Viralytics kicks off STORM cancer trial

Viralytics (ASX:VLA) has commenced a phase I/II trial of cancer treatment candidate Cavatak in multiple cancer types.

The company’s STORM (Systemic Treatment Of Resistant Malignancies) trial is now underway in the UK. It will assess the intravenous delivery of multiple doses of Cavatak in around 30 patients with late-stage melanoma, prostate, lung or metastatic bladder cancers.

During the first stage of the trial, Cavatak will be delivered as a monotherapy to late-stage cancer patients.

Based on data from this stage, Viralytics will select a cancer type deemed to be the most promising target. During the second stage, patients with this cancer type will be administered Cavatak in combination with commonly used chemotherapies such as docetaxel or carboplatin.

The goal of the first stage of the trial will be to determine the effectiveness of intravenous delivery of Cavatak in terms of its tracking to malignant tumours.

The primary objectives of the second stage will be to assess the safety and efficacy of Cavatak as a combination therapy and to identify a safe and potentially effective dose to use in conjunction with chemotherapies.

The company secured approval for the trial from the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in September.

Viralytics CEO Dr Malcolm McColl said intravenous delivery of Cavatak “has the potential to broaden the commercial application and benefit many more cancer patients. We are encouraged by initial results following intravenous delivery of Cavatak and the STORM study offers the opportunity to further explore this route of administration.”

Viralytics (ASX:VLA) shares were trading 3.45% higher at $0.30 as of around 12.30 pm on Thursday.