Knight Therapeutics Announces Regulatory Submission for Tafasitamab in Brazil

MONTREAL, Oct. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Knight Therapeutics Inc., (TSX: GUD) ("Knight") a pan-American (ex-USA) specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today that its Brazilian affiliate, United Medical Ltd., has submitted a marketing authorization application for tafasitamab in combination with lenalidomide to ANVISA, the Brazilian health regulatory agency, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT).

In September 2021, Knight entered into an exclusive supply and distribution agreement with Incyte (NASDAQ:INCY), for the exclusive rights to distribute tafasitamab (sold as Monjuvi^® in the United States and Minjuvi^® in Europe), as well as pemigatinib (Pemazyre^®), in Latin America.

“We are delighted to reach this key milestone for tafasitamab in Brazil,” said Samira Sakhia, President and Chief Executive Officer of Knight Therapeutics. “Upon approval, combination therapy with tafasitamab and lenalidomide will be an important new therapeutic option for eligible patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL in Brazil. We look forward to continuing to work with the support of our partner, Incyte, as we work towards regulatory submissions in additional countries in Latin America over the next year.”

About Tafasitamab

Tafasitamab is a humanized Fc-modified cytolytic CD19 targeting immunotherapy. In 2010, MorphoSys licensed exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize tafasitamab from Xencor, Inc. Tafasitamab incorporates an XmAb^® engineered Fc domain, which mediates B-cell lysis through apoptosis and immune effector mechanism including Antibody-Dependent Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity (ADCC) and Antibody-Dependent Cellular Phagocytosis (ADCP).

In the United States, Monjuvi^® (tafasitamab-cxix) is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in combination with lenalidomide for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from low grade lymphoma, and who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial(s).

In Europe, Minjuvi^® (tafasitamab) received conditional approval, in combination with lenalidomide, followed by Minjuvi monotherapy, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT).

Tafasitamab is being clinically investigated as a therapeutic option in B-cell malignancies in several ongoing combination trials.

Minjuvi^® and Monjuvi^® are registered trademarks of MorphoSys AG. Tafasitamab is co-marketed by Incyte and MorphoSys under the brand name Monjuvi^® in the U.S., and marketed by Incyte under the brand name Minjuvi^® in Region Europe, the United Kingdom and Canada. As part of its agreement with MorphoSys, Incyte received exclusive commercialization rights for tafasitamab outside the United States.

XmAb^® is a registered trademark of Xencor, Inc.

About Knight Therapeutics Inc.

Knight Therapeutics Inc., headquartered in Montreal, Canada, is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on acquiring or in-licensing and commercializing pharmaceutical products for Canada and Latin America. Knight's Latin American subsidiaries operate under United Medical, Biotoscana Farma and Laboratorio LKM. Knight Therapeutics Inc.'s shares trade on TSX under the symbol GUD. For more information about Knight Therapeutics Inc., please visit the company's web site at www.gud-knight.com or www.sedar.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains forward-looking statements for Knight Therapeutics Inc. and its subsidiaries. These forward-looking statements, by their nature, necessarily involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Knight Therapeutics Inc. considers the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based to be reasonable at the time they were prepared but cautions the reader that these assumptions regarding future events, many of which are beyond the control of Knight Therapeutics Inc. and its subsidiaries, may ultimately prove to be incorrect. Factors and risks, which could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations are discussed in Knight Therapeutics Inc.'s Annual Report and in Knight Therapeutics Inc.'s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2021 as filed on www.sedar.com. Knight Therapeutics Inc. disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether because of new information or future events, except as required by law.