ImmunoGen, Inc. (IMGN) announced encouraging data on its experimental cancer treatment, IMGN529, which is being evaluated for the treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and other non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) subtypes. The data was presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH).
Data revealed that 4 out of 10 (40%) evaluable heavily pretreated DLBCL patients when treated with IMGN529 achieved objective responses. The responses included patients with one complete response (CR) and three partial responses (PRs). The CR patient and one of the PR patients had received the 1.0 mg/kg dose, the highest IMGN529 dose level to complete evaluation to date.
On the back of encouraging data, ImmunoGen intends to advance IMGN529 into disease-specific testing in 2015.
According to the American Cancer Society, DLBCL, an aggressive lymphoma, represents approximately one third of the new NHL cases diagnosed annually. Roughly more than 70,000 people are estimated to be diagnosed with NHL in the U.S. in 2014.
We are encouraged by ImmunoGen’s progress with its antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) pipeline so far. Apart from IMGN529, the company also has IMGN853 (ovarian and endometrial cancer), IMGN289 (different forms of cancer) and IMGN779 (acute myeloid leukemia) in its pipeline.
We note Roche’s (RHHBY) Kadcyla (HER2-positive breast cancer) was developed using ImmunoGen's ADC technology. The company receives and recognizes royalties on the sales of Kadcyla. Meanwhile, the company has partnerships with several leading health care companies including Amgen (AMGN) and Sanofi (SNY) among others for the development of compounds using its ADC technology.
ImmunoGen currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A better-ranked stock in the health care sector is Amgen carrying a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
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