.4mg/kg once every three weeks or chemotherapy.

The primary endpoint of the trial is ORR, as assessed by independent central review. OS, a key secondary endpoint, was to be evaluated hierarchically at a prespecified interim analysis if the primary endpoint was statistically significant. Additional efficacy endpoints include progression-free survival, duration of response, disease control rate and confirmed ORR assessed in those responses confirmed by a follow-up scan of at least four weeks after initial independent central review.⁹

ENHERTU

ENHERTU (fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki) is a HER2-directed antibody drug conjugate (ADC) and is the lead ADC in the oncology portfolio of Daiichi Sankyo and the most advanced program in AstraZeneca’s ADC scientific platform. ADCs are targeted cancer medicines that deliver cytotoxic chemotherapy (“payload”) to cancer cells via a linker attached to a monoclonal antibody that binds to a specific target expressed on cancer cells. ENHERTU is comprised of a HER2 monoclonal antibody attached to a topoisomerase I inhibitor payload by a tetrapeptide-based linker.

ENHERTU (5.4mg/kg) is approved in the US and Japan for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens in the metastatic setting based on the DESTINY-Breast01 trial, and is under accelerated assessment in the EU for HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer.

ENHERTU clinical development

Clinical development program for ENHERTU
Name	Phase	Population	Design
Breast cancer
DESTINY- Breast01	II	HER2-positive unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with trastuzumab emtansine	ENHERTU
DESTINY- Breast02	III	HER2-positive unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with trastuzumab emtansine	ENHERTU vs. investigator’s choice chemotherapy
DESTINY- Breast03	III	HER2-positive unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with trastuzumab and taxane	ENHERTU vs. trastuzumab emtansine
DESTINY- Breast04	III	HER2-low unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with one or two therapies	ENHERTU vs. investigator’s choice chemotherapy
DESTINY- Breast06a,b	III	HER2-low unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with endocrine therapy	ENHERTU vs. investigator’s choice chemotherapy
DESTINY- Breast07a,b	I/II	HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer	ENHERTU in combination with durvalumab, paclitaxel or pertuzumab
DESTINY- Breast08a,b	I	HER2-low metastatic breast cancer	ENHERTU in combination with capecitabine, capivasertib, anastrozole, fulvestrant or durvalumab and paclitaxel
BEGONIAb,c	I/II	Metastatic triple negative breast cancer	Durvalumab in combination with paclitaxel and durvalumab in combination with either ENHERTU, capivasertib, or oleclumab with or without paclitaxel
Gastric cancer
DESTINY- Gastric01	II	HER2-positive locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer and/or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma previously treated with two or more lines of therapy	ENHERTU vs. investigator’s choice chemotherapy
DESTINY- Gastric02	II	HER2-positive unresectable and/or metastatic gastric cancer or GEJ adenocarcinoma previously treated with a trastuzumab-containing regime	ENHERTU
DESTINY- Gastric03a,b	II	HER2-positive advanced or metastatic gastric cancer or GEJ adenocarcinoma	ENHERTU monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy and/or durvalumab
Lung cancer
DESTINY- Lung01	II	HER2 mutant or overexpressing unresectable and/or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) previously treated with one or more systemic therapies	ENHERTU
HUDSONb,c	II	Metastatic NSCLC previously treated with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy	Umbrella trial of durvalumab in combination with either ENHERTU, olaparib, AZD9150, AZD6738, vistusertib, oleclumab or cediranib
Other or non-tumor specific
DESTINY- CRC01	II	HER2-expressing RAS/BRAF-wild type unresectable and/or metastatic colorectal cancer previously treated with two or more lines of therapy	ENHERTU
DESTINY- PanTumor02a,b	II	HER2-expressing solid tumours (bladder, biliary tract, cervical, endometrial, ovarian cancer, pancreatic and rare tumours)	ENHERTU
NCT04042701 (U106)	Ib	Locally-advanced/metastatic breast or NSCLC	ENHERTU in combination with pembrolizumab
NCT03523572 (U105)	Ib	HER2-expressing breast and urothelial cancer who had disease progression during or after prior therapies, did not respond to standard therapies, or for whom no standard therapy is available	Enhertu in combination with nivolumab
NCT03523572 (J101)	I	Advanced solid malignant tumours	ENHERTU

^aTrials led by AstraZeneca ^bNew trials that have been added to the clinical development program and have achieved FPCD ^cENHERTU arm added to ongoing AstraZeneca trial.

Collaboration between AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo entered into a global collaboration to jointly develop and commercialize ENHERTU (a HER2-directed ADC) in March 2019, and DS-1062 (a TROP2-directed ADC) in July 2020, except in Japan where Daiichi Sankyo maintains exclusive rights. Daiichi Sankyo is responsible for manufacturing and supply of ENHERTU and DS-1062.

AstraZeneca in gastrointestinal cancers

AstraZeneca has a broad development program for the treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers across several medicines spanning a variety of tumor types and stages of disease. In 2018, GI cancers collectively represented nearly five million new cancer cases leading to more than 3.5 million deaths. Within this program, the Company is committed to improving outcomes in gastric, liver, oesophageal, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers.

The Company aims to understand the potential of ENHERTU in the two most common GI cancers, colorectal and gastric cancers. Olaparib is a PARP inhibitor with a broad and advanced clinical trial program across multiple GI tumor types including pancreatic and colorectal cancers. Olaparib is developed and commercialized in collaboration with MSD (Merck & Co., Inc. inside the US and Canada). Durvalumab is being assessed both as monotherapy and in combinations including with tremelimumab across the two main types of liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma and biliary tract cancer, and in esophageal and gastric cancers.¹⁰

AstraZeneca in oncology

AstraZeneca has a deep-rooted heritage in oncology and offers a quickly growing portfolio of new medicines that has the potential to transform patients’ lives and the Company’s future. With seven new medicines launched between 2014 and 2020, and a broad pipeline of small molecules and biologics in development, the Company is committed to advance oncology as a key growth driver for AstraZeneca focused on lung, ovarian, breast and blood cancers.

By harnessing the power of four scientific platforms – Immuno-Oncology, Tumor Drivers and Resistance, DNA Damage Response and Antibody Drug Conjugates – and by championing the development of personalized combinations, AstraZeneca has the vision to redefine cancer treatment and, one day, eliminate cancer as a cause of death.

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in three therapy areas - Oncology, Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism and Respiratory & Immunology. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. For more information, please visit www.astrazeneca-us.com and follow us on Twitter @AstraZenecaUS.

References

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10. Hilmi, M et al. Immune Therapy for Liver Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2020 Jan; 12(1): 77.