BB BIOTECH AG
BB BIOTECH AG: Novel drugs to battle cancer on the verge of market launch
Media release, June 19, 2017 Immunotherapies were again the center of attention at the world’s largest gathering of oncology specialists. BB Biotech has long been positioned in this promising theme. Oncology accounts for 41.5% of the company’s investment portfolio. Fighting tumor cells with immunotherapies Among the various new cancer gene therapies in development, the greatest progress has recently been made with chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies. In these therapies, T-cells are modified to detect and destroy malignant tumors. To achieve this, T-cells are extracted from a patient’s blood, genetically modified in a laboratory, cultured and then reinfused into the patient. The “loaded” immune system cells then detect and attack the tumor cells. The main problem with this approach is that the modified T-cells can cause the body’s immune system to overreact. This can lead to the cytokine release syndrome, in which T-cells also attack the body’s own normal B lymphocytes. These are immune cells that secrete antibodies to protect the body against infection. BB Biotech’s portfolio companies at ASCO 2017 Kite Pharma and Juno Therapeutics, two of BB Biotech’s more recent investments with CAR-T programs, presented clinical data at the conference. Kite Pharma only gave an update of the positive data on its lead candidate KTE-C19 for the treatment of B-cell lymphoma that the company had already published at the end of February. Marketing approval for KTE-C19 in this indication is expected to be granted by the end of the year. The gains made by Kite Pharma’s shares after the conference are another indicator that this company is back on the radar screens of an increasing number of investors. Juno Therapeutics also presented very good efficacy data in the same indication with a very high response rate. However, BB Biotech’s experts believe Juno must first confirm these very encouraging results in a trial with more patients to differentiate the effectiveness and safety of its product from Kite’s, which is on the verge of receiving regulatory approval. Unlike in the previous years, BB Biotech’s core shareholding Celgene did not present data from its own trials at this year’s conference. Instead, it published final data on its top drug candidate enasidenib, which is being tested with its cooperation partner Agios, likewise a portfolio shareholding, in acute myeloid leukemia. Enasidenib showed an impressive overall response rate of more than 40% in relapsed or refractory AML, a particularly aggressive blood cancer for which current treatment options are ineffective in significantly prolonging patient survival. BB Biotech assumes that Agios will be granted regulatory approval in this indication during the course of 2017. Oncology a key pillar in BB Biotech’s portfolio In today’s age with the ongoing political noise over drug pricing and the drug reimbursement policies of government-run agencies, pricing strategies for anti-cancer medicines are likewise being influenced by pharmacoeconomic aspects. That said, biotech firms in the field of oncology will still have greater leeway when setting their pricing strategies as long as their newly approved products show a high benefit with respect to longer survival times and improved quality of life for patients in clinical trials. As for its investment strategy, BB Biotech will continue to maintain a well-balanced portfolio consisting of profitable market leaders and mid-sized players with drug candidates that are about to enter the market. The Investment Team is confident that a steady stream of clinical readouts as the year progresses and a growing number of product approvals versus last year will attract greater investor attention to the biotech sector as a whole – and help the stocks in its portfolio make further gains. For further information: TE-Communications AG, Bleichestrasse 11, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland
Company profile BB Biotech invests in companies in the fast growing market of biotechnology and is one of the world’s largest investors in this sector. BB Biotech is listed in Switzerland, Germany and Italy. Its investments are focused on listed companies that are developing and commercializing novel medical treatments and cures. BB Biotech’s investment selection process is guided by the fundamental research and analysis of physicians and molecular biologists. Its Board of Directors has many years of experience in industry and science. End of Media Release Issuer: BB BIOTECH AG Key word(s): Finance
19.06.2017 Dissemination of a Press Release, transmitted by DGAP – a service of EQS Group AG. |
Language: | English |
Company: | BB BIOTECH AG |
Schwertstrasse 6 | |
8200 Schaffhausen | |
Switzerland | |
Phone: | +41 52 624 08 45 |
E-mail: | info@bbbiotech.com |
Internet: | www.bbbiotech.ch |
ISIN: | CH0038389992 |
WKN: | A0NFN3 |
Listed: | Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart; SIX |
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