Bisantrene AML trial to start in Israel
Released
Released
Announcement PDF
14 May 2019
ASX Announcement
Bisantrene investigator-initiated AML trial to start in Israel
Highlights
• Bisantrene to be used in AML patients for the first time in 25 years
• Trial led by high-profile international haematologist
• Recruitment and results expected over next 12 months
14 May 2019: Race Oncology Limited (‘Race’) is pleased to announce that it has signed an
agreement to conduct a trial of Race’s cancer drug, Bisantrene, at the Sheba Medical Center
in Israel.
The trial has been approved by the Israeli Ministry of Health and the hospital’s Research Ethics
Committee, so the expectation is that the trial can start immediately.
“This is a major development, as it’s the first use of Bisantrene in patients since the drug
disappeared more than 25 years ago,” said Race Oncology CEO, Peter Molloy.
Bisantrene was lost after a series of mergers in the early 1990s, despite its potential as a
treatment for AML. Race has rescued Bisantrene and is developing it for treating relapsed or
refractory AML. Race has submitted an IND to conduct a US registration trial. Race is also
pursuing investigator-initiated Phase II trials, such as this one at Sheba Medical Center.
The Sheba Medical Center trial, in 12 patients with relapsed/refractory AML, will be led by
Professor Arnon Nagler as the principal investigator. Professor Nagler is a highly-regarded
international leader in the leukaemia field (see ‘About Professor Nagler’).
“It’s a testament to Bisantrene’s contemporary potential in AML that an international leader
of Professor Nagler’s stature has decided to do this trial,” said Mr Molloy.
“I am excited about the potential for Bisantrene in our leukaemic patients in whom the
disease is unresponsive and have very few alternatives,” said Professor Nagler. “A number of
new targeted agents have become available, but these are only useful in the small percentage
of patients who have specific, identifiable mutations,” he added.
Race Oncology Ltd ABN 61 149 318 749
Registered office: L40, 140 William St, Melbourne VIC Australia 3000
www.raceoncology.com
About the Trial
The trial is titled “Bisantrene for relapsed/refractory acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)”.
The primary objective of the Phase II trial will be to generate clinical remissions (CR) in
patients with AML, who are resistant to other therapy (refractory), have relapsed after
previous therapy, or cannot receive further anthracycline treatment. The trial is expected to
recruit 12 adult subjects over 12 months and report CR and a range of secondary endpoints,
including leukaemia free survival (LFS) and overall survival (OS). All patients are expected to
receive Bisantrene 250mg/m2/day for 7 days, in conjunction with conventional supportive
care. In the event of a CR, patients will receive a 3-day consolidation course of Bisantrene
also at 250mg/m2/day.
About the Agreement
The trial agreement (“Agreement”) is between Race Oncology Ltd (“Race”), The Sheba Fund
for Health Services and Research (“Sheba”), and Professor Arnon Nagler (“Investigator”). The
Agreement commenced on 14 May 2019 and continues until the trial is completed, which is
expected to be no later than 1 December 2021. Under the agreement, Race is obliged to
provide Bisantrene at no cost to Sheba and the Investigator, and to provide a grant to Sheba
of €78,975 to support the trial. Race is also obliged to provide clinical trial insurance, which
was arranged by Race prior to signing the agreement. All trial results will be jointly owned by
Race and Sheba, and Race has the right to publish headline study results and to use the results
in support of any regulatory submission for Bisantrene.
About Professor Nagler
Professor Arnon Nagler MD MSc is Professor of Medicine at The Tel Aviv University, Director
of the Division of Hematology at Sheba Medical Center, and Director of the Bone Marrow
transplantation and Cord Blood Bank at Sheba Medical Center. In addition, he is the chair of
the ALWP (Acute Leukemia Working Party) of the EBMT (European Bone Marrow
Transplantation society), co-chair of the Scientific Council of the EBMT and serves on the
Editorial Board of several Journals. He is one of the pioneers of the non-myeloablative and
reduced intensity/toxicity allogeneic transplantations for malignant and non-malignant
disorders. His interests include haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, haematological
malignancies, cord blood biology and transplantation and immunotherapy. Prof. Nagler has
written numerous original articles, reviews and chapters for peer-review journals in
leukaemia field and is the principal investigator for a multiple clinical studies including firstin-human trials for novel agents, like pidilizumab and BL8040 (CXCR4 antagonist). He has
received several awards and has made numerous presentations at all international
transplantation and haematology meetings, including ASH, ASBMT/CIBMTR, EBMT and EHA.
Race Oncology Ltd ABN 61 149 318 749
Registered office: L40, 140 William St, Melbourne VIC Australia 3000
www.raceoncology.com
About Race Oncology (RAC.ASX)
Race Oncology is a specialty pharmaceutical company whose business model is to pursue
later-stage drug assets in the cancer field that have been overlooked by big pharma. The
Company’s first asset is Bisantrene, a chemotherapy drug, which was the subject of more than
40 clinical studies during the 1980s and 1990s before the drug was abandoned after a series
of pharmaceutical mergers. Bisantrene has compelling Phase II data in acute myeloid
leukaemia (AML) and Race is seeking to gain US FDA approval for Bisantrene for AML under
the accelerated 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway. Bisantrene is the subject of two recently
granted US patents and has been awarded US Orphan Drug designation and a Rare Paediatric
Disease designation.
Media contact:
Heidi Cuthbert, Multiplier
P: +61 411 272 366
E: heidi.cuthbert@multiplier.com.au
Race Oncology Ltd ABN 61 149 318 749
Registered office: L40, 140 William St, Melbourne VIC Australia 3000
www.raceoncology.com
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