CEL-SCI’s Head and Neck Cancer Registration Study Protocol Clears FDA Review—in Talks with Potential Partners Interested in Commercialization of Multikine
Growing body of data on PD-L1 as a cancer biomarker spurs interest
Working towards partnership for non-dilutive funding of the final confirmatory head and neck cancer Registration Study
VIENNA, Va., March 17, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CEL-SCI Corporation (NYSE American: CVM) today announced it received comments from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the confirmatory Registration Study’s Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP) submitted in December of 2024 for the study of Multikine* (Leukocyte Interleukin, Injection) as a neoadjuvant in the treatment of newly diagnosed previously untreated locally advanced head and neck cancer. The FDA stated no response to their comments were required from CEL-SCI and that the agency presently has no comments on the confirmatory study protocol, which was submitted for FDA review contemporaneously with the SAP in December 2024.
CEL-SCI’s 73,000 square foot Multikine manufacturing facility presently has the capacity to produce over 12,000 Multikine treatments per year. Over $200 million has been invested in the facility and the development and validation of its proprietary biologic manufacturing processes.
"Given Multikine’s excellent survival data, strong statistics and the recent focus on PD-L1 as a diagnostic biomarker for predicting the most effective treatment strategy for head and neck cancer, we are pursuing discussions with key parties to help CEL-SCI complete the last study needed in order to pursue marketing approval for Multikine," stated CEL-SCI CEO Geert Kersten.
"These discussions may lead to potential partnerships involving non-dilutive funding for the 212-patient confirmatory Registration Study designed to bring Multikine to market. We are seeing new interest from highly placed individuals and commercial entities that recognize that Multikine, based on its different mechanism of action, is uniquely positioned to treat about 70% of head and neck cancer patients who have low PD-L1 tumor expression, an area where commercially available PD-L1 inhibitors such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab cannot help. These data, combined with our dedicated Multikine manufacturing facility, position Multikine as a very attractive oncology asset," Kersten concluded.
CEL-SCI completed a randomized controlled Phase 3 study conducted in 928 locally advanced, resectable head and neck cancer stage 3 and 4a patients in 23 countries on 3 continents. The Phase 3 study demonstrated strong statistical results and improved survival with Multikine neoadjuvant treatment over control. The 5-year survival rate of the target patient population that will be treated in the confirmatory Registration Study increased to 73% when patients were treated with Multikine before standard of care vs 45% for control patients who received only the standard of care treatments. The survival advantage over control was accentuated in patients who had low to zero expression of PD-L1 on their tumors and had lower disease burden by having N0 (no nodal involvement).
About CEL-SCI Corporation
CEL-SCI believes that boosting a patient’s immune system before surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy have damaged it, should provide the greatest possible impact on survival. Multikine is designed to help the immune system "target" the tumor at a time when the immune system is still relatively intact and thereby thought to be better able to mount an attack on the tumor.
Multikine (Leukocyte Interleukin, Injection), given right after diagnosis and before surgery, has been dosed in over 740 patients and received Orphan Drug designation from the FDA for neoadjuvant therapy in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (cancer) of the head and neck. Based on the data from the completed randomized controlled Phase 3 study, the FDA concurred with CEL-SCI’s target patient selection criteria and gave the go-ahead to conduct a confirmatory Registration Study. The study will enroll 212 newly diagnosed locally advanced primary treatment naïve resectable head and neck cancer patients with no lymph node involvement (determined via PET scan) and with low PD-L1 tumor expression (determined via biopsy), representing about 100,000 patients annually.
The Company has operations in Vienna, Virginia, and near/in Baltimore, Maryland.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. When used in this press release, the words "intends," "believes," "anticipated," "plans" and "expects," and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include an inability to duplicate the clinical results demonstrated in clinical studies, timely development of any potential products that can be shown to be safe and effective, receiving necessary regulatory approvals, difficulties in manufacturing any of the Company's potential products, inability to raise the necessary capital, inability to finalize a partnering agreement and the risk factors set forth from time to time in CEL-SCI's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to its report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2024. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revision to these forward-looking statements which may be made to reflect the events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
* Multikine (Leukocyte Interleukin, Injection) is the trademark that CEL-SCI has registered for this investigational therapy. This proprietary name is subject to FDA review in connection with the Company's future anticipated regulatory submission for approval. Multikine has not been licensed or approved for sale, barter or exchange by the FDA or any other regulatory agency. Similarly, its safety or efficacy has not been established for any use.
