Bayer HealthCare will present its latest data on copanlisib, an investigational compound for the treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), during the 13th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma (ICML). The conference occurs between June 17 to 20, 2015, in Lugano, Switzerland. Copanlisib is a pan-Class I phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor that predominantly inhibits the activity of both PI3K-α and PI3K-δ isoforms, and is currently being assessed in Phase III trials to address NHL. The PI3K pathway is linked to cell growth, metabolism and survival and upon deregulation plays a crucial role in NHL progression and development. Preclinical data on copanlisib has shown it can inhibit both isoforms at nanomolar concentrations. Copanlisib has not yet been approved by the European Medicines Agency, United States Food and Drug Administration or any health authority. However, an expanded clinical advancement program already includes two Phase III and Phase II studies.
A total of three posters will be presented: two on preclinical data with copanlisib and one concerning the trial design of the ongoing Phase II trial CHRONOS-1, evaluating copanlisib in patients with indolent NHL.
Bayer’s studies assessing copanlisib to be presented are as folows: Expression of PI3K isoforms and PTEN in follicular lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (Abstract #267, Dr. Soon Thye Lim); Copanlisib attenuates both BCR-dependent and BCR-independent activation of NFκB in DLBCL cells (Abstract #268, Dr. Juliane Paul) and CHRONOS-1: Phase II trial of intravenous phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase alpha/delta inhibitor copanlisib in patients with relapsed/refractory indolent NHL (Abstract #OT07, Dr. Martin Dreyling).
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) includes a very heterogeneous group of chronic diseases that have a poor associated prognosis. NHL is the most frequent hematologic malignancy, and includes follicular lymphomas, the most frequent subtype of indolent NHL. The medical community agrees that there is an urgent need to improved treatments to address these types of malignancies.
