Positive results for patients in Patrys’s myeloma trial

Patrys (ASX:PAB) has released more promising interim data from its phase I/IIa trial of anticancer antibody PAT-SM6 in multiple myeloma.

Data from the second and third cohorts of the dose escalation study show that two of the six patients experienced stable disease post-treatment.

All of the six patients had end-stage, multiresistant multiple myeloma and had on average received five prior lines of therapy. The median overall survival time of such patients is about nine months.

The two showing stable disease had both experienced significant disease progression prior to treatment and one was resistant to all currently available multiple myeloma therapies.

For one patient, his disease remains stable at day 82 post-treatment and he has not gone on to receive any other treatment.

The remaining five patients have received additional chemotherapy post inclusion in the trial. Two have responded positively to drugs they have previously been resistant to, Patrys said, suggesting that PAT-SM6 may be able to convert cancer cells from resistant to sensitive.

Because no drug-related serious adverse events or dose-limiting toxicities were encountered, the safety board monitoring the trial has granted approval to progress to the fourth and final cohort of patients.

The fourth cohort will receive four doses of PAT-SM6 at 6 mg/kg/dose - twice the level received by the third cohort and closer to the dosing levels of currently approved antibodies.

Patrys had completed dosing of the second patient group in April and got the all-clear to escalate to the third stage later that month.

Patrys shares were trading 4.76% lower at $0.04 as of around 12.30 pm on Wednesday, but this is still 66.7% higher than the company’s trading price prior to announcing the results.