Ipsen announces that phase 3 CELESTIAL trial of cabozantinib meets primary endpoint of overall survival in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

 

Ipsen (Euronext: IPN; ADR: IPSEY) and its partner Exelixis (NASDAQ: EXEL) today announced that its global phase 3 CELESTIAL trial met its primary endpoint of overall survival (OS), with cabozantinib providing a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in median OS compared to placebo in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The independent data monitoring committee for the study recommended that the trial should be stopped for efficacy following review of the second planned interim analysis. CELESTIAL is a randomized, global phase 3 trial of cabozantinib versus placebo in patients with advanced HCC who have been previously treated with sorafenib. The safety data in the study were consistent with the established profile of cabozantinib.

In line with and in collaboration with our partner Exelixis, Ipsen expects to file in the first half of 2018 a variation of the initial application to the EMA and other relevant regulatory agencies and to evaluate potential next steps in the development strategy for cabozantinib outside the United States and Japan as a treatment for advanced HCC in patients who have been previously treated. Detailed results from CELESTIAL will be submitted for presentation at a future medical conference.

Alexandre Lebeaut, MD, Executive Vice-President, R&D, Chief Scientific Officer, Ipsen, said: “Liver cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide and more effective treatment options are urgently needed. We are pleased to report that in the CELESTIAL clinical study cabozantinib has been shown to provide a survival benefit and therefore has the potential to bring a new oral systemic treatment to previously treated patients with advanced liver cancer. ”

About the CELESTIAL Study

CELESTIAL is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of cabozantinib in patients with advanced HCC conducted at more than 100 sites globally in 19 countries. The trial was designed to enroll 760 patients with advanced HCC who previously received  sorafenib and may have received up to two prior systemic cancer therapies for HCC and had adequate liver function. Enrollment of the trial was completed in September 2017, and 773 patients were ultimately randomized. Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive 60 mg of cabozantinib once daily or placebo and were stratified based on etiology of the disease (hepatitis C, hepatitis B or other), geographic region (Asia versus other regions) and presence of extrahepatic spread and/or macrovascular invasion (yes or no). No cross-over was allowed between the study arms.

The primary endpoint for the trial is OS, and secondary endpoints include objective response rate and progression-free survival. Exploratory endpoints include patient-reported outcomes, biomarkers and safety.

Based on available clinical trial data from various published trials conducted in the second-line setting of advanced HCC, the CELESTIAL trial statistics for the primary endpoint of OS assumed a median OS of 8.2 months for the placebo arm. A total of 621 events provide the study with 90 percent power to detect a 32 percent increase in median OS (HR = 0.76)  at the final analysis. Two interim analyses were planned and conducted at 50 percent and 75 percent of the planned 621 events.

About HCC

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is the most common form of liver cancer in adults.¹ The disease originates in cells called hepatocytes found in the liver. With approximately 800’000 new cases diagnosed each year, HCC is the sixth most common cancer and the second-leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide.^2,3 According to the GLOBOCAN data, it is estimated that across the European Union (EU-28) nearly 60’000 new patients will be diagnosed with liver cancer in 2020.⁴ Without treatment, patients with the disease in advanced stage usually survive between 4 and 8 months.⁵

About CABOMETYX^® (cabozantinib)

Cabometyx® is an oral small molecule inhibitor of receptors, including VEGFR, MET, AXL and RET. In preclinical models, cabozantinib has been shown to inhibit the activity of these receptors, which are involved in normal cellular function and pathologic processes such as tumor angiogenesis, invasiveness, metastasis and drug resistance.

In February of 2016, Exelixis and Ipsen jointly announced an exclusive licensing agreement for the commercialization and further development of cabozantinib indications outside of the United States, Canada and Japan. This agreement was amended in December of 2016 to include commercialization rights for Ipsen in Canada. On April 25, 2016, the FDA approved Cabometyx^® tablets for the treatment of patients with advanced RCC who have received prior anti-angiogenic therapy and on September 9, 2016, the European Commission approved Cabometyx^® tablets for the treatment of advanced RCC in adults who have received prior vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted therapy in the European Union, Norway and Iceland. Cabometyx^® is available in 20 mg, 40 mg or 60 mg doses. The recommended dose is 60 mg orally, once daily.

Ipsen also submitted to European Medicines Agency (EMA) the regulatory dossier for cabozantinib as a treatment for first-line advanced RCC in the European Union on August 28, 2017; on September 8, 2017, Ipsen announced that the EMA validated the application.

Cabozantinib is not approved for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.