Ascentage Pharma Announces Global Registrational Phase III Study of Lisaftoclax for First-line Treatment of Patients with Higher-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome Cleared by US FDA and EMA

Core Viewpoint - Ascentage Pharma has received FDA and EMA clearance for the GLORA-4 study, a Phase III trial for lisaftoclax in combination with azacitidine for treating higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (HR-MDS), marking a significant step towards addressing unmet medical needs in this area [1][2][3] Company Overview - Ascentage Pharma is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapies for cancer, with a strong pipeline that includes innovative drug candidates targeting key proteins in the apoptotic pathway [11][12] Study Details - The GLORA-4 study is a global, multi-center, randomized, double-blind Phase III trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lisaftoclax combined with azacitidine compared to placebo plus azacitidine in newly diagnosed adult patients with HR-MDS [3][4] - This study is the second registrational Phase III trial for lisaftoclax to receive clearance from both the FDA and EMA, with simultaneous patient enrollment across multiple countries [2][3] Clinical Need - There is a significant unmet clinical need for targeted therapies in first-line treatment for higher-risk MDS, as current options like hypomethylating agents (HMA) and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) have limitations [3][5] - The overall response rate (ORR) for HMAs is only 30-40%, with a complete response (CR) rate of 10-17%, highlighting the urgent need for innovative therapies [5][9] Clinical Data - Earlier studies of lisaftoclax in combination with azacitidine showed an ORR of 75%, significantly higher than HMAs alone, with a favorable safety profile and low incidence of severe hematologic toxicities [8][9] - The combination therapy demonstrated a low requirement for dose adjustments and no treatment-related mortalities within 60 days, indicating its potential as a superior treatment option [8][9] Expert Commentary - Experts emphasize the challenges in treating higher-risk MDS due to the limited efficacy of current therapies and the absence of breakthrough treatments in the last two decades, underscoring the importance of the GLORA-4 study [9][10]