Faron Pharmaceuticals Limited (AIM:FARN, OTC:FPHAF) has said it is increasing the dose levels of its treatment bexmarilimab in a new study in patients with blood cancers after promising early results.
No dose-limiting toxicities or safety concerns were observed among five patients to have received the initial dose at 1 mg/kg every week, while there were early signs of efficacy in one patient.
A new triplet cohort is also to be opened using bexmarilimab in combination with two other drugs: azacitidine (Vidaza) and leukaemia treatment venetoclax.
In a statement, Markku Jalkanen, Faron’s CEO, said: "The BEXMAB study is off to a great start, and we are eagerly waiting to see the first data from the triplet therapy, where bexmarilimab could become a cornerstone of first-line treatment in newly diagnosed AML [acute myeloid leukaemia] patients."
Yrjö Wichmann, Faron's VP Funding and IR added: “For investors, these are very encouraging - though early - results. Earlier we were able to show clinical benefit in solid tumour cancers and now we have positive indication also in blood cancers, in which the Clever-1 target molecule is expressed directly on the surface of the cancer cells themselves.
“Additionally, as AML is a very serious condition, the route to regulatory approval can be faster if results are exceptional."