Antibody Drug Conjugates Make Progress for Cancer Therapy- Immunogen and Seattle Genetics
Many of our focus stocks were up today helped by a late day rally that brought the NASDAQ up 0.46% at the close. Major biotechnology ETF’s (IBB,XBI) also recovered with some green by the end of the day.The Rayno Life Science Portfolio was up 1% with the following significant winners on volume:
Biogen (BIIB $139.79) up 3.2%
Immunogen (IMGN $14.29) up 2.88%
Regeneron (REGN $125.94 up 1.62%
Seattle Genetics (SGEN $19.82) up 3.72%
One of our recent picks Immunogen (IMGN ) got an ASCO boost from their targeted antibody payload (TAP) technology announcing results from their Trastuzumab Emtansine (T-DM1) cancer killing agent Phase III EMILA trial conducted by Roche (Genentech). The data showed improved progression free survival of 9.6 mos. compared to 6.4 mos. for treatment of Her-2 positive metastatic breast cancer. In other news from Immunogen they announced presentation of new Phase 1 clinical data for SAR3419, a TAP drug for potential treatment of CD19+ non-Hodgkins lymphoma(NHL) and B-cell cancers in collaboration with Sanofi.
Another key player in antibody/drug conjugates Seattle Genetics announced Phase I data from ASG-5ME for treatment of castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and other solid tumors.ADCETRIS data for CD30 hematologic malignancies will also be forthcoming.
We are also reviewing Celldex Therapeutics (CLDX $4.08) up 2.26% who presented an ASCO Poster on CDX-110 for treatment of relapsed glioblastoma. Celldex has human monoclonal antibodies that can be targeted to APC’s or Antigen Presenting Cells with a developing pipeline for solid tumors and breast cancer.