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- Clinical-stage biotech company PharmAust (PAA) identifies the optimum monepantel (MPL) drug plasma range for dogs with B-cell lymphoma
- The dogs received MPL in one of four doses to enable the company to determine the optimum drug plasma range for anticancer activity
- Of the seven dogs with drug plasma levels in the optimum range, six achieved stable disease and one had a partial response with some tumours completely disappearing
- Findings for below the optimal drug plasma range were suboptimal while dogs who received a higher amount experienced occasional weight loss
- PharmAust is up 5.32 per cent on the market with shares trading at 9.9 cents at 2:14 pm AEDT
Clinical-stage biotech company PharmAust (PAA) has identified the optimum monepantel (MPL) drug plasma range for dogs with B-cell lymphoma.
B-cell lymphoma refers to the group of cancers that attack the immune system and, without treatment, dogs are expected to live between one to two months.
To date, 24 dogs with B-cell lymphoma have qualified for evaluation across the two trial programs. A further two were admitted to the trial but were not evaluated due to incorrect dosing.
The dogs were administered MPL as either gelatin encapsulated liquid or a tablet which was administered in four doses.
This has enabled PharmAust to determine an optimum drug plasma range for anticancer activity with minimal side effects.
Of the seven dogs with drug plasma levels in the optimum range, six achieved stable disease and one had a partial response with some tumours completely disappearing.
Findings for below the optimal drug plasma range were suboptimal while dogs who received a higher amount experienced occasional weight loss.
Of the six dogs that achieved stable disease, five continued to take MPL after the trial with prednisolone (steroid medication used to treat certain allergies, cancers and autoimmune disorders).
These five dogs have achieved much higher than expected survival days. Additionally, all pet owners reported very high quality of life for their dogs while taking MPL.
PharmAust is now planning a phase three trial, with sites being looked at in New Zealand and the United States.
Subject to results of the phase three trial, PharmAust believes that MPL could be commercially compelling.
Chief Scientific Officer Dr Richard Mollard is pleased with the findings.
“The trial data are becoming more interesting. Although this analysis examining the effects of combination with prednisolone is retrospective in nature, it enables the making of robust hypotheses and provides justification for their formal testing in phase three studies,” Dr Mollard said.
“Quality of life may be the most important outcome for pet dogs as we do not know how pet dogs balance expectations of their quality of life with expectations of quantity of life.”
PharmAust was up 5.32 per cent on the market with shares trading at 9.9 cents at 2:14 pm AEDT.
