Amgen Presents Interim Overall Survival Data From Phase 3 Study Of Talimogene Laherparepvec In Patients With Metastatic Melanoma

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Nov. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today announced interim overall survival (OS) results from a pivotal Phase 3 trial evaluating talimogene laherparepvec in patients with unresected stage IIIB, IIIC or IV melanoma compared to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Results will be presented today during an oral session at the 2013 Society for Melanoma Research (SMR) Congress, in Philadelphia.  

At a predefined interim analysis of this Phase 3 study, median OS was 23.3 months in the talimogene laherparepvec arm over 19.0 months in the GM-CSF arm (HR = 0.79, 95 percent CI 0.61-1.02; p=0.0746). Differences in survival rates were pronounced in the subset of patients with stage IIIB, IIIC or IV M1a disease (HR = 0.56, 95 percent CI, 0.38-0.81) or who received talimogene laherparepvec as first-line treatment (HR = 0.49, 95 percent CI, 0.33-0.74), each comprising approximately 50 percent of the study population.

"The interim overall survival subset results complement the durable response data we reported earlier this year and these endpoints appear to correlate with each other in terms of where the most benefit is being seen in this trial," said Sean E. Harper, M.D., executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen. "We look forward to the mature overall survival data expected in the first half of next year."

The most frequently observed adverse events were fatigue, chills and pyrexia. The most common serious adverse events include disease progression in both arms, and cellulitis and pyrexia in the talimogene laherparepvec arm. Serious adverse events occurred in 26 percent of talimogene laherparepvec patients and 13 percent of GM-CSF patients. Immune-mediated events were reported infrequently.  

"A favorable trend in overall survival was observed in patients who received talimogene laherparepvec and the trend was pronounced in patients with stage III and IV M1a disease where an important clinical need exists for patients whose disease has not yet spread to distant organs," said Howard Kaufman, M.D., professor and director of the section of surgical oncology in the Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. "I look forward to seeing the final results next year."

Trial Design
This trial was a global, randomized, open-label, Phase 3 trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of talimogene laherparepvec compared to a control therapy with GM-CSF in over 400 patients with unresected stage IIIB, IIIC or IV melanoma.

Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive either talimogene laherparepvec intralesionally every two weeks or GM-CSF subcutaneously for the first 14 days of each 28 day cycle. Treatment could last for up to 18 months. Where appropriate, stable or responding patients could receive additional treatment on an extension protocol.

About Melanoma
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of melanocytes, which are the cells responsible for providing pigment to the skin.¹ Melanoma is the most aggressive and serious form of skin cancer in which the best treatment approach involves early detection.² Because it is not always possible to detect cancer in its earlier stage, it can sometimes spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body.³ The prevalence of metastatic melanoma patients facing recurrence from an earlier stage of disease is predicted to increase by 43 percent by 2015.⁴ Metastatic melanoma remains a devastating and difficult-to-treat disease with a high unmet need.

Currently, 132,000 melanoma cases occur globally each year.⁵ In the United States (U.S.), while melanoma accounts for less than five percent of skin cancer cases, it causes the most skin cancer deaths.⁵ The number of new cases of melanoma in the U.S. has been increasing for the last 30 years.⁵ 

About Talimogene Laherparepvec
Talimogene laherparepvec is an investigational oncolytic immunotherapy designed to selectively replicate in tumor tissue and to initiate a systemic anti-tumor immune response. Talimogene laherparepvec is injected directly into tumor tissue and is intended to replicate preferentially in tumor cells causing lytic cell death and releasing an array of tumor specific antigens. Talimogene laherparepvec is also engineered to express GM-CSF, a white blood cell growth factor that can help to activate the immune system. The aim of this combination of actions is to induce a systemic anti-tumor immune response that targets tumor cells throughout the body.

About Amgen
Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.

Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its biologics manufacturing expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people's lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be the world's largest independent biotechnology company, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.

For more information, visit www.amgen.com and follow us on www.twitter.com/amgen.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described.  All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial metrics, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practices, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, reimbursement activities and outcomes and other such estimates and results. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, including those discussed below and more fully described in the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reports filed by Amgen, including Amgen's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. Please refer to Amgen's most recent Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K for additional information on the uncertainties and risk factors related to our business. Unless otherwise noted, Amgen is providing this information as of Nov. 18, 2013, and expressly disclaims any duty to update information contained in this news release.

No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those we project. Discovery or identification of new product candidates or development of new indications for existing products cannot be guaranteed and movement from concept to product is uncertain; consequently, there can be no guarantee that any particular product candidate or development of a new indication for an existing product will be successful and become a commercial product. Further, preclinical results do not guarantee safe and effective performance of product candidates in humans. The complexity of the human body cannot be perfectly, or sometimes, even adequately modeled by computer or cell culture systems or animal models. The length of time that it takes for us to complete clinical trials and obtain regulatory approval for product marketing has in the past varied and we expect similar variability in the future. We develop product candidates internally and through licensing collaborations, partnerships and joint ventures. Product candidates that are derived from relationships may be subject to disputes between the parties or may prove to be not as effective or as safe as we may have believed at the time of entering into such relationship. Also, we or others could identify safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with our products after they are on the market. Our business may be impacted by government investigations, litigation and product liability claims.  If we fail to meet the compliance obligations in the corporate integrity agreement between us and the U.S. government, we could become subject to significant sanctions. We depend on third parties for a significant portion of our manufacturing capacity for the supply of certain of our current and future products and limits on supply may constrain sales of certain of our current products and product candidate development.

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CONTACT: Amgen
Kristen Davis, 805-447-3008 (media)
Arvind Sood, 805-447-1060 (investors)

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¹   National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health, Dept. of Health and Human Services; What You Need to Know About Melanoma and Other Skin Cancers; June 2010.
²   American Cancer Society. Surgery for Metastatic Skin Cancer. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/skincancer-melanoma/detailedguide/melanoma-skin-cancer-treating-surgery. Accessed August 28, 2013.  
³   American Cancer Society. What is Metastatic Skin Cancer. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/skincancer-melanoma/overviewguide/melanoma-skin-cancer-overview-what-is-melanoma. Accessed August 28, 2013.  
⁴   Lin AY, et al. Melanoma Res. 2012; 22:454-459
⁵    Ultraviolet radiation and the INTERSUN Programme. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/uv/faq/skincancer/en/index1.html. Accessed May 13, 2013.  

SOURCE Amgen