News|Articles|September 15, 2026

FDA Accepts NDA for Bezuclastinib in Advanced Systemic Mastocytosis

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Key Takeaways

  • FDA NDA acceptance for bezuclastinib in advanced systemic mastocytosis sets a June 29, 2027 PDUFA date, positioning a potential KIT-directed option for AdvSM subtypes.
  • In APEX, mIWG-MRT-ECNM ORR was 65% (n=68), with 57% achieving CR/CRh/PR, supporting clinically relevant depth of response beyond clinical improvement.
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The FDA set a target action date of June 29, 2027, for bezuclastinib's NDA in advanced systemic mastocytosis, backed by APEX trial data.

The FDA has accepted a new drug application (NDA) for bezuclastinib for the treatment of patients with advanced systemic mastocytosis.1 Additionally, the agency assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act target action date of June 29, 2027.

The regulatory decision was supported by data from the phase 2 APEX trial (NCT04996875), which was most recently presented at the 2026 EHA Congress.1,2 In the trial, evaluable patients who received bezuclastinib (n = 68) produced an overall response rate (ORR) per modified International Working Group–Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Research and Treatment–European Competence Network on Mastocytosis (mIWG-MRT-ECNM) criteria of 65%. Moreover, patients achieved a complete response (CR), CR with partial hematologic recovery (CRh), or partial response (PR) of 57%.

All evaluable patients in the trial (n = 81) achieved an ORR of 81% per Pure Pathologic Response (PPR) criteria, including a CR/CRh rate of 62%. The PR rate for these patients was 20%, and 17% experienced stable disease.

“With the FDA’s acceptance of our NDA in advanced systemic mastocytosis, we have reached another important regulatory milestone for bezuclastinib and are one step closer to potentially bringing this therapy to patients,” said Andrew Robbins, president and chief executive officer of Cogent Biosciences in a news release. “Together with the NDAs currently under review for nonadvanced systemic mastocytosis and gastrointestinal stromal tumors [GIST], this milestone further reinforces the potential of bezuclastinib across multiple patient populations with KIT-driven diseases. With an excellent commercial and medical team in place, we are excited and ready for the potential launches later this year.”

Interested in data for bezuclastinib in GIST? Be sure to check out Neeta Somaiah, MD, break down data for from the phase 3 Peak study (NCT05208047) in an exclusive interview.

How was APEX designed?

Bezuclastinib NDA for Advanced Systemic Mastocytosis Accepted: Highlights

  • ORR was 65% per mIWG-MRT-ECNM criteria and 81% per PPR criteria among evaluable patients who received bezuclastinib
  • At a median follow-up of 62 weeks, 12-month PFS and OS rates were 79% and 87%, respectively.
  • No treatment-related deaths were reported and 93% of patients experienced TRAEs

The multicenter, open-label study of bezuclastinib enrolled patients patients with aggressive systemic mastocytosis, systemic mastocytosis with associated hematologic neoplasms, or mast cell leukemia per World Health Organization 2022 classification with no restrictions on prior therapy. Eligible patients also required a serum tryptase level of at least 20 ng/mL and a platelet count of at least 50 × 109/L.2

If patients had persistent toxicities, clinically significant cardiac disease, received cytoreductive therapy or investigational agents less than 2 weeks prior to screening bone marrow biopsy, or received strong CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers within 2 weeks of their first dose, they were not included in the trial.3

In part 2 of the trial 81 patients were treated with a confirmed dose of bezuclastinib 150 mg once daily.2 A cohort of patients with aggressive systemic mastocytosis or systemic mastocytosis with associated hematologic neoplasms who had mIWG-MRT-ECNM–measurable disease, or patients with mast cell leukemia (n = 58) were enrolled, plus a separate cohort of patients with aggressive systemic mastocytosis or systemic mastocytosis with associated hematologic neoplasms without measurable disease (n = 13).

The primary end point was ORR per mIWG-MRT-ECNM criteria, that consisted of CR, CRh, PR, and clinical improvement.

Secondary end points included ORR per PPR criteria, time to response, duration of response, changes in bone marrow mast cell burden, serum tryptase, and KIT p.D816V variant allele fequency, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety.

Baseline characteristics for all evaluable patients (n = 81) revealed patients had a median age of 70 years (range, 43-87); 70% of patients had systemic mastocytosis with associated hematologic neoplasms, 16% had mast cell leukemia, and 14% had aggressive systemic mastocytosis. Most patients had an ECOG performance status of 1 (49%), with less having an ECOG performance status of 0 (27%).

Median bone marrow mast cell burden was 35% (range, 3%-95%) and median serum tryptase was 191 ng/mL (range, 23-1987); 35% of patients had received prior TKI therapy for advanced systemic mastocytosis or an associated hematologic neoplasm.

What were the additional and safety data for bezuclastinib in advanced systemic mastocytosis?

In evaluable patients (n = 68) 12-month PFS and OS rates per mIWG-MRT-ECNM criteria were 79% (95% CI, 65.5%-87.6%) and 87% (95% CI, 77.8%-93%).

Across all patients treated with bezuclastinib (n = 81), treatment-related adverse effects (TRAEs) of any grade occurred in 93%, including treatment-related serious AEs in 7%, TRAEs led to dose reductions in 16%, and discontinuation in 1%, with the majority of patients remaining on their starting dose over a median treatment duration of 63.0 weeks (range, 1.0-135.3).

The most common any-grade hematologic TRAEs were neutropenia (31%) thrombocytopenia (25%), and anemia (16%). These TRAEs at grade 3 or higher occurred at respecitve rates of 24%, 14%, and 10%.

Common non-hematologic TRAEs included hair color changes (31%) altered taste (28%), increased alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase (21%), increased alkaline phosphatase (14%), diarrhea (16%), and nausea (15%). Treatment-related hepatic events were reported as transient and manageable laboratory abnormalities; no treatment-related grade 4 hepatic AEs and no treatment-related deaths were observed.

References

  1. Cogent Biosciences announces FDA acceptance of new drug application (NDA) for bezuclastinib in patients with advanced systemic mastocytosis (AdvSM). News release. Cogent Biosciences, Inc. September 15, 2026. Accessed September 15, 2026. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/09/15/3361988/0/en/cogent-biosciences-announces-fda-acceptance-of-new-drug-application-nda-for-bezuclastinib-in-patients-with-advanced-systemic-mastocytosis-advsm.html
  2. DeAngelo D, Radia D, George T, et al. Efficacy and safety of bezuclastinib in patients with advanced systemic mastocytosis: results from the Apex study. Presented at: European Hematology Association 2026 Congress; June 11-14, 2026; Stockholm, Sweden.
  3. (Apex) Bezuclastinib in patients with advanced systemic mastocytosis. ClinicalTrials.gov. Updated September 15, 2026. Accessed September 15, 2026. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04996875

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