David Berman
Analyst · Jefferies
Thank you very much, Ralph. Our clinical program builds on the success of KIMMTRAK. And today, I'm going to update you on 3 other pillars. First, we are expanding KIMMTRAK beyond uveal melanoma by studying other types of melanoma, including cutaneous melanoma. Second, we are expanding beyond gp100 to larger indications with our programs targeting PRAME and MAGE-A4. And finally, we are expanding beyond oncology in our clinical programs for functional cure in HBV and HIV. I will first provide an update on advanced melanoma. At ASCO, 2 months ago, we presented a survival update on our study of KIMMTRAK plus an anti-PD(L)1 in metastatic cutaneous melanoma patients, who progress on a prior anti-PD1. As we saw in uveal melanoma, survival was the best endpoint for capturing all the benefits in cutaneous melanoma. And here, we see a very promising 1-year survival of 75% for the combination. Now to put this in context, the historical 1-year survival for this population is approximately 55% and that's seen across several recent benchmark trials. This differential gives us confidence to design a registrational program in advanced melanoma, including cutaneous melanoma with the survival endpoints. Following discussions with global melanoma experts and with the U.S. FDA, we are excited to announce our new registrational Phase II/III trial in patients with any histologic type of melanoma, excluding only uveal melanoma. These patients have progressed on a prior anti-PD1 and received prior ipilimumab and, if appropriate, a prior tyrosine kinase inhibitor. This population is one of high unmet need and the best option for these patients is to enroll on clinical trials. The study will randomize these patients to 3 arms, including number one, KIMMTRAK alone; number two, KIMMTRAK with an anti-PD1; and number three, a control arm. The control arm is innovative, in that patients go straight to survival follow-up. And this enables the investigator discretion to choose any therapy, including even enrolling the patients on other clinical trials. Therefore, we are randomizing essentially to a real-world treatment option rather than offering chemotherapy, which is generally considered ineffective. The FDA has accepted this design since the primary endpoint is overall survival, which is standard data collection in follow-up from any clinical trial. The primary endpoint of the Phase II is reduction in ctDNA and overall survival. And data from the Phase II provides us optionality to inform changes to the Phase III, including moving into earlier lines of therapy, dropping an arm or even repowering the study to make it smaller. As the pioneer in TCR Therapeutics, I am proud that we have published extensively on the science of KIMMTRAK, from the mechanism to safety to efficacy. And with over 500 uveal melanoma patients treated in clinical trials, we now have insights that provide a blueprint for how we develop our other , including MAGE and PRAME. And this blueprint is summarized here. First, we must demonstrate that the ImmTAC is activating T cells and redirecting them to the tumor. Second, the hallmark of KIMMTRAK was durable clinical benefit, which includes durable tumor shrinkage shown in green and durable partial responses shown in yellow, with some ongoing for over 1-year. Third, we see survival benefit regardless of whether the patients have high or low expression of the parent gp100 protein, which is reflected by the H score. Now we do note that there was an enrichment for RECIST partial responses at the higher H score. And fourth, early ctDNA reductions was a strong and early surrogate of survival. And for uveal melanoma and KIMMTRAK indicates up to 70% of patients may be having benefit based on ctDNA decrease. Of course, the ultimate goal for all patients is overall survival, and this is where we ultimately will look. Beyond KIMMTRAK, we have 2 clinical ImmTACs targeting larger cancer indications. F106C targets PRAME, which has the potential for 150,000 patients. The Phase I data was accepted for oral presentation at ESMO next month. And there will be more than 20 patients, who are PRAME-positive, treated at active doses and to our efficacy evaluable. C103C targets MAGE-A4, which has the potential for 60,000 patients. The Phase I dose escalation continues as is the expansion in ovarian carcinoma, and we will update the progress later this year. This platform can be applied beyond oncology to infectious disease, and I am pleased to update you on our progress here. Chronic viral infections, such as HIV and HBV, may result in a reservoir that is not eradicated by currently available direct-acting antivirals. Our platform should be applicable to eliminating this reservoir to achieve functional cure. We initiated all of our Phase I studies, including our HBV functional cure program and what are called MABEL doses, which are intended to be subtherapeutic. However, we find that our molecules are so potent that even at the MABEL dose for the HBV program, we see the exact on-target biomarkers that we expect to see, including a transient decrease in HBV surface antigen, which is a marker of disease, with a concomitant increase in ALT. Now the changes we see are small. But one must remember that this initial dose was below 1 microgram, and it's remarkably seen after only a single dose, and we certainly look forward to seeing what happens at higher doses. And finally, I am pleased to announce that we have achieved first patient dosing in our HIV functional cure program. And now I'm going to hand it back to Bahija.