Genmab A/S, a leading international biotechnology company focused on developing fully human antibody therapeutics for unmet medical needs, announced that it has amended the design of the ongoing pivotal study of HuMax-CD4 (zanolimumab) to treat refractory cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) patients.

The study, which previously only included patients with the Mycosis Fungoides (MF) form of CTCL, has been expanded to include patients with Sézary Syndrome as well. Furthermore, due to higher response rates observed at the 14 mg/kg dose level during the first part of the pivotal study, the 8 mg/kg dose level will now be discontinued, with all patients to be treated with 14 mg/kg of HuMax-CD4 once a week for 12 weeks, said the company.
These study amendments have been agreed to by the FDA under the Special Protocol Assessment agreement already in place. In addition, HuMax-CD4 has received an orphan drug designation for the treatment of refractory CTCL in Australia and for the treatment of refractory nodal T-cell lymphoma in Europe. HuMax-CD4 previously received Fast Track Status from the FDA and orphan drug status in the US and Europe for the treatment of refractory CTCL.

"We believe expanding the HuMax-CD4 pivotal study to include a broader group of CTCL patients will allow us to speed up patient enrolment, test at a more effective dose level and potentially offer treatment for Sézary Syndrome patients as well as MF patients. The potential of HuMax-CD4 in treating T-cell lymphoma patients with unmet medical needs continues to be recognized by the international regulatory authorities," said Lisa N. Drakeman, Ph.D., chief executive officer, Genmab.