- UV1 as add-on therapy to checkpoint inhibitors awarded Fast Track designation
- Provides for potentially expedited review of UV1
- Ultimovacs to host webcast at 13.00 CET Thursday 21 October 2021
Oslo, 21 October 2021: Ultimovacs ASA (“Ultimovacs”) (OSE ULTI), a clinical-stage leader in immune stimulatory vaccines for cancer, announced its universal cancer vaccine, UV1, in combination with checkpoint inhibitors has received Fast Track designation from the U.S. FDA in the treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma – either as add-on therapy to pembrolizumab or as add-on therapy to ipilimumab. Ultimovacs is currently evaluating UV1 as add-on therapy to ipilimumab and nivolumab as first-line treatment for unresectable or metastatic melanoma in a Phase II study named INITIUM.
Ultimovacs senior management will host a webcast on the Fast Track designation and the supporting clinical data at 13.00 CET on Thursday October 21.
The FDA Fast Track process is designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of drugs that meet urgent needs in serious medical conditions. Fast Track designation enables early and frequent communication with the FDA to support the drug’s development, as well as entitlement to a Rolling Review of the Biologic License Application. Drugs with Fast Track designation may also be considered for Accelerated Approval and Priority Review provided certain criteria are met.
“We are delighted UV1 has received the Fast Track designation and look forward to working more closely with the FDA to bring UV1 to melanoma patients as soon as possible,” said Carlos de Sousa, Chief Executive Officer of Ultimovacs. “The FDA’s decision recognizes the potential synergy of UV1 and checkpoint inhibitors and will greatly encourage physicians and patients involved in our Phase II clinical trial INITIUM. We remain committed to progressing UV1 in our four ongoing Phase II clinical studies and assessing development of UV1 with pembrolizumab in advanced melanoma.”
The Fast Track designation is based on data from two separate Phase I trials of UV1 in combination with checkpoint inhibitors, either with pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1) or with ipilimumab (anti-CTLA-4). According to data disclosed recently, UV1 in combination with pembrolizumab as a first-line treatment in advanced melanoma was shown to be safe with promising early efficacy data; an objective response rate (ORR) of 57% was reached with 30% of patients achieving a complete response (CR), or complete disappearance of their tumors. At 24 months follow up, 80% of patients were alive. In a second cohort, similar levels of tumor destruction were seen with 90% of patients remained alive after one year. Peer-reviewed data published in May 2021 in Frontiers in Immunology demonstrated that UV1 with ipilimumab was safe and showed signals of prolonged efficacy in advanced melanoma, the combination achieving ORR of 33% and 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of 50%.
UV1 is currently being investigated in combination with checkpoint inhibitors in four Phase II trials: in unresectable or metastatic melanoma, ovarian cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Ultimovacs’ webcast on the Fast Track designation and clinical data at 13.00 CET (7.00 am EST) on Thursday 21 October 2021 will be accessible here and from the company website.
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About Ultimovacs
Ultimovacs is developing immune-stimulatory vaccines to treat a broad range of cancers. Ultimovacs’ lead universal cancer vaccine candidate UV1 targets human telomerase (hTERT), present in over 80% of cancers in all stages of tumor growth. By directing the immune system to hTERT antigens, UV1 drives CD4 helper T cells to the tumor to activate an immune system cascade and increase anti-tumor responses. With a broad Phase II program, Ultimovacs aims to clinically demonstrate UV1’s impact in multiple cancer types in combination with other immunotherapies. Ultimovacs’ second technology approach, based on the proprietary Tetanus-Epitope-Targeting (TET) platform, combines tumor-specific peptides and adjuvant in the same molecule and entered Phase I studies in 2021.
For further information, please see www.ultimovacs.com or contact:
Carlos de Sousa, CEO
Email: carlos.desousa@ultimovacs.com
Phone: +47 908 92507
Hans Vassgård Eid, CFO
Email: hans.eid@ultimovacs.com
Phone: +47 482 48632
Mary-Ann Chang, LifeSci Advisors
Email: mchang@lifesciadvisors.com
Phone: +44 7483 284 853
This information is considered to be inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 in the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
This stock exchange announcement was published by Joachim Midttun, Finance Manager at Ultimovacs ASA, on October 21, 2021 at 08:00 CET.
