Faron Pharmaceuticals Limited (AIM:FARN) has published new research showing that the immune environment surrounding a tumour may determine how well patients respond to its investigational cancer treatment, bexmarilimab.
The peer-reviewed study, released in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, examined tissue samples from breast cancer patients.
And it found that the drug’s effectiveness varied depending on levels of inflammation and the type and location of immune cells in the tumour area.
In particular, bexmarilimab triggered immune responses in tumours with little pre-existing inflammation and helped reduce excessive inflammation in more resistant cancers.
Researchers identified a five-gene signature that may predict which patients will benefit from treatment. Faron has filed a patent on this discovery, which could be used to guide patient selection in future trials.
The findings also suggest the treatment could work alongside other immunotherapies and may offer broader immune effects beyond the tumour itself, strengthening the rationale for further development.