HUTCHMED Earns $15M AstraZeneca Milestone

HUTCHMED has received a $15 million milestone payment from AstraZeneca triggered by the initiation of start-up activities for SAFFRON, the first global Phase III study for ORPATHYS in combination with TAGRISSO in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with mesenchymal epithelial transition receptor (MET) driven tumors following progression after TAGRISSO. 
 

SAFFRON is expected to begin enrolling patients in mid-2022 and follows important lessons learned from the SAVANNAH study.
 

To date, HUTCHMED has received $85 million of the $140 million in upfront payments, development and first-sale milestones due under the license and collaboration agreement with AstraZeneca.

Savolitinib is an oral, potent, and highly selective MET TKI that has demonstrated clinical activity in advanced solid tumors. It blocks atypical activation of the MET receptor tyrosine kinase pathway that occurs because of mutations (such as exon 14 skipping alterations or other point mutations) or gene amplification.
 

Savolitinib is marketed in China under the brand name ORPATHYS for the treatment of patients with NSCLC with MET exon 14 skipping alterations who have progressed following prior systemic therapy or are unable to receive chemotherapy. It is currently under clinical development for multiple tumor types, including lung, kidney, and gastric cancers, as a single treatment and in combination with other medicines.