Monday, Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (PPHM), reported additional positive results in its Phase 2 trial evaluating bavituximab in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel in patients with non-small cell lung cancer or NSCLC, which accounts for approximately 85-90% of lung cancer cases.
Bavituximab is a monoclonal antibody that targets phosphatidylserine or PS that acts as a specific target for anti-cancer treatments. By masking PS, bavituximab is believed to help mobilize the body's immune system to destroy tumorous blood vessels.
The company said the trial recorded an objective tumor response in 11 out of 21 patients with locally advanced non-small lung cancer. The median progression-free-survival was 6.5 months, with a favorable comparison to progression-free-survival range of 4.2 to 4.5 months in a trial using carboplatin and paclitaxel as a single agent.
According to the company, the primary objective of the multi-center, open-label trial is to assess the overall response rate to bavituximab when combined with carboplatin and paclitaxel. Secondary objectives of the study include measuring time to tumor progression, duration of response, overall patient survival and safety parameters.
Steven King, president and CEO of Peregrine said, "We will continue to assess patients enrolled in the now-completed expansion cohort over the coming months and look forward to reporting results from the full 49-patient study population," he added.
The trial is being conducted in India according to International Conference on Harmonization or ICH and Good Clinical Practices or GCP guidelines.
Lung cancer is a major cause of cancer deaths worldwide and is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and women in the U.S. according to the American Cancer Society.
PPHM is currently trading on Nasdaq at 0.70 cents.
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