Benzinga | May 4, 2021 07:07AM EDT

UPDATE: BioLine Rx Says 'An analysis of data on all 122 enrolled patients...found highly statistically significant evidence across all primary and secondary endpoints favoring Motixafortide in addition to G-CSF;' Shares Set To Resume Trade At 7:30 a.m. ET

BioLineRx Ltd. (NASDAQ:BLRX) (TASE: BLRX), a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology, today announced positive top-line results from the Company's GENESIS Phase 3 trial evaluating its lead clinical candidate, Motixafortide, in combination with granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF, the standard of care in this indication), for hematopoietic stem-cell mobilization for autologous bone marrow transplantation in multiple myeloma patients.

An analysis of data on all 122 enrolled patients (the intent to treat, or ITT, population) found highly statistically significant evidence across all primary and secondary endpoints favoring Motixafortide in addition to G-CSF, as compared to placebo plus G-CSF. In addition, the combination was found to be safe and well tolerated.

The primary endpoint of the study demonstrated a 4.9-fold increase (70.0% vs 14.3%; difference 54.6%; 95% CI 39.7-69.5%; p<0.0001) in the proportion of patients in the treatment arm, as compared to the control arm mobilizing ? 6 million CD34+ cells/kg in up to two apheresis sessions, and after only one administration of Motixafortide. This translates to an odds-ratio of 12.9.

The study also achieved its main secondary endpoint, demonstrating a 14.1-fold increase (67.5% vs 4.8%; difference 61.7%; 95% CI 49.5-73.8%; p<0.0001) in the proportion of patients in the treatment arm, as compared to the control arm, who mobilized ? 6 million CD34+ cells/kg in just one apheresis session. This translates to an odds-ratio of 56.0.

Other important data from the study include median number of CD34+ cells collected on the first day of apheresis (8.5 million in the treatment arm vs 1.5 million in the control arm) -- a 5.6-fold increase. The addition of Motixafortide to G-CSF also allowed 88.3% of patients to undergo transplantation after only one apheresis session, compared to 10.8% in the G-CSF arm -- an 8.2-fold increase. Engraftment endpoints, including the number of days needed for engraftment, success of engraftment and the durability of engraftment 100 days post-transplant, further support the study's success.

"The results of the GENESIS study are extremely impressive, and all the more so when considering that almost 90% of the patients in the treatment arm proceeded to transplantation after only one apheresis session," stated John DiPersio, MD, Washington University School of Medicine, and lead investigator of the study. "This is a great achievement in alleviating the burden for the patients and reducing hospital resources. I believe these results make the combination of Motixafortide and G-CSF a very attractive candidate for use in all patients with multiple myeloma undergoing autologous stem-cell transplantation."

"These strikingly positive data significantly exceeded our expectations, and are truly transformational for our company," stated Philip Serlin, Chief Executive Officer of BioLineRx. "The statistical significance across all primary and secondary endpoints was consistent across twelve different sensitivity analyses. These results support our goal of becoming the standard of care for autologous bone-marrow transplantation, providing a strong clinical and pharmaco-economic advantage for its use, on top of G-CSF, in all transplant procedures.

"We are working aggressively to gain regulatory approval for Motixafortide in this transplant setting for multiple myeloma patients -- with plans to make an NDA submission in the first half of next year -- and we are also pressing forward to unlock the full potential of this therapy in this and other stem-cell mobilization indications. I would like to express our sincere thanks to the patients and investigators who participated in the study and enabled its great success," Mr. Serlin concluded.