The Max Foundation (Max), a global nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating health equity by delivering medication, technology, and supportive services to patients worldwide, BeiGene, a global biotechnology company, and the BeiGene Foundation, a nonprofit charitable foundation, today announced a collaboration to provide access to BRUKINSA (zanubrutinib) for the treatment of adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in 29 low- and middle-income countries over the next three years. This collaboration advances each organization’s focus on patient access by combining Max’s expertise and infrastructure with a donated product from BeiGene, and a grant from the BeiGene Foundation.
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“We are thrilled to partner with BeiGene to help people living with CLL in low- and middle-income countries have access to BRUKINSA,” said Pat Garcia-Gonzalez, CEO of Max. “This collaboration marks the first time patients with CLL will have access to treatment through Max. We commend BeiGene for joining our Humanitarian Partnership for Access to Cancer Treatments (Humanitarian PACT) the same year BRUKINSA received its U.S. approval in CLL, demonstrating a powerful commitment to health equity for patients regardless of where they live.”
The Humanitarian PACT is a collaboration among professional, nonprofit, and commercial organizations that share the commitment of Max to increase global access to treatment, care, and support for people living with cancer. Members of the Humanitarian PACT agree to invest resources and/or their unique organizational knowledge and capabilities to support the expansion of Max’s proven treatment access model.
“When I started BeiGene, my goal was to ensure more patients have access to critical medicines regardless of geography or socioeconomic status,” said John V. Oyler, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of BeiGene. “This collaboration with Max is a critical step in achieving this objective and emphasizes the necessity of high-impact partnerships to remove some of the obstacles that prevent patients’ access to treatment.”
During the second half of 2023, Max will partner with leading physicians in target low- and middle-income countries to set up a robust access pathway for patients for whom they prescribe BRUKINSA. CLL is the most common leukemia in adults, accounting for about one third of new cases of leukemia worldwide1. Globally, there are around 40,000 deaths due to CLL per year2.
About The Max Foundation
The Max Foundation is a global health nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating health equity. For 26 years, Max has pioneered practical, scalable, high-quality solutions to bring lifesaving treatments and patient-centered health care to more than 100,000 people living with cancer and critical illness in low- and middle-income countries. Max believes in a world where all people can access high-impact medicines, where geography is not destiny, and where everyone can strive for health with dignity and with hope. Learn more at www.themaxfoundation.org.
About BeiGene
BeiGene is a global biotechnology company that is discovering and developing innovative oncology treatments that are more affordable and accessible to cancer patients worldwide. With a broad portfolio, we are expediting development of our diverse pipeline of novel therapeutics through our internal capabilities and collaborations. We are committed to radically improving access to medicines for far more patients who need them. Our growing global team of more than 9,400 colleagues spans five continents, with administrative offices in Basel; Beijing; and Cambridge, U.S. To learn more about BeiGene, please visit www.beigene.com and follow us on Twitter at @BeiGeneGlobal.
About the BeiGene Foundation
The BeiGene Foundation is a charitable organization established by BeiGene, Ltd. It is a separate legal entity from BeiGene, Ltd. with distinct legal restrictions. The foundation’s mission is to deliver health equity, access to quality healthcare, disaster relief, and community engagement.
BRUKINSA® (zanubrutinib) U.S. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Warnings and Precautions
Hemorrhage
Fatal and serious hemorrhage has occurred in patients with hematological malignancies treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy. Grade 3 or higher hemorrhage, including intracranial and gastrointestinal hemorrhage, hematuria and hemothorax have been reported in 3.6% of patients treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy in clinical trials, with fatalities occurring in 0.3% of patients. Bleeding of any grade, excluding purpura and petechiae, occurred in 30% of patients.
Bleeding has occurred in patients with and without concomitant antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy. Coadministration of BRUKINSA with antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications may further increase the risk of hemorrhage.
Monitor for signs and symptoms of bleeding. Discontinue BRUKINSA if intracranial hemorrhage of any grade occurs. Consider the benefit-risk of withholding BRUKINSA for 3-7 days pre- and post-surgery depending upon the type of surgery and the risk of bleeding.
Infections
Fatal and serious infections (including bacterial, viral, or fungal infections) and opportunistic infections have occurred in patients with hematological malignancies treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy. Grade 3 or higher infections occurred in 24% of patients, most commonly pneumonia (11%), with fatal infections occurring in 2.9% of patients. Infections due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation have occurred.
Consider prophylaxis for herpes simplex virus, pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, and other infections according to standard of care in patients who are at increased risk for infections. Monitor and evaluate patients for fever or other signs and symptoms of infection and treat appropriately.
Cytopenias
Grade 3 or 4 cytopenias, including neutropenia (22%), thrombocytopenia (8%) and anemia (7%) based on laboratory measurements, developed in patients treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy. Grade 4 neutropenia occurred in 11% of patients, and Grade 4 thrombocytopenia occurred in 2.8% of patients.
Monitor complete blood counts regularly during treatment and interrupt treatment, reduce the dose, or discontinue treatment as warranted. Treat using growth factor or transfusions, as needed.
Second Primary Malignancies
Second primary malignancies, including non-skin carcinoma, have occurred in 13% of patients treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy. The most frequent second primary malignancy was non-melanoma skin cancer reported in 7% of patients. Other second primary malignancies included malignant solid tumors (5%), melanoma (1.2%), and hematologic malignancies (0.5%). Advise patients to use sun protection and monitor patients for the development of second primary malignancies.
Cardiac Arrhythmias
Serious cardiac arrhythmias have occurred in patients treated with BRUKINSA. Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter were reported in 3.7% of 1550 patients treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy, including Grade 3 or higher cases in 1.7% of patients. Patients with cardiac risk factors, hypertension, and acute infections may be at increased risk. Grade 3 or higher ventricular arrhythmias were reported in 0.2% of patients.
Monitor for signs and symptoms of cardiac arrhythmias (e.g., palpitations, dizziness, syncope, dyspnea, chest discomfort), manage appropriately, and consider the risks and benefits of continued BRUKINSA treatment.
Embryo-Fetal Toxicity
Based on findings in animals, BRUKINSA can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Administration of zanubrutinib to pregnant rats during the period of organogenesis caused embryo-fetal toxicity, including malformations at exposures that were 5 times higher than those reported in patients at the recommended dose of 160 mg twice daily. Advise women to avoid becoming pregnant while taking BRUKINSA and for 1 week after the last dose. Advise men to avoid fathering a child during treatment and for 1 week after the last dose. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to a fetus.
Adverse Reactions
In this pooled safety population, the most common adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, in ≥30% of patients who received BRUKINSA (N=1550) included decreased neutrophil count (42%), upper respiratory tract infection (39%), decreased platelet count (34%), hemorrhage (30%), and musculoskeletal pain (30%).
Drug Interactions
CYP3A Inhibitors: When BRUKINSA is co-administered with a strong CYP3A inhibitor, reduce BRUKINSA dose to 80 mg once daily. For coadministration with a moderate CYP3A inhibitor, reduce BRUKINSA dose to 80 mg twice daily.
CYP3A Inducers: Avoid coadministration with strong or moderate CYP3A inducers. Dose adjustment may be recommended with moderate CYP3A inducers.
Specific Populations
Hepatic Impairment: The recommended dose of BRUKINSA for patients with severe hepatic impairment is 80 mg orally twice daily.
INDICATIONS
BRUKINSA is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL)
- Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM)
- Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who have received at least one prior therapy
- Relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) who have received at least one anti-CD20-based regimen
The MCL and MZL indications are approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate. Continued approval for these indications may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.
Please see full Prescribing Information at www.beigene.com/PDF/BRUKINSAUSPI.pdf and Patient Information at www.beigene.com/PDF/BRUKINSAUSPPI.pdf
BeiGene’s Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws, including statements regarding the potential for the collaboration among Max, BeiGene and the BeiGene Foundation to provide more patients access to BRUKINSA; the benefit of BRUKINSA to adult patients with CLL; BeiGene’s efforts to make BRUKINSA more broadly available to patients and to advance health equity; and BeiGene’s plans, commitments, aspirations, and goals under the heading “About BeiGene.” Actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including BeiGene's ability to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of its drug candidates; the clinical results for its drug candidates, which may not support further development or marketing approval; actions of regulatory agencies, which may affect the initiation, timing, and progress of clinical trials and marketing approval; BeiGene's ability to achieve commercial success for its marketed medicines and drug candidates, if approved; BeiGene's ability to obtain and maintain protection of intellectual property for its medicines and technology; BeiGene's reliance on third parties to conduct drug development, manufacturing, and other services; BeiGene’s limited experience in obtaining regulatory approvals and commercializing pharmaceutical products and its ability to obtain additional funding for operations and to complete the development and commercialization of its drug candidates and achieve and maintain profitability; and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on BeiGene’s clinical development, regulatory, commercial, manufacturing, and other operations, as well as those risks more fully discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in BeiGene’s most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in BeiGene's subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and BeiGene undertakes no duty to update such information unless required by law.
1,2 Yao Y, Lin X, Li F, Jin J, Wang H. The global burden and attributable risk factors of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019: analysis based on the global burden of disease study 2019. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35016695/
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Contacts
Eliza Schleifstein, The Max Foundation
(917) 763-8106
eliza@schleifsteinpr.com
Kyle Blankenship, BeiGene
media@beigene.com
(667) 351-5176