Oncology company Terns Pharmaceuticals has announced encouraging results showing its candidate could be a best-in-class treatment for relapsed and refractory chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML).  

The Phase I trial of TERN-701 showed a 64% major molecular response (MMR) achievement rate across all efficacy evaluable patients, also proving its safe and tolerable profile in patients with longer treatment durations. 

The results are being presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition in Orlando, US. 

“While therapies for CML have come a long way since imatinib, there remains an unmet need for new drugs that achieve early, broad and deep responses with a safety/tolerability profile that allows long-term maintenance of response with improved quality of life for patients,” said Elias Jabbour, lead investigator on the Phase I study of TERN-701.  

“Based on the data to date, TERN-701 represents an innovative treatment option that has the potential to achieve this important goal. I am excited to help advance this therapy for the benefit of CML patients.” 

Emil Kuriakose, Chief Medical Officer of Terns, said the results show “unprecedented rates of MMR in a highly refractory population”. 

“In the recommended Phase II dose (RP2D) range, we see a 36% DMR achievement rate by 24 weeks, highlighting the fast response kinetics of TERN-701.  

“Importantly, with a median treatment duration of six months, we continue to see a favourable safety and tolerability profile at all doses, further positioning TERN-701 as the potential best-in-disease therapy in 2L+ and 1L CML, where we intend to focus pivotal clinical development.” 

Bruno Quinney, Content Team, DDW