June 9th, 2019

// Amgen Announces First Clinical Data Evaluating Investigational KRAS(G12C) inhibitor AMG 510 at ASCO 2019

Amgen Announces First Clinical Data Evaluating Investigational KRAS(G12C) inhibitor AMG 510 at ASCO 2019

AMG 510 is the First KRASG12C Inhibitor to Reach Clinical Stage After Three Decades of RAS Research

First-In-Human Results Show Preliminary Data and Anti-Tumour Activity 
in KRAS Mutant Solid Tumours

MISSISSAUGA, ON, June 5, 2019 /CNW/ - Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) today announced the first clinical results from a Phase 1 study evaluating investigational AMG 510, the first KRASG12C inhibitor to reach the clinical stage. In the trial, there were no dose-limiting toxicities at tested dose levels. AMG 510 showed anti-tumour activity when administered as a monotherapy in patients with locally-advanced or metastatic KRASG12C mutant solid tumours. These data were presented during an oral session at the 55th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago.

"KRAS has been a target of active exploration in cancer research since it was identified as one of the first oncogenes more than 30 years ago, but it remained undruggable due to a lack of traditional small molecule binding pockets on the protein. AMG 510 seeks to crack the KRAS code by exploiting a previously hidden groove on the protein surface," said David M. Reese, M.D., executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen. "By irreversibly binding to cysteine 12 on the mutated KRAS protein, AMG 510 is designed to lock it into an inactive state. With high selectivity for KRASG12C, we believe investigational AMG 510 has potential as both a monotherapy and in combination with other targeted and immune therapies."

The Phase 1, first-in-human, open-label multicenter study enrolled 35 patients with various tumour types (14 non-small cell lung cancer [NSCLC], 19 colorectal cancer [CRC] and two other). Eligible patients were heavily pretreated with at least two or more prior lines of treatment, consistent with their tumour type and stage of disease. The primary endpoint is safety, and key secondary endpoints include pharmacokinetics, objective response rate (assessed every six weeks), duration of response and progression-free survival. Patients were enrolled in four dose cohorts - 180 mg, 360 mg, 720 mg and 960 mg, taken orally once a day. 

Five out of 10 evaluable patients with NSCLC experienced a partial response (PR), and another four had stable disease (SD), for a disease control rate (DCR) of 90 per cent (9/10).1 All five patients with response to therapy had a treatment duration of 7.3-27.4 weeks at data cutoff and remain active on treatment. One patient with PR improved further to a complete response of the target lesions at week 18, post data cutoff.

In addition, 13 of 18 evaluable patients with CRC achieved SD, with the majority of CRC patients treated at the first two dose levels. Twenty-six patients remain on study and nine have discontinued.

Treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were primarily grade 1 events (approximately 68 per cent). Two grade 3 treatment-related AEs were reported (anemia and diarrhea). No grade 4 treatment-related AEs and no serious treatment-related AEs were reported. Enrollment into dose expansion is underway.

"While there's been significant progress in treating solid tumour cancers overall with targeted therapies, patients with the KRASG12C mutation have not benefited from these advances," said Marwan G. Fakih, M.D., clinical study investigator and co-director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Program, City of Hope, Duarte, Calif. "In this early Phase 1 trial, investigational AMG 510 showed anti-tumour activity. We look forward to further investigating AMG 510 with the goal of closing the treatment gap for patients with this type of mutation."

About KRAS

The subject of more than three decades of research, the RAS gene family are the most frequently mutated oncogenes in human cancers.2,3 Within this familyKRAS is the most prevalent variant and is particularly common in solid tumours.3 A specific mutation known as KRASG12C accounts for approximately 13 per cent of non-small cell lung cancers, three to five per cent of colorectal cancers and one to two per cent of numerous other solid tumours.4 Amgen is exploring the potential of KRASG12C inhibition across a broad variety of tumour types.

About Amgen Canada

As a leader in innovation, Amgen Canada understands the value of science. With main operations located in Mississauga, Ont.'s vibrant biomedical cluster, and its research facility in Burnaby, B.C., Amgen Canada has been an important contributor to advancements in science and innovation in Canada since 1991. The company contributes to the development of new therapies and new ways of using existing medicines in partnership with many of Canada's leading health-care, academic, research, government and patient organizations. To learn more about Amgen Canada, visit www.amgen.ca.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the current expectations and beliefs of Amgen Inc. and its subsidiaries. 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 reports filed by Amgen Inc., including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. Unless otherwise noted, Amgen is providing this information as of the date of this news release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those we project. Our results may be affected by our ability to successfully market both new and existing products domestically and internationally, clinical and regulatory developments involving current and future products, sales growth of recently launched products, competition from other products including biosimilars, difficulties or delays in manufacturing our products and global economic conditions. In addition, sales of our products (including products of our wholly-owned subsidiaries) are affected by pricing pressure, political and public scrutiny and reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers, including governments, private insurance plans and managed care providers and may be affected by regulatory, clinical and guideline developments and domestic and international trends toward managed care and healthcare cost containment. Furthermore, our research, testing, pricing, marketing and other operations are subject to extensive regulation by domestic and foreign government regulatory authorities. 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. In addition, our business may be impacted by the adoption of new tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities. Further, while we routinely obtain patents for our products and technology, the protection offered by our patents and patent applications may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by our competitors, or we may fail to prevail in present and future intellectual property litigation. We perform a substantial amount of our commercial manufacturing activities at a few key facilities, including in Puerto Rico, and also depend on third parties for a portion of our manufacturing activities, and limits on supply may constrain sales of certain of our current products and product candidate development. In addition, we compete with other companies with respect to many of our marketed products as well as for the discovery and development of new products. Discovery or identification of new product candidates cannot be guaranteed and movement from concept to product is uncertain; consequently, there can be no guarantee that any particular product candidate will be successful and become a commercial product. Further, some raw materials, medical devices and component parts for our products are supplied by sole third-party suppliers. The discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of our products that implicate an entire class of products could have a material adverse effect on sales of the affected products and on our business and results of operations. Our efforts to acquire other companies or products and to integrate the operations of companies we have acquired may not be successful. We may not be able to access the capital and credit markets on terms that are favorable to us, or at all. We are increasingly dependent on information technology systems, infrastructure and data security. Our stock price is volatile and may be affected by a number of events. Our business performance could affect or limit the ability of our Board of Directors to declare a dividend or our ability to pay a dividend or repurchase our common stock. 

The scientific information discussed in this news release related to our product candidates is preliminary and investigative. Such product candidates are not approved by Health Canada, and no conclusions can or should be drawn regarding the safety or effectiveness of the product candidates.

References

1.Eisenhauer EA, Therasse P, Bogaerts J, et al. New response evaluation criteria in solid tumours: Revised RECIST guideline (version 1.1). European Journal of Cancer. 2009;45:228-247.
2.Cox A, et al. Drugging the undruggable RAS: Mission Possible? Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. 2014;13(11):828-851.
3.Fernandez-Medarde A, Santos E. Ras in Cancer and Developmental Diseases. Genes Cancer. 2011;2(3):344-358.
4.Lipford, JR. Pre-clinical development of AMG 510: the first inhibitor of KRASG12C in clinical testing. Oral presentation at AACR 2019; Atlanta, GA. March 29-April 3, 2019.

SOURCE Amgen Canada

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