Faron Pharmaceuticals Ltd (LON:FARN) has been given the green light to continue a phase II/III study of its lead drug.
Traumakine is being tested for safety and efficacy in patients with multi-organ failure (MOF). This is a potential second indication for a treatment which is currently undergoing phase III trials on patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
READ: Faron Pharmaceuticals completes recruitment for phase III trials of its ARDS treatment
The latest clinical assessment, called INFORAAA, aims to treat 160 post-operative sufferers of ruptured abdominal aorta aneurysms by the second-half of next year.
Six hospitals on Finland and two in Estonia have or will use Traumakine for this life threatening condition, while the first sites in the UK will open at the start of 2018.
Monitoring committee satisfied
INFORAAA has been allowed to carry on after the study’s independent data monitoring committee said it was satisfied with progress thus far.
Faron chief executive, Dr Markku Jalkanen, called the update “another piece of good news” in what’s been a “highly successful” year for the drug developer.
Last week (Dec 11) Faron said its phase III INTEREST trial of Traumakine completed recruiting patients with moderate to severe ARDS with the top-line data due in the first half of next year.
“2018 is well set to be a pivotal year for Faron given our Phase III INTEREST read out in H1 and we look forward to the coming months with great confidence," said CEO Jalkanen.