REG - AstraZeneca PLC - Capivasertib PFS in HR-positive breast cancer

AstraZenecaAnnouncement

08/12/2022 13:30

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RNS Number : 0638J  AstraZeneca PLC  08 December 2022

8 December 2022 13:30 GMT

 

Capivasertib plus Faslodex reduced the risk of disease progression or

death by 40% versus Faslodex in advanced HR-positive breast cancer

 

CAPItello-291 Phase III trial results presented at SABCS 2022

show potential of capivasertib as first-in-class AKT inhibitor

 

Detailed results from the CAPItello-291 Phase III trial showed AstraZeneca's
capivasertib in combination with Faslodex (fulvestrant) demonstrated a
statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in
progression-free survival (PFS) versus placebo plus Faslodex in patients with
hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-low or negative, locally advanced or
metastatic breast cancer, following recurrence or progression on, or after,
endocrine therapy (with or without a CDK4/6 inhibitor).(1) Results will be
presented today in an oral presentation at the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer
Symposium (SABCS).

 

Results showed capivasertib in combination with Faslodex demonstrated a 40%
reduction in the risk of disease progression or death versus placebo plus
Faslodex in the overall trial population (based on a hazard ratio  HR  of
0.60, 95% confidence interval  CI  0.51-0.71; p=<0.001; median 7.2 versus
3.6 months).(1) In the AKT pathway biomarker-altered population, capivasertib
plus Faslodex reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 50% versus
placebo plus Faslodex (HR of 0.50, 95% CI 0.38-0.65; p=<0.001; median 7.3
versus 3.1 months).(1) Alterations within the AKT pathway (PI3K/AKT/PTEN)
occur frequently in breast cancer, affecting up to 50% of patients with
advanced HR-positive breast cancer.(2-4)

 

Nicholas Turner, MD, PhD, Professor of Molecular Oncology at The Institute of
Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London,
UK, and principal investigator in the CAPItello-291 Phase III trial, said:
"These data demonstrate the practice-changing potential of capivasertib as a
new treatment option for patients with advanced HR-positive breast cancer.
Critically, this potentially first-in-class treatment has shown it delays
disease progression for those who have progressed on, or become resistant to,
endocrine therapies and CDK4/6 inhibitors."

 

Susan Galbraith, Executive Vice President, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca,
said: "Capivasertib brings important progress to an area with persistent
treatment gaps as the first therapy of its kind shown to be effective in a
Phase III trial in patients with advanced HR-positive, HER2-low or negative
breast cancer. We believe these results which showed benefit in all-comers and
biomarker positive populations can reshape HR-positive breast cancer
treatment, and that capivasertib can become an important new option for
patients."

 

Summary of results: CAPItello-291(1)

                                                          Capivasertib plus Faslodex   Placebo plus Faslodex
                                                          n=355

                                                                                       n=353
 Median PFS in overall population (months)                7.2                          3.6
 HR (95% CI)                                              0.60 (0.51-0.71)
 p-value                                                  p=<0.001
 Median PFS in the biomarker-altered population (months)  7.3                          3.1
 HR (95% CI)                                              0.50 (0.38-0.65)
 p-value                                                  p=<0.001
 ORR in overall population                                22.9%                        12.2%
 ORR in biomarker-altered population                      28.8%                        9.7%

HR, hazard ratio; CI, confidence interval; PFS, progression-free survival;
ORR, objective response rate

 

Confirmed objective response rate (ORR) was 22.9% for the capivasertib plus
Faslodex arm versus 12.2% for the placebo plus Faslodex arm in the overall
trial population, and 28.8% versus 9.7%, respectively, in the
biomarker-altered population.(1) Although the overall survival (OS) data were
immature at the time of the analysis, early data are encouraging.(1) The trial
will continue to assess OS as a key secondary endpoint.

 

The safety profile of capivasertib plus Faslodex was similar to that observed
in previous trials evaluating this combination.(1) In the overall trial
population, the most frequent any grade adverse events (AEs) with capivasertib
plus Faslodex occurring in 20% or more of patients were diarrhoea (72.4%),
nausea (34.6%), rash (group term including rash, rash macular, maculo-papular
rash, rash papular and rash pruritic; 38%) fatigue (20.8%) and vomiting
(20.6%).(1) The most frequent Grade 3 or higher AEs occurring in 5% or more of
patients were diarrhoea (9.3%) and rash (12.1%).(1)

 

Notes

 

HR-positive breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and is one of the leading causes of
cancer-related deaths worldwide.(5) More than two million patients were
diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, with nearly 685,000 deaths globally.(5)

 

HR-positive breast cancer (expressing estrogen or progesterone receptors, or
both), is the most common subtype of breast cancer with approximately 70% of
breast cancer tumours considered HR-positive and HER2-low or negative.(6)

 

The growth of HR-positive breast cancer cells is often driven by estrogen
receptors (ER),(7) andendocrine therapies that target ER-driven disease are
widely used as 1st-line treatment in the advanced setting, and often paired
with cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitors.(8,9) However, resistance to
CDK4/6 inhibitors and current endocrine therapies develops in many patients
with advanced disease.(9) Once this occurs, treatment options are limited(9) -
with chemotherapy being the current standard of care(10) - and survival rates
are low with 30% of patients anticipated to live beyond five years after
diagnosis.(6)

 

Optimising endocrine therapy and overcoming resistance for patients with
ER-driven disease at all stages of treatment as well as identifying new
therapies for those who no longer have ER-driven disease are active areas of
focus for breast cancer research.

 

CAPItello-291

CAPItello-291 is a Phase III, double-blind, randomised trial that is part of a
larger clinical programme focused on capivasertib, an investigational AKT
(serine/threonine kinase) inhibitor. CAPItello-291 is evaluating the efficacy
of capivasertib in combination with Faslodex versus placebo plus Faslodex for
the treatment of locally advanced (inoperable) or metastatic HR-positive,
HER2-low or negative breast cancer.

 

The global trial enrolled 708 adult patients with histologically confirmed
HR-positive, HER2-low or negative breast cancer whose disease has recurred or
progressed during or after aromatase inhibitor therapy, with or without a
CDK4/6 inhibitor, and up to one line of chemotherapy for advanced disease. The
trial has dual primary endpoints of PFS in the overall patient population and
in a population of patients whose tumours have qualifying alterations in the
AKT pathway (PIK3CA, AKT1 or PTEN genes). In the trial, approximately 40% of
tumours had these alterations.

 

Capivasertib

Capivasertib is an investigational oral treatment currently in Phase III
trials for the treatment of multiple subtypes of breast cancer, prostate
cancer and a Phase II trial for haematologic malignancies. A potent, selective
adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-competitive inhibitor of all three AKT isoforms
(AKT1/2/3), capivasertib is being evaluated as a monotherapy and in
combination with existing therapies in tumours harbouring alterations in the
AKT pathway (PI3K/AKT/PTEN), and in tumours reliant on signalling via this
pathway for survival. Capivasertib 400 mg is administered twice daily
according to an intermittent dosing schedule of four days on and three days
off. This was chosen in early phase trials based on tolerability and the
degree of target inhibition.

 

The capivasertib clinical research programme is investigating the safety and
efficacy of capivasertib when used alone and in combination with established
treatment regimens.

 

Capivasertib was discovered by AstraZeneca subsequent to a collaboration with
Astex Therapeutics (and its collaboration with the Institute of Cancer
Research and Cancer Research Technology Limited).

 

AstraZeneca in breast cancer

Driven by a growing understanding of breast cancer biology, AstraZeneca is
starting to challenge, and redefine, the current clinical paradigm for how
breast cancer is classified and treated to deliver even more effective
treatments to patients in need - with the bold ambition to one day eliminate
breast cancer as a cause of death.

 

AstraZeneca has a comprehensive portfolio of approved and promising compounds
in development that leverage different mechanisms of action to address the
biologically diverse breast cancer tumour environment.

 

With Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan), a HER2-directed ADC, AstraZeneca and
Daiichi Sankyo are aiming to improve outcomes in previously treated
HER2-positive and HER2-low metastatic breast cancer and are exploring its
potential in earlier lines of treatment and in new breast cancer settings.

 

In HR-positive breast cancer, AstraZeneca continues to improve outcomes with
foundational medicines Faslodex (fulvestrant) and Zoladex (goserelin) and
aims to reshape the HR-positive space with next-generation SERD and potential
new medicine camizestrant as well as a potential first-in-class AKT kinase
inhibitor, capivasertib. AstraZeneca is also collaborating with Daiichi Sankyo
to explore the potential of TROP2-directed ADC, datopotamab deruxtecan, in
this setting.

 

PARP inhibitor Lynparza (olaparib) is a targeted treatment option that has
been studied in early and metastatic breast cancer with an inherited BRCA
mutation. AstraZeneca with MSD (Merck & Co., Inc. in the US and Canada)
continue to research Lynparza in these settings and to explore its potential
in earlier disease.

 

To bring much-needed treatment options to patients with triple-negative breast
cancer, an aggressive form of breast cancer, AstraZeneca is evaluating the
potential of datopotamab deruxtecan alone and in combination with
immunotherapy Imfinzi (durvalumab), capivasertib in combination with
chemotherapy, and Imfinzi in combination with other oncology medicines,
including Lynparza and Enhertu.

 

AstraZeneca in oncology
AstraZeneca is leading a revolution in oncology with the ambition to provide
cures for cancer in every form, following the science to understand cancer and
all its complexities to discover, develop and deliver life-changing medicines
to patients.

 

The Company's focus is on some of the most challenging cancers. It is through
persistent innovation that AstraZeneca has built one of the most diverse
portfolios and pipelines in the industry, with the potential to catalyse
changes in the practice of medicine and transform the patient experience.

 

AstraZeneca has the vision to redefine cancer care and, one day, eliminate
cancer as a cause of death.

 

AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical
company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of
prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases, and BioPharmaceuticals,
including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory &
Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries
and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.
Please visit astrazeneca.com (http://www.astrazeneca.com/)  and follow the
Company on Twitter @AstraZeneca (https://twitter.com/AstraZeneca) .

 

Contacts
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(https://www.astrazeneca.com/investor-relations.html#Contacts) . For Media
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.

 

References

1.     Turner, et al. Capivasertib and fulvestrant for patients with
aromatase inhibitor-resistant hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth
factor receptor 2-negative advanced breast cancer: results from the Phase III
CAPItello-291 trial. Presented at: San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, 6-10
December 2022, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

2.     Howell S J, et al. Fulvestrant plus capivasertib versus placebo
after relapse or progression on an aromatase inhibitor in metastatic,
oestrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer (FAKTION). J Clin
Oncol. 2022; 23:851-64.

3.     Hortobagyi G N, et al. Correlative Analysis of Genetic Alterations
and Everolimus Benefit in Hormone Receptor-Positive, Human Epidermal Growth
Factor Receptor 2-Negative Advanced Breast Cancer: Results From BOLERO-2. J
Clin Oncol. 2016; 34:419-26.

4.     Millis S Z, et al. Landscape of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase
pathway alterations across 19784 diverse solid tumors. JAMA Oncol.
2016;2(12):1565-73.

5.     Sung H, et al. Global Cancer Statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN Estimates of
Incidence and Mortality Worldwide for 36 Cancers in 185 Countries. CA Cancer J
Clin. 2021; 10.3322/caac.21660.

6.     National Cancer Institute. Surveillance, Epidemiology and End
Results Program. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast-subtypes.html
(https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast-subtypes.html) . Accessed
December 2022.

7.     Scabia V, et al. Estrogen receptor positive breast cancers have
patient specific hormone sensitivities and rely on progesterone receptor. Nat
Commun. 2022; 10.1038/s41467-022-30898-0.

8.     Lin M, et al. Comparative Overall Survival of CDK4/6 Inhibitors
Plus Endocrine Therapy vs. Endocrine Therapy Alone for Hormone
receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. J Cancer. 2020;
10.7150/jca.48944.

9.     Lloyd M R, et al. Mechanisms of Resistance to CDK4/6 Blockade in
Advanced Hormone Receptor-positive, HER2-negative Breast Cancer and Emerging
Therapeutic Opportunities. Clin Cancer Res. 2022;28(5):821-30.

10.  National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Clinical Practice Guidelines in
Oncology (NCCN Guidelines). Available at:
https://www.nccn.org/guidelines/guidelines-detail?category=1&id=1419
(https://www.nccn.org/guidelines/guidelines-detail?category=1&id=1419) .
Accessed December 2022.

 

Adrian Kemp

Company Secretary

AstraZeneca PLC

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