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Rapidly advancing portfolio with 13 development molecules being
investigated as monotherapy and in combination across multiple
indications
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Two new development molecules—an LSD1 inhibitor and an anti-GITR
agonist—added to the portfolio and expected to enter the clinic in
first-half of 2016
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Rich news flow from pivotal and proof-of-concept programs expected
in 2016
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Webcast presentation from J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference today
at 1:30pm PT / 4:30pm ET
Incyte Corporation (Nasdaq: INCY) today reported significant and rapid
progress in its continued transformation into a leading global
biopharmaceutical company. With two new programs expected to enter the
clinic in the coming months, Incyte will have 13 development molecules
in pivotal and proof-of-concept trials across a variety of oncology and
non-oncology indications, illustrating the power of Incyte’s drug
discovery and development engine.
“We are experiencing a revolution in the way cancer is treated, and
Incyte is at the forefront of innovation in drug discovery,” said Hervé
Hoppenot, President and Chief Executive Officer, Incyte. “Our rich
portfolio of small molecules and biologics places us in a unique
position. We have significant optionality to investigate these
candidates alone as well as in combination as we continue our mission to
deliver medicines that will positively impact the lives of patients with
cancer and other diseases.”
Presentation Highlights
JAK Inhibitors
The Phase 3 JANUS 1 trial of ruxolitinib, a JAK1 / JAK2 inhibitor, in
second line metastatic pancreatic cancer is now fully recruited, with
results expected in 2016. The primary endpoint of JANUS 1 is overall
survival. Two Phase 2 trials of ruxolitinib, in colorectal and breast
cancer, are now fully recruited, with overall survival data expected
from both in 2016.
Incyte has two selective JAK1 inhibitors in clinical development,
INCB39110 and INCB52793. A clinical collaboration has been initiated to
investigate the safety and efficacy of the combination of INCB39110 with
AstraZeneca’s next generation EGFR inhibitor Tagrisso®
(osimertinib)* in patients with EGFRm non-small cell lung cancer with
the T790M mutation. Incyte’s second JAK1 selective inhibitor, INCB52793,
is in a dose escalation study in patients with advanced malignancies.
INCB52793 has shown synergistic efficacy in combination with standard of
care in preclinical models of multiple myeloma.
Building upon positive, published third-party data of ruxolitinib from
an investigator-sponsored trial in graft versus host disease (GVHD), a
proof-of-concept trial of INCB39110 for the treatment of patients with
GVHD has begun.
Each of the four pivotal trials of baricitinib, a JAK1 / JAK2 inhibitor
licensed by Incyte to Eli Lilly and Company, met the primary endpoint in
patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Lilly is finalizing the submissions
of a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA and a Marketing Authorization
Application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency. Both will trigger
milestone payments from Lilly to Incyte.
IDO1 Inhibitor
The ECHO (Epacadostat Clinical
development in Hematology and Oncology)
program has been designed to investigate combinations of Incyte’s IDO1
inhibitor, epacadostat, across the full cycle of anti-tumor immunity,
including with checkpoint blockade, vaccines and other modulators of the
tumor immune response.
The Phase 3 ECHO-301 study evaluating the combination of epacadostat
with the anti-PD-1 antibody Keytruda® (pembrolizumab)* for
the first-line treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic
melanoma is expected to begin in the first half of 2016. Recruitment has
also begun into the eight tumor-specific cohorts of ECHO-202, the Phase
2 trial of epacadostat in combination with pembrolizumab.
Incyte is conducting three additional Phase 1/2 clinical trials of
epacadostat in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors. ECHO-204,
in combination with Bristol-Myers Squibb’s PD-1 inhibitor, Opdivo®
(nivolumab)*, has opened seven tumor specific cohorts, and ECHO-203 with
AstraZeneca/MedImmune’s investigational PD-L1 inhibitor, durvalumab, has
opened six tumor specific cohorts. ECHO-110, a trial in combination with
Roche/Genentech’s investigational PD-L1 inhibitor, atezolizumab, in
patients with NSCLC is ongoing.
Selected Portfolio Updates
Incyte’s PI3Kδ inhibitor clinical development program is focused on
INCB50465, based on the molecule’s potential lack of hepatotoxicity and
improved potency compared to approved PI3Kδ inhibitors and compared to
Incyte’s PI3Kδ inhibitor INCB40093. A Phase 1/2 trial of INCB50465, both
as monotherapy and in combination with INCB39110, is already underway in
multiple B-cell malignancies. Clinical activities of INCB40093 are being
closed.
Incyte is also pursuing a series of clinical studies to investigate the
safety and efficacy of several therapeutic doublets. These include a
clinical trial of Incyte’s JAK1 inhibitor, INCB39110, in combination
with either its IDO1 inhibitor, epacadostat, or its PI3Kδ inhibitor,
INCB50465, as well as a trial of Merck’s anti-PD-1 antibody,
pembrolizumab, in combination with either Incyte’s PI3Kδ inhibitor,
INCB50465, or its JAK1 inhibitor, INCB39110.
Two new compounds are expected to enter Incyte’s clinical development
portfolio in the first half of 2016. INCB59872, a potent and selective
LSD1 inhibitor, is expected to enter clinical trials in patients with
advanced malignancies in the coming months. INCAGN1876, an anti-GITR
agonist antibody that is part of the ongoing discovery alliance with
Agenus, Inc, is expected to enter clinical trials for the treatment of
patients with advanced cancer during the first half of 2016. Incyte’s
alliance with Agenus has recently been expanded to include a total of 7
therapeutic targets, with options for additional expansion.
Corporate Update
In January 2016, Michael Morrisey joined Incyte Europe Sàrl and the
Incyte Executive Management team as Corporate Senior Vice President and
Head of Global Technical Operations. Michael has extensive manufacturing
experience and has excelled in building manufacturing organizations,
most recently as Corporate Vice President, Head of International
Technical Operations at Celgene International.
Webcast Information
A presentation made by Incyte at the 34th Annual J.P. Morgan
Healthcare Conference will be webcast live today at 1:30pm PT / 4:30pm
ET and can be accessed within the Investors section of www.incyte.com
under Events and Presentations. Investors interested in listening to the
live webcast should log on before the start time in order to download
any software required. The slide deck and a replay of the presentation
will also be made available following the presentation.
About Incyte
Incyte Corporation is a Wilmington, Delaware-based biopharmaceutical
company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of
proprietary therapeutics, primarily for oncology. For additional
information on Incyte, please visit the Company’s website at www.incyte.com.
About Jakafi® (ruxolitinib)
Jakafi is a first-in-class JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor approved by the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration for treatment of people with polycythemia vera
(PV) who have had an inadequate response to or are intolerant of
hydroxyurea. Jakafi is also indicated for treatment of people with
intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis (MF), including primary MF,
post–polycythemia vera MF, and post–essential thrombocythemia MF.
Jakafi is marketed by Incyte in the United States and by Novartis as
Jakavi® (ruxolitinib) outside the United States.
Important Safety Information
Jakafi can cause serious side effects, including:
Low blood counts: Jakafi may cause your platelet, red blood cell,
or white blood cell counts to be lowered. If you develop bleeding, stop
taking Jakafi and call your healthcare provider. Your healthcare
provider will perform blood tests to check your blood counts before you
start Jakafi and regularly during your treatment. Your healthcare
provider may change your dose of Jakafi or stop your treatment based on
the results of your blood tests. Tell your healthcare provider right
away if you experience unusual bleeding, bruising, fatigue, shortness of
breath, or a fever.
Infection: You may be at risk for developing a serious infection
during treatment with Jakafi. Tell your healthcare provider if you
develop any of the following symptoms of infection: chills, nausea,
vomiting, aches, weakness, fever, painful skin rash or blisters.
Skin cancers: Some people who take Jakafi have developed certain
types of non-melanoma skin cancers. Tell your healthcare provider if you
develop any new or changing skin lesions.
The most common side effects of Jakafi include: anemia, low
platelet count, bruising, dizziness, headache.
These are not all the possible side effects of Jakafi. Ask your
pharmacist or healthcare provider for more information. Tell your
healthcare provider about any side effect that bothers you or that does
not go away.
Before taking Jakafi, tell your healthcare provider about all the
medications, vitamins, and herbal supplements you are taking and all
your medical conditions, including if you have an infection, have or had
tuberculosis (TB), or have been in close contact with someone who has
TB, have or had liver or kidney problems, are on dialysis, had skin
cancer or have any other medical condition. Take Jakafi exactly as your
healthcare provider tells you. Do not change or stop taking Jakafi
without first talking to your healthcare provider. Do not drink
grapefruit juice while on Jakafi.
Women should not take Jakafi while pregnant or planning to become
pregnant, or if breast-feeding.
Full Prescribing Information, including a more complete discussion of
the risks associated with Jakafi, is available at www.jakafi.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Except for the historical information set forth herein, the matters set
forth in this press release contain predictions, estimates and other
forward-looking statements, including without limitation statements
regarding: the Company’s continued transformation into a world-leading
biopharmaceutical business; the Company’s advancing development pipeline
and the design, efficacy, safety, timing and potential success of any of
those studies as well as the Company’s and, where applicable, its and
its collaborators’ plans to announce data from any of those studies; and
whether and when the Company’s collaborator, Lilly, will file an NDA or
an MAA for baricitinib and whether and when the Company will receive
certain milestone payments related thereto.
These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current
expectations and subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause
actual results to differ materially, including unanticipated
developments in and risks related to the efficacy or safety of any of
the product candidates in the Company’s development portfolio, , the
results of further research and development, the high degree of risk and
uncertainty associated with drug development, clinical trials and
regulatory approval processes, the risks that results of clinical trials
may be unsuccessful or insufficient to meet applicable regulatory
standards, the ability to enroll sufficient numbers of subjects in
clinical trials, other market, economic or strategic factors and
technological advances, unanticipated delays, the ability of the Company
to compete against parties with greater financial or other resources,
risks associated with the Company's dependence on its relationships with
its collaboration partners, and other risks detailed from time to time
in the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30,
2015. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these
forward-looking statements.
* The brand listed is not a trademark of Incyte Corporation. The maker
of this brand is not affiliated with and does not endorse Incyte
Corporation or its products.
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