By Joe Hoppe
Avacta Group shares rose after it said it successfully completed a sixth dose escalation in its AVA6000 tumor treatment study, and now plans to begin a Phase 2 study earlier than planned.
Shares at 0752 GMT were up 11.0 pence, or 10%, at 117.0 pence.
A dose escalation refers to the testing of a drug by increasing dosage a little at a time until the highest dose that doesn’t cause harmful side effects is found.
The London-listed oncology drug-and-diagnostics company said Tuesday that a total of 35 patients with a range of advanced and/or metastatic solid tumors have now been dosed at the clinical trial in the U.K. and U.S.
The drug continued to exhibit an excellent safety profile, with a significant tumor volume reduction confirmed in one patient with soft tissue sarcoma, the company said. Cohort seven is expected to be the final dose escalation in the Phase 1a study.
The company said its revised regulatory strategy now plans to start the Phase 2 study in soft tissue sarcoma in 2024, earlier than planned.
“I’m particularly pleased that, even at this early stage and in this patient group, we have a confirmed, significant response in a patient with soft tissue sarcoma, as well as other positive signals across a number of other patients,” Chief Executive Alastair Smith said.
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