enGene Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering novel non-viral gene therapies for local administration into mucosal tissues enabled by its proprietary DDX platform, today announced positive results from its LEGEND study, a first-in-human Phase 1/2 clinical trial of EG-70 for the treatment of high-grade Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC) in patients with carcinoma in situ (CIS) that are BCG-unresponsive.
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For over 30 years, the standard treatment for NMIBC has been BCG immunotherapy. However, the 60% disease recurrence and progression rates associated with BCG treatment have created an urgent unmet medical need for NMIBC patients who are left with very few options. Ultimately, the majority of NMIBC patients that do not respond to BCG will undergo radical cystectomy, a procedure in which the bladder is removed concurrently with other surrounding organs.
The results from LEGEND study to-date have shown that enGene’s novel intravesical monotherapy, EG-70, is safe and well tolerated, with encouraging clinical efficacy in high-grade NMIBC patients with CIS in whom BCG has failed. Of the six patients that have reached the 3-month efficacy assessment, five have achieved complete response (CR). This marks an 83% CR rate that is trending best-in-class for an intravesical monotherapy at the end of the first treatment cycle.
“The responses observed with EG-70 are an important step towards NMIBC patients avoiding radical cystectomy,” said Dr. Gary Steinberg, Professor and Director at the Perlmutter Cancer Center and Department of Urology Goldstein Urology Bladder Cancer Program of NYU Langone Health, and lead Principal Investigator for the LEGEND study. “If similar results are observed as the study progresses, I am confident that this novel intravesical monotherapy will make a meaningful impact in the lives of patients with high risk NMIBC.”
“We are thrilled to announce the safety and clinical efficacy of EG-70 in patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC who are facing bladder removal as an alternative,” said Jason Hanson, Chief Executive Officer at enGene. “EG-70 was designed ab initio as an intravesical monotherapy that would slot directly into current medical practice to provide ease-of-use and increased access to patients. With the initial results providing a clear best-in-class trajectory, we are confident that EG-70 will be the organ-sparing solution that is a game-changer for patients and physicians.”