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HOOKIPA Pharma Announces Positive Preliminary Phase 2 Data on HB-200 in Combination with Pembrolizumab in Patients with HPV16+ Head and Neck Cancers HB-200 in combination with pembrolizumab doubled the objective response

Key Takeaway: HOOKIPA Pharma Announces Positive Preliminary Phase 2 Data on HB-200 in Combination with Pembrolizumab in Patients with HPV16+ Head and Neck Cancers NEW YORK and VIENNA, May 31st , 2023 - HOOKIPA Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOK, HOOKIPA'), a company developing a new class of immunot

Full Press Release Details

HOOKIPA Pharma Announces Positive Preliminary
Phase 2 Data on HB-200 in Combination with Pembrolizumab in Patients with HPV16+ Head and Neck Cancers
NEW YORK and VIENNA,
May 31st , 2023 - HOOKIPA Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOK, HOOKIPA'), a company developing a new class of immunotherapeutics
based on its proprietary arenavirus platform, today announced positive preliminary data from its ongoing Phase 2 study of HB-200 in combination
with pembrolizumab in patients with recurrent/metastatic Human Papillomavirus 16-positive (HPV16+) head and neck cancer. New data show
a 43 percent objective response rate (ORR) with HB-200 in combination with pembrolizumab in checkpoint inhibitor (CPI)-na ve patients,
doubling the 19 percent response rate for pembrolizumab alone. HOOKIPA plans to share the full data at a medical conference later this
year and is preparing to start a pivotal trial of HB-200 in combination with pembrolizumab in the 1st-line setting in 2024.
The company will host a webcast call June 1st at 8:00 a.m. EDT.
"Given the unmet medical need for patients
with recurrent/metastatic HPV16+ head and neck cancers, we are thrilled to share the preliminary data on HB-200 in combination with pembrolizumab
as they show a robust improvement in objective response rate and prolonged tumor control compared to pembrolizumab alone," said
Joern Aldag, Chief Executive Officer at HOOKIPA. "Efficacy, immunogenicity and safety data observed in our HB-200 program to-date
support our decision to progress to a pivotal trial of HB-200 in combination with pembrolizumab as 1st-line treatment for these
patients. The data also underscore the scalability of our arenaviral platform across a range of cancers."
HB-200 results (NCT04180215)
As of March 31, 2023, 35 patients with HPV16+
recurrent/metastatic head and neck cancers received HB-200 in combination with pembrolizumab as part of the Phase 2 study: 20 patients
were treated with HB-200 and pembrolizumab in the 1st-line setting and 15 in the 2nd-line setting. All received
HB-200 intravenously every three weeks for the first five doses and every six weeks thereafter. HB-200 means 2-vector therapy with alternating
application of HB-201 (LCMV), HB-202 (PICV) vectors, encoding HPV16 E6/E7 antigens.
in combination with pembrolizumab demonstrated promising anti-tumor activity with a 43 percent objective response
rate (6 of 14 patients with confirmed responses by investigator assessment under RECIST 1.1) among
CPI-na ve patients with recurrent/metastatic HPV16+ PD-L1+ head and neck cancer. These data represent a doubling of the 19 percent
objective response rate reported with pembrolizumab alone.1
As of March 31, 2023, 14 patients with at least two imaging assessments were included in the interim efficacy analysis.
Six patients responded (one with confirmed complete response and five with confirmed partial responses), with a 71 percent disease control
rate (10 of 14 patients), meaning stable disease or a complete or partial response. While recruitment is ongoing, based on these data,
HOOKIPA is preparing to start a pivotal trial of HB-200 in combination with pembrolizumab as 1st-line treatment of recurrent/metastatic
HPV16+ PD-L1+ head and neck cancers in 2024.
plus combination data
on HB-200 in combination with pembrolizumab in the 2nd-line plus setting are trending positively in this small initial cohort,
but they are preliminary and need further maturation. As of March 31, 2023, five patients with at least two imaging assessments were included
in the interim efficacy analysis based on RECIST 1.1. Preliminary results show one confirmed partial response and three patients with
stable disease. Preliminary median progression-free survival in this small cohort was 5.3 months. Enrollment is ongoing, and a decision
on a potential path forward in the 2nd-line plus setting will be made in 2024.
the limited options for heavily pre-treated patients with recurrent/metastatic HPV16+ head and neck cancers, HOOKIPA continues to evaluate
HB-200 as monotherapy among these patients in the ongoing Phase 1/2 trial. Follow-up data show HB-200 monotherapy demonstrated a preliminary
median overall survival of 14.2 months in the intent-to-treat population, indicating potential for prolonged clinical benefit in this
heavily pre-treated population. These data are based on 11 patients who received HB-200 as monotherapy at the same dose being evaluated
in combination with pembrolizumab, with a median follow-up period of 12.8 months. Additional patients are also being followed to continue
to assess median overall survival in a larger cohort.
Importantly, new follow-up data from heavily pre-treated
patients show an association between the induction of unprecedented levels of functional T cells after treatment with HB-200 monotherapy
and clinical benefit. T cell increases were rapid and sustained for at least 8 months, as of data cut-off. Patients who achieved disease
control after treatment with HB-200 monotherapy generally had greater CD8+ T cell infiltration in tumors compared to patients whose disease
progressed, suggesting an association of HB-200-induced T cells and clinical benefit.
Safety and tolerability profile
Results from the Phase 1/2 study showed that HB-200
was generally well tolerated among 132 patients treated. The safety profile was similar for patients who received HB-200 monotherapy or
HB-200 in combination with pembrolizumab. This favorable tolerability profile highlights the potential of HB-200 - and arenaviral
immunotherapies in general - to be combined with other immunotherapies where tumor antigen-specific T cells are needed. Only seven
percent of patients showed serious adverse events related to the treatment with HB-200. Only two percent of patients discontinued due
Harrington et al. Pembrolizumab With or Without Chemotherapy in Recurrent or Metastatic Head
and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Updated Results of the Phase III KEYNOTE-048 Study. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2023;41(4);790-802.
Webcast: HOOKIPA will host a live webcast
on June 1, 2023 at 8:00 a.m. EDT. Joern Aldag, Chief Executive Officer, Katia Schlienger M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer, and Klaus
Orlinger, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer will provide an overview of the HB-200 data and future plans for HOOKIPA's oncology program.
Alan Ho, M.D., Ph.D., a study investigator, will also
offer commentary on the unmet medical need for patients with head and neck cancer.
Dial In: +1 646 876 9923
UK Dial In: +44 208 080 6591
Austria Dial In: +43 72 011 5988
Webinar ID: 899 3030 4628
Webcast: Link
The webcast and the presentation will be available
within the Investors & Media section of HOOKIPA's website at https://ir.hookipapharma.com/events. An archived replay will be
accessible for 30 days following the event.
HB-200 is HOOKIPA's lead oncology candidate
engineered with the company's proprietary replicating arenaviral vector platform. It comprises two single-vector compounds with
arenaviral backbones based on lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus and pichinde virus. Both express the same transgene encoding an E7E6
fusion protein derived from HPV16. HB-200 is an alternating 2-vector immunotherapy designed to further focus the immune response against
the encoded antigen. HB-200 in combination with pembrolizumab received Fast Track Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
for the treatment of 1st-line recurrent/metastatic HPV16+ head and neck cancers.
About the HB-200 trial (NCT04180215)
This Phase 1/2 clinical trial is an open-label
trial evaluating HB-200 for the treatment of advanced HPV16+ cancers. Phase 1 assessed various dose levels, regimen, and modes of administration
in a post-standard of care setting. Based on safety and tolerability, initial anti-tumor activity and T cell response data, HB-200 advanced
for further development in Phase 2.
The Phase 2 part of the trial is open-label with
primary endpoints of efficacy based on objective response and disease control rate as defined by RECIST 1.1 and iRECIST. The trial is
evaluating HB-200 in combination with pembrolizumab in the 1st-line and 2nd-line plus settings, as well as HB-200
alone in the post-standard of care setting. HOOKIPA anticipates sharing an additional data update at an upcoming medical conference.
Human Papillomavirus-driven Cancers
Human Papillomavirus,
or HPV, is a common viral infection estimated to cause about 5 percent of the worldwide cancer burden. This includes up to 60 percent
of head and neck, 89 percent of cervical, 78 percent of vaginal, 88 percent of anal, 67 percent of vulvar and 50 percent of penile cancers.
While there are numerous HPV types associated
with cancer, HPV16 is the most common cause of cancer. Most HPV infections are cleared from the body with no lasting consequences. However,
in some cases, HPV DNA becomes integrated into chromosomal DNA. When host cells take up this DNA, they express the HPV E6 and E7 proteins.
This uptake can potentially lead to cancer since expression of these proteins leads to alterations in cell cycle control, which in turn
predisposes these cells to become cancerous.
HOOKIPA Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOK) is a
clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel immunotherapies, based on its
proprietary arenavirus platform, which are designed to mobilize and amplify targeted T cells and thereby fight or prevent serious disease. HOOKIPA's
replicating and non-replicating technologies are engineered to induce robust and durable antigen-specific CD8+ T cell responses and
pathogen-neutralizing antibodies. HOOKIPA's pipeline includes its wholly owned investigational arenaviral immunotherapies
targeting Human Papillomavirus 16-positive cancers, prostate cancers, and other undisclosed programs. HOOKIPA is collaborating with
Roche on an arenaviral immunotherapeutic for KRAS-mutated cancers. In addition, HOOKIPA aims to develop functional cures of HBV and
HIV in collaboration with Gilead.
Find out more about HOOKIPA online at www.hookipapharma.com.
Forward Looking Statements
statements set forth in this press release constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Last updated: May 31, 2023