- The phase one clinical trial of Imugene’s (IMU) checkpoint immunotherapy PD1-VAXX in lung cancer patients is well underway with the first cohort of participants now enrolled
- The trial is the first to test the drug in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and aims to determine its safety and optimal dose as a monotherapy
- To establish the highest safe dose with the maximum immune response, the dosing will be progressively increased, once the safety data for each level is reviewed
- The company has now completed enrollment of the first low dose cohort of three patients
- Shares have been trading 6.06 per cent higher at 10.5 cents
Imugene’s (IMU) phase one clinical trial in lung cancer patients is well underway with the first cohort enrolled.
The dose-escalation trial is the first-in-human trial for the company’s checkpoint immunotherapy candidate PD1-Vaxx is enrolling patients with non-small lung cancer.
The B-cell immunotherapy is designed to treat cancers by interfering with PD-1/PD-L1 binding and interaction and inducing the body to produce antibodies.
PD1-Vaxx is made from an epitope, part of an antigen molecule which binds to an antibody, and prompts the body to produce antibodies that block PD-1 signalling.
This is thought to create an anti-cancer effect similar to other immune checkpoint inhibitor antibodies such as Keytruda and Opdivo.
The primary objective of the phase one clinical trial is to establish the optimal biological dose of PD1-Vaxx as a monotherapy, determined as the highest safe dose with the maximum immune response.
To do so, cohorts of at least three patients will be treated, and 30 days later, a committee will review the safety data before giving the go-ahead to progress to the next dosing level.
Imugene has now enrolled three patients, completing enrolment of the first low dose cohort.
“The start of our study with first patient dosed in Australia just 18 days ago was a significant milestone for Imugene and clinicians treating Australians faced with the challenge of lung cancer,” said CEO and Managing Director Leslie Chong.
“I’m encouraged by the speed at which our Australian hospitals have recruited the first cohort of patients.”
Shares have been trading 6.06 per cent higher at 10.5 cents at 10:29 am AEDT.