Mersana Therapeutics Initiates Expansion Portion of UPGRADE-A Combination Clinical Trial in Platinum-Sensitive Ovarian Cancer
02 February 2023 - 12:00AM
Mersana Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRSN), a clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing a
pipeline of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting cancers in
areas of high unmet medical need, today announced that patient
dosing is underway in the expansion portion of its UPGRADE-A
clinical trial of UpRi in combination with carboplatin in
platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. UpRi is Mersana’s first-in-class
NaPi2b-targeting ADC with a novel scaffold-linker-payload designed
to enable a high drug-to-antibody ratio and controlled bystander
effect.
“While the combination of carboplatin and paclitaxel has
historically served as the standard of care in early lines of
therapy for platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer, it is limited by
distinct tolerability and side effect challenges that can include
severe neutropenia, peripheral neuropathy and alopecia,” said Dr.
Arvin Yang, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of
Mersana Therapeutics. “With UPGRADE-A, we are investigating the
potential benefits of replacing paclitaxel with UpRi in the
induction phase of treatment and then continuing UpRi as
maintenance monotherapy. We are pleased to enter this exciting new
phase of the trial.”
UPGRADE-A is a Phase 1 open-label trial evaluating the
combination of UpRi and carboplatin in patients with
platinum-sensitive high-grade serous ovarian cancer following one
to three prior lines of treatment. Patients in the trial receive
combination treatment every four weeks for six cycles followed by
UpRi as a single-agent maintenance therapy. While patients in the
trial are not preselected for NaPi2b-positive status, archival or
fresh tissue is required for retrospective assessment of
expression.
The escalation portion of the trial investigated carboplatin
combined with UpRi doses up to 36 mg/m2. There were no
dose-limiting toxicities at this dose level. Consistent with
Mersana’s UP-NEXT Phase 3 clinical trial, a 30mg/m2 dose of UpRi
has been chosen for the dose expansion portion of UPGRADE-A.
Mersana expects to report interim data from UPGRADE-A in the second
half of 2023.
About Mersana TherapeuticsMersana Therapeutics
is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company using its
differentiated and proprietary ADC platforms to rapidly develop
novel ADCs with optimal efficacy, safety and tolerability to
meaningfully improve the lives of people fighting cancer. Mersana’s
lead product candidate, upifitamab rilsodotin (UpRi), is a
Dolaflexin ADC targeting NaPi2b that is being studied in UPLIFT, a
single-arm registrational trial in patients with platinum-resistant
ovarian cancer; UPGRADE-A, a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating UpRi
in combination with carboplatin; and UP-NEXT, a Phase 3 clinical
trial of UpRi as monotherapy maintenance following treatment with
platinum doublets in recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer.
Mersana is also advancing XMT-1660, a Dolasynthen ADC targeting
B7-H4, and XMT-2056, an Immunosynthen ADC targeting a novel epitope
of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), in addition to
other earlier-stage assets. In addition, multiple partners are
using Mersana’s platforms to advance their ADC pipelines. Mersana
routinely posts information that may be useful to investors on the
“Investors & Media” section of its website at
www.mersana.com.
Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release
contains “forward-looking” statements and information within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
These statements may be identified by words such as “aims,”
“anticipates,” “believes,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,”
“forecasts,” “goal,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “possible,”
“potential,” “seeks,” “will” and variations of these words or
similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements
contain these words. Forward-looking statements in this press
release include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the
therapeutic potential of Mersana’s product candidates, including
UpRi, and the design, progression, timing and objectives of
Mersana’s clinical trials and the release of data from those
trials, including UPGRADE-A. Mersana may not actually achieve the
plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in these
forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance
on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could
differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations
disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of
various factors, including, among other things, uncertainties
inherent in research and development, in the initiation and
advancement of clinical trials and in the clinical development of
Mersana’s product candidates; the risk that Mersana may not realize
the intended benefits of its platforms, technology and
collaborations; whether the outcomes of preclinical studies will be
predictive of clinical trial results; whether initial or interim
results from a clinical trial will be predictive of the final
results of the trial or the results of future trials; risks to
clinical trial site initiation, patient enrollment and follow-up,
as well as to Mersana’s ability to meet other anticipated deadlines
and milestones, whether presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
or otherwise; and other important factors, any of which could cause
Mersana’s actual results to differ from those contained in the
forward-looking statements, that are described in greater detail in
the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Mersana’s Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”) on November 7, 2022, as well as in other filings Mersana
may make with the SEC in the future. Any forward-looking statements
contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof,
and Mersana expressly disclaims any obligation to update any
forward-looking statements contained herein, whether because of any
new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise,
except as otherwise required by law.
Contact:Jason Fredette
617-498-0020jason.fredette@mersana.com
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