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Faron Pharmaceuticals: Scientists to showcase progress and scientific thinking in two presentations at leading cancer forum

Published: 07:55 10 Dec 2020 GMT

Faron Pharmaceuticals Ltd -

Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (LON:FARN, First North: FARON) said researchers will deliver virtual presentations assessing trial data for its lead drug and discussing new thinking on tumour targeting.

On Thursday, the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Immuno-Oncology Virtual Congress will be updated on the progress of the company's phase I/II MATINS study of bexmarilimab.

The drug targets Clever-1, or the common lymphatic endothelial and vascular endothelial receptor-1 positive tumour-associated macrophages (TAMS), converting them from being highly immunosuppressive to immune-stimulating.

MATINS principal investigator Petri Bono will kick things off for Faron, telling the virtual audience the company’s bexmarilimab had been well “tolerated and demonstrated immune activation and promising clinical anti-tumour activity”.

The first expansion stage of the study across ten different hard-to-treat solid tumour types is ongoing and 87% recruited.

On Friday ESMO will hear from Professor Maija Hollmén, of Turku University, Finland, who will assess the role of myeloid cells in shaping the tumour microenvironment.

Specifically, the researcher will explore opportunities to overcome the undesired effects of TAMs.

Covered will be the potential of an immunotherapeutic blockade of Clever-1 to switch immunosuppressive TAMs to immune-stimulating TAMs and induce T-cell activation.

Faron’s chief executive, Dr Markku Jalkanen, said: "Our growing understanding of how the tumour microenvironment shields cancer from the immune system and fuels its growth makes it a clear target for the next generation of immunotherapies.

“Everything we are learning about bexmarilimab from its rapidly advancing development programme across a broad range of cancer types gives us continued confidence in the potential of this anti-Clever-1 antibody to activate the immune system and remove T-cell exhaustion."    

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