Geron Announces Upcoming Oral Presentation at 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting of Imetelstat Data from IMerge Phase 3 Lower Risk MDS Trial

FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN), a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company, today announced that data from the pivotal IMerge Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the Company’s first-in-class telomerase inhibitor, imetelstat, in lower risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), was accepted for oral presentation at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. The data in the ASCO abstract will be embargoed per ASCO guidelines until May 25, 2023 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. ASCO is taking place in Chicago, IL from June 2-6, 2023.

Details for the oral presentation are as follows:

Title: IMerge: Results from a Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Imetelstat in Patients (pts) With Heavily Transfusion Dependent (TD) Non-Del(5q) Lower-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes (LR-MDS) Relapsed/Refractory (R/R) to Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents (ESA).

Presenter: Amer Methqal Zeidan, Yale School of Medicine

Abstract number: 7004

Date: Friday, June 2, 2023

Session: Hematologic Malignancies—Leukemia, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, and Allotransplant

About IMerge Phase 3

The Phase 3 portion of the IMerge Phase 2/3 study is a double-blind, 2:1 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate imetelstat in patients with IPSS Low or Intermediate-1 risk (lower risk) transfusion dependent MDS who were relapsed after, refractory to, or ineligible for, erythropoiesis stimulating agent (ESA) treatment, had not received prior treatment with either a HMA or lenalidomide and were non-del(5q). To be eligible for IMerge Phase 3, patients were required to be transfusion dependent, defined as requiring at least four units of packed red blood cells (RBCs), over an eight-week period during the 16 weeks prior to entry into the trial. The primary efficacy endpoint of IMerge Phase 3 is the rate of RBC-TI lasting at least eight weeks, defined as the proportion of patients without any RBC transfusion for at least eight consecutive weeks since entry to the trial (8-week TI). Key secondary endpoints include the rate of RBC-TI lasting at least 24 weeks (24-week TI), the duration of TI and the rate of hematologic improvement erythroid (HI-E), which is defined as a rise in hemoglobin of at least 1.5 g/dL above the pretreatment level for at least eight weeks or a reduction of at least four units of RBC transfusions over eight weeks compared with the prior RBC transfusion burden. A total of 178 patients were enrolled in IMerge Phase 3 across North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia.

About Imetelstat

Imetelstat is a novel, first-in-class telomerase inhibitor exclusively owned by Geron and being developed in hematologic malignancies. Data from non-clinical studies and clinical trials of imetelstat provide strong evidence that imetelstat targets telomerase to inhibit the uncontrolled proliferation of malignant stem and progenitor cells in myeloid hematologic malignancies resulting in malignant cell apoptosis and potential disease-modifying activity. Imetelstat has been granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for both the treatment of adult patients with transfusion dependent anemia due to Low or Intermediate-1 risk MDS that is not associated with del(5q) who are refractory or resistant to an erythropoiesis stimulating agent, and for adult patients with Intermediate-2 or High-risk MF whose disease has relapsed after or is refractory to janus associated kinase (JAK) inhibitor treatment. Geron plans to submit a New Drug Application (NDA) in the U.S. in mid-2023 and a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) in the EU in the second half of 2023 in the lower risk MDS indication.

About Geron

Geron is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company pursuing therapies with the potential to extend and enrich the lives of patients living with hematologic malignancies. Its investigational first-in-class telomerase inhibitor, imetelstat, harnesses Nobel Prize winning science in a treatment that may alter the underlying course of these diseases. To learn more, visit http://www.geron.com/or follow us on LinkedIn.

Use of Forward-Looking Statements

Except for the historical information contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such statements, include, without limitation, those regarding: (i) that for imetelstat in lower risk MDS, Geron plans to submit an NDA in the U.S. in mid-2023 and an MAA in the EU in the second half of 2023; (ii) that imetelstat has potential disease modifying activity; and (iii) other statements that are not historical. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties related to: (a) whether regulatory authorities accept for filing Geron’s NDA and MAA; (b) whether imetelstat actually demonstrates disease-modifying activity in patients in clinical trials; and (c) whether regulatory authorities continue to permit imetelstat to be administered to patients in clinical trials. Additional information on the above risks and uncertainties and additional risks, uncertainties and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are contained in Geron’s filings and periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in such filings and reports, including Geron’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 16, 2023, and future filings and reports by Geron. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made, and the facts and assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements may change. Except as required by law, Geron disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.