BiVictriX Therapeutics PLC (AIM:BVX, OTC:BVTXF) has reported positive initial results from preclinical testing of its lead solid tumour treatment, BVX002, targeting ovarian cancer.
BVX002 is a bispecific antibody-drug conjugate (Bi-Cygni ADC), a targeted cancer treatment that combines two antibodies to specifically attack cancer cells while carrying a powerful drug to kill them. This approach helps focus treatment on cancer cells, reducing damage to healthy cells and lowering side effects.
In a mouse model, the drug showed tumour growth reductions between 78.3% and over 100%. Shrinkage of up to 63.1% was observed at mid and high doses. The drug was administered weekly over four doses and was well tolerated even at the highest levels, with no major side effects.
Notably, tumours continued to shrink in the mid and high-dose groups two weeks after treatment ended, indicating BVX002’s potential long-lasting anti-cancer effects. These results build on previous positive data from BiVictriX's BVX001 programme and support the promise of their innovative cancer therapies.
"We are highly encouraged by the significance of the anti-tumour effect delivered by our therapeutic lead in this hard-to-treat model of ovarian cancer, which showcases the clear benefit of our proprietary bispecific ADC approach in a solid tumour setting," said CEO Tiffany Thorn.
BVX002 targets a specific pair of antigens found in many solid tumours, including ovarian and non-small cell lung cancers, but not in healthy cells. Internal data suggests that 60-70% of high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients may have this cancer-specific antigen pair, making BVX002 a promising candidate for these patients.
BiVictriX plans to use the data from this study, along with further research, to file an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the US Food & Drug Administration. The preclinical work is being supported by a £400,000 grant from Innovate UK.