Patrys doses third group in multiple myeloma trial

Patrys (ASX:PAB) has completed initial treatment for the third of four groups of patients in a phase I/IIa trial of the company’s anticancer antibody, PAT-SM6, in multiple myeloma.

The primary objective of the open-label, multidose trial is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of escalating doses of PAT-SM6. The secondary objective is to measure efficacy as determined by a series of well-established laboratory assays.

The latest group of three patients, treated at the University Hospital of Würzburg, Germany, received four doses of PAT-SM6. The first group of patients completed dosing in December 2012 and the second in April 2013.

One of the most recent patients showed laboratory evidence of stable disease at 35 days post-treatment, with a significant reduction in protein M levels in the peripheral blood. Patrys CEO Dr Marie Roskrow noted that the patient had had a “very advanced disease” and such patients are resistant to all currently marketed drugs, so “stabilisation of their disease is a very clear sign that PAT-SM6 is working”.

This is the second patient in the trial who has shown evidence of stable disease, out of the eight patients so far analysed at 35 days post-treatment. No significant safety issues have been reported for any of the latest three patients treated.

Patrys shares were trading 8% higher at $0.027 as of 2.30 pm on Wednesday.