Polyphor Announces Third Positive Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) Recommendation to Continue Phase III balixafortide FORTRESS Study Without Modifications

ALLSCHWIL, Switzerland, Dec. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Polyphor AG (SIX: POLN) announced today that the clinical trial independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) has completed the third, pre-specified interim analysis, of safety outcomes based on a data cut off of 401 randomized patients in the Phase III pivotal study with balixafortide in HER2 negative, locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer patients. The DSMB indicated that the Phase III clinical study should continue without modifications.

"We are pleased with the DSMB recommendation that the Phase III clinical trial continues without any protocol modification," said Frank Weber, MD, CMDO of Polyphor. "We have completed the enrollment of the FORTRESS study with a total of 432 patients and are looking forward to data readouts on overall response rate (ORR) and Progression Free Survival (PFS) in Q2 and Q4 2021 respectively."

FORTRESS (POL6326-009) is an international, multicenter, randomized active-controlled, open-label Phase III trial which will investigate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of intravenous balixafortide given with eribulin versus eribulin alone in the treatment of HER2 negative, locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer. The study will comprise a total of 384 patients with HER2 negative MBC, of which 320 patients receiving third or subsequent line and 64 patients receiving second line chemotherapy. Subject to the data Polyphor will have the possibility to submit a filing for accelerated approval approximately six months after the recruitment is completed on the basis of the analysis of the overall response rate (ORR), confirmed by an independent blinded review, and of the associated durability of response. The full approval would be based on the magnitude of Progression Free Survival (PFS) on blinded independent review, supported by an overall survival trend favoring balixafortide arm and a favorable risk-benefit profile.

For more information about the POL6326-009 clinical trial of balixafortide, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov (Identifier: NCT03786094).

For further information please contact:

For Investors:

For Media:

Bernhard Schmid
LifeSci Advisors
+41 44 447 12 21
[email protected]

About Polyphor
Polyphor is a research-driven clinical-stage, Swiss biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering and developing first-in-class molecules in oncology and antimicrobial resistance leveraging the company’s leading macrocyclic peptide technology platform. Polyphor is advancing balixafortide (POL6326) in a Phase III trial in combination with eribulin in patients with advanced breast cancer and exploring its potential in other cancer indications. In addition, it has discovered and is developing the Outer Membrane Protein Targeting Antibiotics (OMPTA). OMPTA are potentially the first new class of antibiotics in clinical development in the last 50 years against Gram-negative bacteria. The company’s lead OMPTA program is an inhaled formulation of murepavadin for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. Polyphor is based in Allschwil near Basel and is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: POLN). For more information, please visit www.polyphor.com.

Disclaimer
This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current assumptions and forecasts of the Polyphor management. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors could lead to material differences between the forward-looking statements made here and the actual development, in particular Polyphor’s results, financial situation, and performance. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only of the date of this communication. Polyphor disclaims any intention or obligation to update and revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.