Benzinga | Sep 17, 2021 07:47AM EDT

Innate Pharma Highlights Monalizumab Data From COAST Trial Presented At European Society Of Medical Oncology Congress

Innate Pharma SA ((Euronext Paris: IPH, NASDAQ:IPHA) ("Innate" or the "Company") today announced that AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) presented results from the randomized COAST Phase 2 trial during the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2021 on September 17, 2021.

In particular, the results of the interim analysis showed monalizumab in combination with durvalumab improved progression-free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR) compared to durvalumab alone in patients with unresectable, Stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had not progressed after concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CRT). Monalizumab, Innate's lead partnered asset, is a potentially first-in-class immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting NKG2A receptors expressed on tumor infiltrating cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and NK cells.

To read more about the Phase 2 COAST results, please see AstraZeneca's press release here.

"We're pleased to see the monalizumab COAST results, particularly the improved clinical outcomes for patients with unresectable, Stage III non-small cell lung cancer," said Mondher Mahjoubi, Chief Executive Officer of Innate Pharma. "Monalizumab is one of the first checkpoint inhibitors targeting a NK cell receptor, and today's results further support the role it can play in treating certain cancers by blocking the inhibitory receptor, NKG2A. We look forward to continuing to invest in NK cell science and further advancing the next wave of scientific innovation at Innate."

Based on these results, AstraZeneca informed Innate that it plans to start a registrational study with monalizumab in combination with durvalumab in patients with unresectable, Stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Stage III NSCLC:

In 2020, an estimated 2.2 million people were diagnosed with lung cancer worldwide1. Lung cancer is broadly split into NSCLC and small cell lung cancer, with 80-85% classified as NSCLC.2,3,4 Stage III NSCLC represents approximately one quarter of NSCLC incidence5.

Stage III (locally advanced) NSCLC is commonly divided into three subcategories (IIIA, IIIB and IIIC), defined by how much the cancer has spread locally. In contrast to Stage IV, when cancer has spread (metastasised), the majority of Stage III patients are currently treated with curative intent2,6.

The majority of Stage III NSCLC patients are diagnosed with unresectable tumours2,5.