SAN DIEGO, Oct. 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:HALO), a biotechnology company developing novel oncology and drug-delivery therapies, today announced the publication of nonclinical data for PEGPH20 in Clinical Cancer Research, an American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) journal. PEGPH20 is the PEGylated version of Halozyme's proprietary recombinant human hyaluronidase enzyme, rHuPH20, that temporarily degrades hyaluronan (HA). HA is a naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan that can accumulate in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of certain solid tumor types.
The paper further characterizes the biological and physical changes associated with HA-accumulating (HA-high) tumors in mouse models demonstrating an association with increased collagen content, high tumor interstitial pressure (tIP), vascular collapse, hypoxia, drug resistance and increased metastatic potential. Treatment with PEGPH20 at the human equivalent dose degraded HA in the TME reversing these changes, and also depleted an important proangiogenic growth factor, VEGF-A165, suggesting that treatment with PEGPH20 may diminish the angiogenic potential of the TME.
"The publication of this preclinical work highlights PEGPH20's encouraging anti-tumor activity profile through the degradation of hyaluronan. In addition, for the first time, it presents evidence that PEGPH20 depletes stores of VEGF-A165, a key proangiogenic growth factor, suggesting that PEGPH20 may diminish the angiogenic potential of the tumor microenvironment," said Dr. Helen Torley, president and chief executive officer. "These data expand our understanding of the PEGPH20 mechanism of action and provide additional support for the potential for meaningful clinical responses in high hyaluronan accumulating tumors."
The accumulation of HA is common in many cancers, particularly in pancreatic cancer where increased HA accumulation predicts a less favorable outcome. A Phase 3 study evaluating the ability of PEGPH20 plus Abraxane® (nab-paclitaxel) and gemcitabine to increase Progression Free Survival and Overall Survival versus Abraxane and gemcitabine alone in metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients, is under way.
Key findings from the Clinical Cancer Research publication included:
- Accumulation of HA in tumors correlated with high tIP, vascular collapse, hypoxia, drug resistance and increased metastatic potential
- HA accumulation also correlated with increased collagen content and was associated with an increase in α-SMA
- Remodeling of the tumor microenvironment is mediated by the enzymatic removal of tumor HA
- Treatment with PEGPH20 at the human equivalent dose depleted tumor-associated VEGF-A165 to an undetectable level potentially reducing the angiogenic potential of the TME
The paper, titled "Parallel Accumulation of Tumor Hyaluronan, Collagen, and Other Drivers of Tumor Progression" was published online in Clinical Cancer Research on September 27, 2018.
About Halozyme
Halozyme Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing novel oncology therapies that target the tumor microenvironment. Halozyme's lead proprietary program, investigational drug pegvorhyaluronidase alfa (PEGPH20), applies a unique approach to targeting solid tumors, allowing increased access of co-administered cancer drug therapies to the tumor in animal models. PEGPH20 is currently in development for the treatment of several cancers and has the potential to be used in combination with different types of cancer therapies. In addition to its proprietary product portfolio, Halozyme has established value-driving partnerships with leading pharmaceutical companies including Roche, Baxalta, Pfizer, Janssen, AbbVie, Lilly, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Alexion for its ENHANZE® drug delivery technology. Halozyme is headquartered in San Diego. For more information visit www.halozyme.com.
Halozyme Safe Harbor Statement
In addition to historical information, the statements set forth above include forward-looking statements (including, without limitation, statements concerning the possible activity, benefits and attributes of PEGPH20, the possible method of action of PEGPH20, its potential application to improve cancer therapies and statements concerning future actions relating to the development of PEGPH20) that involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are typically, but not always, identified through use of the words "believe," "enable," "may," "will," "could," "intends," "estimate," "anticipate," "plan," "predict," "probable," "potential," "possible," "should," "continue," and other words of similar meaning. Actual results could differ materially from the expectations contained in forward-looking statements as a result of several factors, including unexpected expenditures and costs, unexpected results or delays in development and regulatory review, regulatory approval requirements, unexpected adverse events and competitive conditions. These and other factors that may result in differences are discussed in greater detail in the Company's most recent Annual and Quarterly Reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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