Loxo Oncology Announces Completion of Clinical Tri

STAMFORD, Conn., Feb. 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Loxo Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: LOXO ), a biopharmaceutical company innovating the development of highly selective medicines for patients with genetically defined cancers, today announced that the company has completed clinical trial enrollment for the larotrectinib New Drug Application (NDA) primary efficacy analysis. This determination is based on written feedback from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which affirmed the target enrollment goal for the primary efficacy analysis data set to support an NDA filing.

All larotrectinib clinical trials will remain open to provide a mechanism for drug access to newly identified patients during forthcoming regulatory interactions and review. 

The primary efficacy analysis for larotrectinib will be based on RECIST v1.1 overall response rate (ORR), as determined by independent radiology review, for NTRK fusion patients enrolled across the three ongoing larotrectinib clinical studies. Durability of response and safety are also critical elements of the regulatory risk-benefit determination. The company expects to report top-line data for the NDA dataset in the second half of 2017, and expects to submit a New Drug Application in late 2017 or early 2018, and a European Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) in 2018.

Loxo Oncology intends to submit for approval for the same indication statement upon which the FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation for larotrectinib, “for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic solid tumors with NTRK-fusion proteins in adult and pediatric patients who require systemic therapy and who have either progressed following prior treatment or who have no acceptable alternative treatments.”

About Larotrectinib (LOXO-101) Larotrectinib (LOXO-101) is a potent, oral and selective investigational new drug in clinical development for the treatment of patients with cancers that harbor abnormalities involving the tropomyosin receptor kinases (TRKs). Growing research suggests that the NTRK genes, which encode for TRKs, can become abnormally fused to other genes, resulting in growth signals that can lead to cancer in many sites of the body. In an ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial, larotrectinib has demonstrated encouraging preliminary efficacy. Larotrectinib is also being evaluated in the NAVIGATE global Phase 2 multi-center basket trial in patients with solid tumors that harbor TRK gene fusions, and the SCOUT Phase 1/2 trial in pediatric patients, including patients with advanced cancer, TRK gene fusions and infantile fibrosarcoma. Larotrectinib has been granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation and Rare Pediatric Disease Designation by the U.S. FDA. For additional information about the larotrectinib clinical trials, please refer to www.clinicaltrials.gov. Interested patients and physicians can contact the Loxo Oncology Physician and Patient Clinical Trial Hotline at 1-855-NTRK-123 or visit www.loxooncologytrials.com .

About Loxo Oncology Loxo Oncology is a biopharmaceutical company innovating the development of highly selective medicines for patients with genetically defined cancers. Our pipeline focuses on cancers that are uniquely dependent on single gene abnormalities, such that a single drug has the potential to treat the cancer with dramatic effect. We believe that the most selective, purpose-built medicines have the highest probability of maximally inhibiting the intended target, thereby delivering best-in-class disease control and safety. Our management team seeks out experienced industry partners, world-class scientific advisors and innovative clinical-regulatory approaches to deliver new cancer therapies to patients as quickly and efficiently as possible. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.loxooncology.com .

Forward Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "seek," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "should," "will" and similar references to future periods. These statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from what we expect. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding the timing and success of our clinical trials or regulatory approvals and timing of future filings. Further information on potential risk factors that could affect our business and its financial results are detailed in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and other reports as filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Contacts for Loxo Oncology, Inc.

Company: Jacob S. Van Naarden Chief Business Officer jake@loxooncology.com

Investors: Peter Rahmer The Trout Group, LLC 646-378-2973 prahmer@troutgroup.com

Media: Dan Budwick Pure Communications, Inc. 973-271-6085 dan@purecommunicationsinc.com