September 23, 2019

AVEO Oncology and EUSA Pharma Announce Presentation of Final PFS Results from Phase 2 Portion of the TiNivo Study in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Download PDF

– Results Suggest Additive or Synergistic Activity in Both Treatment Naïve and Previously Treated Patients –  

 -Tivozanib-Nivolumab Combination Generally Well Tolerated – 

 – Data to be Presented at the ESMO 2019 Annual Congress – 

 CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sep. 23, 2019–

AVEO Oncology (NASDAQ: AVEO) and EUSA Pharma today announced the upcoming presentation of final results from the Phase 2 portion of the TiNivo study, a Phase 1b/2 multicenter trial of oral (PO) tivozanib (FOTIVDA®), AVEO’s once-daily, potent and selective vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VEGFR-TKI), in combination with intravenous (IV) nivolumab (OPDIVO®, Bristol-Myers Squibb), an immune checkpoint, or PD-1, inhibitor, for the treatment of advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The results will be presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2019 Annual Congress, in a poster presentation titled “TiNivo: Tivozanib combined with nivolumab results in prolonged progression free survival in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Final Results.” (Presentation 947P).

The Phase 1b/2 study enrolled a total of 28 patients. The Phase 2 portion of the study (n=22) was designed to assess the safety, tolerability, and anti-tumor activity of the full dose and schedule of PO tivozanib (1.5 mg/QD for 21 days followed by a 7-day rest period), as established in the Phase 1b portion of the study (n=6), in combination with IV nivolumab (240 mg every 2 weeks). The combination was generally well tolerated and showed additive or synergistic activity for objective response rate and progression free survival (PFS) in both treatment naïve and previously treated patients with mRCC. Overall median PFS for the 25 patients treated at the study’s full dose and schedule was 18.9 months (95% CI: 16.4; NR). Median PFS for previously untreated patients (n=12) was 18.5 months, while median PFS for previously treated patients (n=13) has not yet been reached as of the August 27, 2019 data cutoff date. An objective response rate was observed in 56% of patients (complete responses + partial responses), including one treatment naïve patient (1/12) achieving a complete response, and disease control (complete response + partial response + stable disease) was observed in 96% of patients. The most common treatment-related Grade 3/4 adverse event was hypertension.

An abstract of these data is currently available via the ESMO 2019 Annual Congress website. A copy of the poster will be available following the presentation at www.aveooncology.com, or further information can be obtained via EUSA Pharma Medical Information.

“Tivozanib has shown a favorable adverse event profile, thanks to its unique selectivity, that we believe has the potential to make it the ideal candidate for combination with an immunotherapy, like nivolumab, in metastatic RCC,” said Doctor Bernard Escudier, MD, ex-Chairman of the Genitourinary Oncology Committee, Gustave Roussy, and lead investigator of the study. “With considerable follow up now complete in the TiNivo study, the long median PFS suggests a favorable durability of response, particularly in the second line. I look forward to seeing this potential explored in a larger outcome study in the near future.”

“We are pleased with the level of antitumor activity we are seeing with this combination both in treatment naive and previously treated patients,” said Michael Bailey, president and chief executive officer of AVEO. “We believe these data highlight the potentially unique benefits of a tivozanib-immunotherapy combination in a refractory patient population, a setting in which conclusive immunotherapy-TKI combination studies have yet to be conducted. We look forward to working with our partners at EUSA to determine potential next steps for the tivozanib-immunotherapy combination.”

“The data arising from combination studies with checkpoint inhibitors demonstrates the considerable potential for tivozanib in metastatic RCC,” said Lee Morley, chief executive officer of EUSA Pharma. “EUSA continue to seek reimbursement and launch tivozanib across the EU in line with its EMA approval as monotherapy in the first line setting where its efficacy and favorable tolerability profile continues to provide benefits to patients, and are excited by the prospect of further development of tivozanib as part of a future IO-TKI treatment option.”

 Presentation Details 

 Title: TiNivo: Tivozanib combined with nivolumab results in prolonged progression free survival in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Final Results.
Presenter: Philippe Barthelemy, Medical Oncology Department, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, FR
Presentation Number: 947P
Date and Time: September 30, 2019, 12:20 p.m. CEST 
Location: Poster Area (Hall 4)

 About Tivozanib 

Tivozanib (FOTIVDA®) is an oral, once-daily, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) discovered by Kyowa Kirin and approved for the treatment of adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in the European Union plus Norway, New Zealand and Iceland. It is a potent, selective and long half-life inhibitor of all three VEGF receptors and is designed to optimize VEGF blockade while minimizing off-target toxicities, potentially resulting in improved efficacy and minimal dose modifications.1,2 Tivozanib has been shown to significantly reduce regulatory T-cell production in preclinical models3 and has demonstrated synergy in combination with nivolumab (anti PD-1) in a Phase 2 study in RCC4. Tivozanib has been investigated in several tumor types, including renal cell, hepatocellular, colorectal, ovarian and breast cancers.

 About AVEO 

 AVEO Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company seeking to advance targeted medicines for oncology and other unmet medical needs. The Company’s lead candidate is tivozanib, a potent, selective, long half-life inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor 1, 2 and 3 receptors, which AVEO is working to develop and commercialize in North America as a treatment for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and other cancers. Tivozanib (FOTIVDA®) is approved by the European Commission for the treatment of adult patients with advanced RCC in the European Union plus Norway, New Zealand, and Iceland. AVEO is leveraging or seeks to leverage partnerships to develop and commercialize its pipeline of products and product candidates, including tivozanib in oncology and other indications in various geographies, and ficlatuzumab (HGF MAb) in head and neck cancer, pancreatic cancer and acute myeloid leukemia. AVEO’s earlier-stage pipeline includes AV-203 (anti-ErbB3 MAb), AV-380 (GDF15 MAb) and AV-353 (Notch 3 MAb) for various oncology indications.

For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.aveooncology.com.

 About EUSA Pharma 

Founded in March 2015, EUSA Pharma is a world-class biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology and rare disease. The company has extensive commercial operations in the United States and Europe, alongside a direct presence in select other markets across the globe. EUSA Pharma is led by an experienced management team with a strong record of building successful pharmaceutical companies, and is supported by significant funding raised from leading life science investor EW Healthcare Partners. For more information please visit www.eusapharma.com.

 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements 

This press release contains forward-looking statements of AVEO within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “seek,” “look forward,” “advance,” “goal,” “strategy,” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements about: the potential for tivozanib as a treatment option for patients with advanced RCC; the advancement of AVEO’s pipeline; the potential efficacy, safety, and tolerability of tivozanib, as a single agent and in combination with other therapies in several indications, such as in combination with an immunotherapy like nivolumab in metastatic RCC; AVEO’s plans and strategies for commercialization of tivozanib in the United States and Europe; and AVEO’s strategy, prospects, plans and objectives for its product candidates and for the Company generally. AVEO has based its expectations and estimates on assumptions that may prove to be incorrect. As a result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these expectations and estimates. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements that AVEO makes due to a number of important factors, including risks relating to: AVEO’s ability, and the ability of its licensees, to demonstrate to the satisfaction of applicable regulatory agencies such as the FDA the safety, efficacy and clinically meaningful benefit of AVEO’s product candidates, including, in particular, tivozanib; AVEO’s ability to successfully file an NDA for tivozanib; and AVEO’s ability to enter into and maintain its third party collaboration and license agreements, and its ability, and the ability of its strategic partners, to achieve development and commercialization objectives under these arrangements. AVEO faces other risks relating to its business as well, including risks relating to the timing and costs of seeking and obtaining regulatory approval; AVEO’s and its collaborators’ ability to successfully enroll and complete clinical trials; AVEO’s ability to maintain compliance with regulatory requirements applicable to its product candidates; AVEO’s ability to obtain and maintain adequate protection for intellectual property rights relating to its product candidates; AVEO’s ability to successfully implement its strategic plans; AVEO’s ability to raise the substantial additional funds required to achieve its goals, including those goals pertaining to the development and commercialization of tivozanib; unplanned capital requirements; adverse general economic and industry conditions; competitive factors; and those risks discussed in the sections titled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources” included in AVEO’s quarterly and annual reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and in other filings that AVEO makes with the SEC. The forward-looking statements in this press release represent AVEO’s views as of the date of this press release, and subsequent events and developments may cause its views to change. While AVEO may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. You should, therefore, not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing AVEO’s views as of any date other than the date of this press release. Any reference to AVEO’s website address in this press release is intended to be an inactive textual reference only and not an active hyperlink.

 References 

  1. Fotivda (Tivozanib) SmPC August 2017.
  2. Motzer RJ, Nosov D, Eisen T, et al. J Clin Oncol 2013; 31(30): 3791-9.
  3. Pawlowski N et al. AACR 2013. Poster 3971.
  4. Barthelemy et al. ESMO 2018. Poster 878P.

Source: AVEO Pharmaceuticals

 AVEO Contact:
David Pitts, Argot Partners
(212) 600-1902
aveo@argotpartners.com 

 EUSA Pharma Contacts:
Lee Morley
Chief Executive
EUSA Pharma
Tel: +44 (0)330 5001140

Rob Budge
RJB Communications
Tel: +44 (0)1865 760969
Mobile: +44 (0)7710 741241