The pivotal RESMAIN study, which is conducted as a multi-center, double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, evaluates resminostat for maintenance treatment of patients with advanced-stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) who have achieved disease control with prior systemic therapy, at more than 50 clinical centers in 11 European countries and 5 centers in Japan.

Recruitment for the RESMAIN study is now closed, the study will be unblinded in Q1 2023 and top-line data will be available shortly thereafter.

Susanne Danhauser-Riedl, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of 4SC, commented: "We are encouraged by the positive outcomes of the repeated and regular independent DSMB safety reviews and are very happy that, despite the challenges caused by the pandemic, we were able to successfully complete enrolment in the RESMAIN study – the largest prospective clinical trial evaluating maintenance therapy in advanced-stage CTCL. This is testament to the dedication and commitment of all the team involved and most importantly the investigators and their staff. Now that recruitment is complete, we look forward to seeing top-line data in early 2023."

About resminostat 

Resminostat (http://www.4sc.com/product-pipeline/resminostat/) is an orally administered class I, IIb and IV histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor that potentially offers an approach to treating different kinds of cancer. Resminostat demonstrated that it is well tolerated and can inhibit tumor growth and proliferation, cause tumor regression, and strengthen the body’s immune response to cancer.  Resminostat is currently being investigated in a pivotal study in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) as maintenance treatment by 4SC in Europe and by Yakult Honsha in Japan. 

About cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) 

CTCL is a rare disease with approximately 5,000 patients being newly diagnosed in Europe each year. The disease arises from malignant transformation of T-cells, a specialized subgroup of immune cells, primarily affects the skin, but may ultimately involve lymph nodes, blood and visceral organs. 

Currently, CTCL is not curable and treatment options for advanced-stage CTCL are limited. Although patients respond to the available treatment options, the duration of response is often short-lived and declines as the severity of the disease increases. The key therapeutic challenge in advanced-stage CTCL is therefore to make remissions more durable by halting disease progression and improving patient’s quality of life. 

About the RESMAIN study – resminostat for maintenance treatment of CTCL 

The pivotal RESMAIN study (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02953301) is being conducted at more than 50 clinical centers in 11 European countries and Japan. It will include more than 200 patients who suffer from advanced-stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) that have achieved disease control with systemic therapy. The patients are randomized 1:1 to receive either resminostat or placebo. Patients who experience disease progression – while being on placebo – will be offered resminostat in an open label treatment arm. 

The primary goal of the study is to determine whether maintenance treatment with resminostat prolongs progression-free survival and the key secondary objective is to prolong the time to symptom worsening (itching). A comprehensive biomarker program is also included in the study to ensure vital knowledge about the biological background of resminostat treatment in CTCL. 

About the concept of maintenance therapy 

The pivotal RESMAIN study (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02953301) is focused on patients with advanced-stage, incurable cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Such patients suffer from painful and itchy skin lesions resulting in disfigurement and a severely impaired quality of life. Furthermore, lymph nodes, blood or visceral organs can be involved. The current therapeutic options rarely provide long-lasting responses or stabilization of disease for meaningful periods, with most patients progressing within several months. 

Resminostat is being evaluated as maintenance treatment – a unique innovative treatment approach in CTCL (Stadler et al., 2021) - intended to prolong the period patients are stable and not progressing. Furthermore, recent preclinical data suggests that resminostat has the potential to alleviate the itching in CTCL patients, thereby additionally improving their quality of life. 

Forward-looking information

Information set forth in this press release contains forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the judgement of 4SC as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond 4SC’s control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. 4SC expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.