Preliminary immune monitoring data generated from TACTI-004 indicate
that patients treated with efti exhibited a markedly different immune activation profile compared with that observed in previous studies. This assessment is based on analyses of absolute lymphocyte counts (ALC) and circulating monocyte counts in
blood. In particular, these findings contrast with observations from almost 600 patients treated with efti in five earlier studies (AIPAC, AIPAC-003, TACTI-mel, TACTI-002 and TACTI-003), which were presented at ASCO 20262, and also contrast with observations from INSIGHT-003.
The TACTI-004 analysis, which includes all recruited and evaluable
patients who received a minimum of 12 weeks of treatment, remains ongoing, with additional results expected in Q3 CY2026. The Company will continue to analyse this data as part of its ongoing root cause analysis of a range of potential factors,
including manufacturing, and will share the outcome of that analysis as soon as it becomes available. Immutep is being assisted in this process by its partners, including Dr. Reddy’s and WuXi Biologics.
Marc Voigt, CEO of Immutep, said: “We are encouraged by the mature overall survival data from INSIGHT-003 in 1st line non-squamous NSCLC, which continue to compare favourably with historical benchmarks, particularly given the high proportion of patients in this study
with no or low PD-L1 expression. The observed median overall survival of 30.9 months especially in patients with no or low PD-L1 expression reinforces our confidence in efti’s potential to enhance
anti-tumour immune responses, including in patient populations that have historically experienced less favourable outcomes.
At the same time, we are
completing a comprehensive root cause analysis of TACTI-004 to better understand the factors underlying the outcome of that trial and their implications for the potential future development of efti. Importantly, the differences observed in the
immune activation profile between TACTI-004 and prior studies are providing valuable insights to inform our strategy as we evaluate efti’s potential path forward.”
Additional results from the root cause analysis related to TACTI-004 are expected in Q3 CY2026.
About Eftilagimod Alfa (Efti)
Efti is a novel
immunotherapy that directly activates antigen-presenting cells or APCs (e.g. dendritic cells, monocytes) via the MHC Class II pathway to fight cancer. As an MHC Class II agonist, its activation of APCs engages the adaptive and innate
immune system to initiate a broad anti-cancer immune response. This includes priming and activating cytotoxic T cells as well as generating important co-stimulatory signals and cytokines that further boost the
immune system’s ability to combat cancer.
Efti is under evaluation for a variety of solid tumours including
non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), soft tissue sarcoma, and breast cancer. Its favourable safety profile has enabled various combinations including with anti-PD-[L]1 immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy. Efti has received Fast Track designation in 1st line HNSCC and in 1st line NSCLC from the United States Food and
Drug Administration (FDA).
About Immutep
Immutep is
a clinical-stage biotechnology company targeting cancer and autoimmune diseases. The Company is developing novel immunotherapies based on Lymphocyte Activation Gene-3
(LAG-3). For more information, please visit www.immutep.com.