DECEMBER 2016 NEWSLETTER
As the year comes to a close, we wanted to share some of our progress since our August 2016 newsletter. Some highlights include:
- Enrollment in our ongoing Phase 2/3 clinical trial, Toca 5, is going very well at 64 leading brain cancer hospitals in the United States, Canada, Israel and South Korea.
- New clinical and preclinical data were presented at key scientific conferences, including updated tumor response and survival data.
- We strengthened our leadership team with the appointment of Martin “Marty” Duvall as our CEO. Our co-founder and former CEO, Harry Gruber, M.D., is now our president of research and development, as well as continuing as a key member of our board of directors.
- François, a patient in one of our Phase 1 trials, shared his inspiring story of hope and survival.
- Our science, progress and patient stories continue to be reported by the media.
- The first patient was enrolled in our new trial evaluating intravenously delivered Toca 511 in metastatic cancers.
We wish you a wonderful holiday season and happy New Year, and remain grateful for your continued support in our fight against cancer!
The Tocagen Team
TOCAGEN UPDATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Toca 5 Trial Actively Recruiting Patients
We have continued to expand the Toca 5 study and are pleased to report the trial is now recruiting patients at 64 leading brain cancer centers in the United States, Canada, Israel and South Korea. Some of the recently opened sites are shown here. A full list of open sites can be found on our website.
Out and About: Tocagen Team Present New Data
Tocagen’s scientists and management team presented new data at several top scientific and medical conferences. Of particular note, we reported that in the subset of patients (N=24) in the higher dose cohorts that mirror the patient population under evaluation in the ongoing Toca 5 trial, there was a clinical benefit rate of 41.7%, with 3 complete responses, 2 partial responses and 5 patients with stable disease. All patients with an objective response remain alive 24 to 43 months from study entry, and the duration of response was 26.7 months (median not reached). Links to the news releases are listed here:
Welcome Martin Duvall, Our New CEO!
We strengthened our leadership team with the appointment of Martin ‘Marty” Duvall as our CEO. Mr. Duvall holds more than 30 years of experience in oncology drug development and commercialization at mid-stage and global pharmaceutical companies, building several oncology focused companies and successfully commercializing major oncology products, including Taxotere® and Abraxane®. This experience will help guide us as we advance towards potential commercialization of Toca 511 & Toca FC. Our co-founder Dr. Gruber is now serving as president, research and development, as well as continuing as a key member of our board of directors.
Inspiring Story from Patient Participating in Tocagen’s Trial
There’s never a good time to hear that you have a brain tumor, but for François, whose wife was about to deliver their first child, the timing couldn’t have been worse. After his tumor returned his doctor recommended Tocagen’s trial and this year he celebrated his son’s fourth birthday. He and his wife recently shared their incredible story with us. Watch the video.
François also shared his experience as a brain cancer patient at a recent patient conference. Watch the full discussion.
Social Media Buzz
Our social media platforms continue to receive high levels of engagement by patients, caregivers and other members of the brain cancer community, which helped drive awareness of our Toca 5 trial and the Tocagen team’s fight against cancer. Our Facebook posts have reached more than 800,000 people and our Facebook page was liked by nearly 800 people since August 2016. Recent inspiring stories about patients in our Phase 1 trial have reached more than 80,000 individuals, prompting more than 19,000 reactions, 2,800 shares and 600 comments. Followers continue to tag friends or relatives who may be interested in learning more about the Toca 5 trial. Not following us yet? Connect with us on Twitter here or Facebook here!
Walking, Running and Rappeling to Support the Brain Cancer Community!
The Tocagen team proudly participated in multiple events to help raise awareness and support for brain cancer research and patients.
Over 30 Tocagen employees and their families walked or ran 5K at the San Diego Brain Tumor Foundation’s annual event. This nonprofit provides patients and families in need with financial support for everyday expenses such as rent or mortgage payments, insurance co-pays and utility bills and provides transportation to doctor’s appointments.
Tocagen’s Susan Wilson represented the company when she bravely went over the edge – literally – for brain cancer, rappelling down the side of the largest building on the San Diego waterfront. The event was held by the nonprofit Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC2) with all proceeds supporting San Diego-based brain cancer research.
Tocagen in the News
Our science, progress and patient stories continue to be followed by the media. Select recent coverage is listed below.
We were thrilled to be nominated for the Scrip Awards “Clinical Advance of the Year.”
François’ story caught the attention of Fox News, and local ABC affiliates in Philadelphia and Los Angeles, which aired segments about his remarkable story and experience participating in Tocagen’s clinical trial.
Dr. Gruber, Tocagen’s president of research and development, described our unique approach to fighting cancer and latest data in this article profiling Tocagen.
Tim Cloughesy, M.D., director of the UCLA, Neuro-Oncology Program and principal investigator of the Toca 5 study spoke with OncLive about the latest results from our trial, which he presented at SNO.
Derek Ostertag, Ph.D., our director of R&D Diagnostics, describes how Tocagen’s approach can overcome tumor heterogeneity for DDNews’ special report on cancer.
Barry Stoddard, Ph.D., a scientist at Fred Hutch Center whose work helped create our experimental treatment for glioblastoma, the same disease his mother bravely fought, reacts to the positive results we reported in June 2016. In his words,”every basic scientist’s dream.”
Deborah O. Heros, M.D., chief of neurology at University of Miami, discusses the opening of our Toca 5 trial at this location.
New Trial Evaluating Intravenous Delivery of Toca 511 Initiated
The first patient was enrolled in Toca 6, our Phase 1b trial evaluating intravenously delivered Toca 511 in combination with Toca FC in patients with metastatic cancers. Initiation of this trial moves us one step closer to evaluating Toca 511 in broad indications. More information can be found by searching clinicaltrials.gov using the clinical trial identifier NCT02576665.
Congrats to Mary Lovely, Recipient of the 2016 SNO Public Service Award
We are proud to report Tocagen’s patient support and liaison, Mary Lovely, Ph.D., received the 2016 Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO) Public Service Award for her dedication to the field of neuro-oncology. We’ve witnessed firsthand her passion for helping patients: Dr. Lovely always handles inquiries with grace and compassion and works diligently to provide brain cancer patients and caregivers with tips and resources through her blog. We are honored to have her on our team helping patients and their caregivers in their fight against brain cancer.
Recent blog posts include:
Key Contacts
Patient Support and Liaison: Mary Lovely,[email protected], (858) 412-8473
Media Inquiries: Monica May, [email protected]
Investor Inquiries: Dennis Berman,[email protected]
Other Inquiries: Nicholas Boyle, [email protected]
Forward-Looking Statements: Tocagen makes forward-looking statements herein or in connection herewith that involve potential risks and uncertainties. These statements include statements regarding Tocagen’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions, or strategies regarding the future. These forward statements also include statements regarding (i) the success of Tocagen’s anticipated research and development efforts, including pre-clinical studies and the timing of, the government regulation of, and degree of safety and efficacy in, clinical trials, and Tocagen’s future financial results, (ii) Tocagen’s future financing assumptions, (iii) Tocagen’s market position and the size and competitiveness of its market for its anticipated products and services, and (iv) Tocagen’s ability to develop future products and services. It is important to note that Tocagen’s actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements.
Neither this newsletter nor any link in this Newsletter to other information, including but not limited to videos prepared by third parties, constitutes an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities. The information set out herein and therein is preliminary and should not be relied upon for any purpose. Tocagen does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein and therein and shall not have any liability for such information.
Join Tocagen at These Upcoming Events
- 2017 J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference
- January 9-12, San Francisco
- Phacilitate Cell and Gene Therapy World
- January 17-20, Miami
Ongoing Clinical Trials
Learn more about our clinical trials.