Immutep (ASX:IMM), a company developing novel LAG-3 related immunotherapy treatments for cancer and autoimmune disease, has announced what it describes as "encouraging final data" from its phase one INSIGHT-004 study.
The data will be presented in a poster presentation by Dr Thorsten Goetze, Krankenhaus Nordwest, University Cancer Center Frankfurt, Germany at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) 2021 Annual Meeting.
INSIGHT-004 is evaluating the combination of Immutep’s lead product candidate eftilagimod alpha ('efti' or 'IMP321') with Merck and Pfizer's PBS-listed anti-PD-L1 antibody BAVENCIO (avelumab) in 12 patients with different solid tumours.
The trial is being conducted under Immutep’s collaboration with Merck and Pfizer.
INSIGHT-004 is the fourth arm (Stratum D) of the investigator-initiated INSIGHT trial that is conducted by the Institute of Clinical Cancer Research (IKF) in Germany.
Immutep's Dr Frederic Triebel said, “The final results of the INSIGHT-004 study show promising activity signals from efti in combination with avelumab in a variety of solid cancers, primarily gastrointestinal.
"Overall, 41.7% of patients responded to the therapy and half showed disease control. Importantly, it continues to be well tolerated. These encouraging results are supportive of further clinical evaluation of this new combination, efti plus anti-PD-L1 therapy.”
Professor Salah-Eddin Al-Batran, INSIGHT-004 trial investigator and IKF director, said, “Efti and avelumab could represent a potent combination for enhancing the immune system in patients with different solid tumours. We are particularly encouraged to see the deep and durable responses in patients with solid tumours including PD-L1-negative cancers.”
"The final efficacy and safety data from INSIGHT-004 is promising and warrants further clinical evaluation of this new combination, efti plus anti-PDL-1 therapy, with distinct tumour indications," added the company.