NOXXON Pharma NV has reported a promising response from a patient with metastatic pancreatic cancer to its RNA oligonucleotide drug that is intended to fight cancer by targeting the tumour microenvironment. The company gave the update on 16 May at the BioEquity Europe conference in Belgium.
AstraZeneca Plc’s antibody drug for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Fasenra (benralizumab), has failed to meet its primary endpoint in the first of two Phase 3 trials of patients with the disease.
A Phase 3 trial evaluating a combination of the checkpoint antibody Tecentriq (atezolizumab) and the kinase inhibitor Cotellic (cobimetinib) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer failed to meet its primary endpoint of overall survival, Roche announced on 10 May.
Recent positive data from a Phase 2b trial of patients with multiple sclerosis illustrates the role of pathogenic HERV-W protein in the genesis of the disease. The protein was neutralised by an antibody therapy developed by GeNeuro SA, the first time this has been shown in a clinical trial.
A Phase 3 trial in which a combination of Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and the IDO1 inhibitor epacadostat were being studied in patients with metastatic melanoma has been stopped after failing to show a benefit in progression-free survival, according to Incyte Corp and Merck & Co Inc.
Vobarilizumab, a protein therapeutic that showed efficacy at Phase 2 in rheumatoid arthritis, has failed to meet the primary endpoint of dose response in a separate Phase 2 study of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
SafeHeal SAS, a French company with a medical device to help patients recover from bowel surgery, has received €6 million in Series A financing from investors led by Sofinnova Partners. The funds will support a study that is being run to obtain a CE mark in Europe, and commercial development.
The second arm of a Phase 3 study of the checkpoint inhibitor Tecentriq (atezolizumab) in patients with advanced lung cancer has shown a progression free survival (PFS) benefit when combined with chemotherapy, according to the developer Roche.
An experimental drug for Alzheimer’s disease that has failed in successive trials to show efficacy, demonstrated for the first time that it can reduce amyloid beta plaques in the brain at a higher dose. Gantenerumab achieved an effect at dosing of up to 1200 mg.
AstraZeneca Plc said that final data from its Phase 3 MYSTIC trial which is testing a combination immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer, are now expected in the second half of the year, rather than in the first half.