NetScientific PLC (AIM:NSCI), the tech and life sciences investment group, has announced that its portfolio company, PDS Biotechnology Corporation (NASDAQ:PDSB), has made a significant breakthrough in cervical cancer treatment.
PDS's lead asset, PDS0101, when used alongside standard treatments, showed a rapid decrease in signs of cancer in the blood.
The findings were part of a phase II study called IMMUNOCERV, which focused on treating cervical cancer patients with large tumours or cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes.
Results from the trial were presented at a major medical conference, the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO 2023) Annual Meeting in San Diego, California.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer, and researchers looked at how levels of HPV-related DNA in the blood changed during treatment.
Patients treated with PDS0101 showed a 91.7% reduction in these levels by week five, compared to a 53.1% reduction in those who received only the standard treatment.
The evaluation ultimately aims to understand how well the treatment works for patients with HPV-positive cervical cancer, especially those with advanced stages of the disease.
The results suggest that PDS0101 could be a promising addition to existing treatments for cervical cancer.