Avacta Group plc, a leading life sciences company focused on developing innovative, targeted oncology medicines and powerful diagnostics, recently announced that AVA6000 has maintained a very favorable safety profile in the fourth dose cohort of the ALS-6000-101 dose escalation phase 1 clinical trial. Furthermore, analysis of tumor samples acquired from six patients across multiple cohorts shows that doxorubicin is being released within the tumor tissue, supporting the pre|CISIONTM technology's tumor-targeting capability.
Patients in cohort 4 continue to tolerate AVA6000 well, with a significant decrease in the occurrence and severity of the commonly associated toxicities with the administration of traditional doxorubicin treatment. Nausea, vomiting, Alopecia, mucositis, myelosuppression, and cardiotoxicity are all among the typical toxicities. Notably, the typical drug-related cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin was not found even at the highest dosage levels in group 4, equivalent to more than double the standard dose of doxorubicin.
In order to confirm the release of the active chemotherapy, doxorubicin, in tumor tissue, several tumor biopsies acquired from patients in different cohorts have been analyzed. This analysis demonstrates that AVA6000 targets the release of doxorubicin to tumor tissue at therapeutic levels that are significantly higher than those detected in the bloodstream at the same time point.
To date, AVA6000 has been administered to 19 patients with advanced and/or metastatic solid tumors who were enrolled across four groups. Based on the very favorable safety profile of AVA6000 in the study thus far, the Safety Data Monitoring Committee (SDMC) has recommended that the study be extended to higher dose cohorts in order to identify a maximum tolerated dose (MTD) required to inform dosing levels for the phase 1b and future studies. The Company anticipates completing these additional cohorts within the first half of 2023.
About Avacta
Avacta is a healthcare group that promotes human health and well-being by creating new cancer treatments and powerful in vitro diagnostics. Its mission is to create the future of medicine by producing safe and effective medications as well as high-performance diagnostics using its unique Affimer® and pre|CISIONᵀᴹ platforms. By merging these two platforms, the Company is constructing a pipeline of innovative cancer therapeutics to fulfil its goal of developing successful treatments for all cancer patients, including those who do not react to current immunotherapies.