Benzinga | Oct 22, 2021 08:03AM EDT

Agenus Reports Voluntary Withdrawal Of Its Biologics License Application At FDA's Recommendation Following Full Approval Of Pembrolizumab

* Company voluntarily withdraws BLA at FDA's recommendation following full approval of pembrolizumab, which came four months earlier than FDA goal date

* Balstilimab achieved trial endpoints with 20% response rates in PD-L1 positive patients, versus 14% reported in pembrolizumab's label; Agenus successfully completed 3 FDA pre-approval inspections for the PDUFA date of Dec. 16, 2021

* Agenus plans to launch expanded access programs to give patients access to balstilimab in several countries, including the US

* Agenus will discontinue its ongoing confirmatory trial (BRAVA) in this population, which is expected to reduce R&D expenses by over $100M

* Accelerated development of balstilimab in combination with AGEN1181 will be launched in multiple tumor types; clinical update at SITC

LEXINGTON, Mass., Oct. 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Agenus (NASDAQ:AGEN), an immuno-oncology company with an extensive pipeline of checkpoint antibodies, cell therapies, adjuvants, and vaccines designed to activate immune response to cancers and infections, today announced a strategic decision to withdraw its Biologics License Application (BLA) for balstilimab, its PD-1 inhibitor. The decision to withdraw the BLA does not change the development plans for balstilimab combinations.

Following the full approval of pembrolizumab, announced four months earlier than the FDA goal date, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) no longer considered it appropriate to review the BLA for accelerated approval and recommended Agenus withdraw. The BLA submission for balstilimab received Fast Track and Priority Review designation from the FDA, with a target action date of December 16, 2021. As part of the BLA review process, Agenus successfully completed 3 FDA inspections with no cited issues, concerns, or Form-483s.

As previously reported, in the largest single-arm trial to date in this population (140 evaluable patients), balstilimab demonstrated objective responses in both PD-L1 positive and negative patients, with an objective response rate (ORR) of 20% and 8% respectively1. Pembrolizumab has demonstrated an ORR of 14% and 0% in PD-L1 positive and negative patients respectively, which led to its accelerated approval in 2018. Balstilimab has shown superior killing of PD-L1 negative tumors compared to other anti PD-1 therapies, including pembrolizumab, suggesting a broader mechanism consistent with balstilimab's clinical activity in both PD-L1 positive and negative cervical cancer2.

Concurrent with the withdrawal, Agenus will discontinue its ongoing confirmatory trial (BRAVA) in this population, which is expected to reduce R&D expenses by over $100M. However, given the clinical benefit demonstrated by balstilimab, Agenus plans to launch expanded access programs to give patients and doctors access to balstilimab in several countries, including the US, pending regulatory processes.

"While the commercial market for balstilimab monotherapy in second line cervical cancer was always anticipated to be small, Agenus' priority remains developing balstilimab as a necessary component of highly effective and affordable combination therapies, both with its own portfolio and with partners, including in combination with Agenus' next-generation CTLA-4, AGEN1181," said Garo Armen, CEO and Chairman of Agenus.

"Balstilimab has demonstrated meaningful clinical activity and an excellent safety profile in second-line cervical cancer, including in PD-L1 negative patients, who are ineligible to receive standard of care anti-PD-1 therapy, which makes the decision to withdraw so difficult for us," said Steven O'Day, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Agenus. "Balstilimab remains a critical component of our combination regimens, including with our next-generation CTLA-4 agent, AGEN1181. Concomitant with presentation of new data at SITC next month, we continue to accelerate development of AGEN1181 in combination with balstilimab in trials designed to rapidly support full or accelerated approval in multiple tumor types."

Agenus executives will host a conference call to discuss this update at 8:30AM ET today.