STRASBOURG, France--(BUSINESSWIRE)--

Transgene (Paris:TNG), a biotech company designing and developing virus-based immunotherapies for the treatment of solid tumors, today announces that the independent Data Monitoring Committee (“IDMC”) of the PHOCUS study of Pexa-Vec in Liver Cancer has completed a planned interim futility analysis. Sillajen has informed Transgene of the IDMC’s recommendation to stop enrolment in the study, as the study is unlikely to meet its primary objective by the time of the final analysis. SillaJen has not reported safety concerns. Transgene will provide an update in an upcoming conference call.

The PHOCUS trial is a Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the oncolytic immunotherapy Pexa-Vec for advanced liver cancer patients who have not received prior systemic treatment for their cancer. The study is being conducted by Transgene’s partner, SillaJen.

In the PHOCUS study, patients were randomized to one of two treatment groups: one receiving Pexa-Vec followed by sorafenib and one receiving sorafenib alone. The primary objective of the study was to determine the overall survival of patients treated with Pexa-Vec, followed by sorafenib versus sorafenib alone. Secondary objectives included safety as well as assessments for tumor responses between the two groups as measured by the following endpoints: time to progression, progression-free survival, overall response rate and disease control rate.

About Pexa-Vec 
Pexa-Vec (JX-594) is an oncolytic immunotherapeutic based on an oncolytic vaccinia virus armed with a GM-CSF gene that promotes an anti-tumor immune response. Pexa-Vec is designed to selectively target and destroy cancer cells through three different mechanisms of action: selectively destroy cancer cells through the direct lysis (breakdown) of cancer cells through viral replication, reduce the blood supply to tumors through vascular disruption, and stimulate the body’s immune response against cancer cells. 
In a Phase 2 study, results of patients with advanced liver cancer showed that patients receiving the high dose had a statistically significant clinical improvement in terms of overall survival compared to the group receiving the low dose. Median overall survival was respectively 14.1 months in the high-dose group and 6.7 months in the low-dose group, which compares favorably with current approved treatments. (Heo J. et al., Nature Medicine, March 2013, doi: 10.1038/nm.3089) 
Transgene has exclusive rights to develop and commercialize Pexa-Vec for the treatment of solid tumors in Europe. Its partner SillaJen, Inc. is focused on developing Pexa-Vec for the North American market and has also granted exclusive development and commercial rights to Pexa-Vec in Hong Kong and The People’s Republic of China to Lee’s Pharmaceutical.

About Transgene 
With its proprietary Invir.IO^TM, Transgene builds on its expertise in viral vectors engineering to design a new generation of multifunctional oncolytic viruses. myvac^TM, an individualized MVA-based immunotherapy platform designed to integrate neoantigens, completes this innovative research portfolio. TG4050, the first candidate selected from the myvac^TM platform, will enter the clinic for the treatment of ovarian cancer and head and neck cancer.

Disclaimer 
This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. The occurrence of any of these risks could have a significant negative outcome for the Company’s activities, perspectives, financial situation, results, regulatory authorities’ agreement with development phases, and development. The Company’s ability to commercialize its products depends on but is not limited to the following factors: positive pre-clinical data may not be predictive of human clinical results, the success of clinical studies, the ability to obtain financing and/or partnerships for product manufacturing, development and commercialization, and marketing approval by government regulatory authorities. For a discussion of risks and uncertainties which could cause the Company’s actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors (“Facteurs de Risque”) section of the Document de Référence, available on the AMF website (http://www.amf-france.org) or on Transgene’s website (www.transgene.fr). Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and Transgene undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

Contacts

Transgene: 
Lucie Larguier 
Director Corporate Communications & IR 
+33 (0)3 88 27 91 04 
investorrelations@transgene.fr

Media: Citigate Dewe Rogerson 
EU: David Dible/Sylvie Berrebi 
US: Marine Perrier-Barthez 
+ 44 (0)20 3926 8507/+1 424 341 9140 
transgene@citigatedewerogerson.com