LONDON (ShareCast) - (Sharecast News) - Avacta Therapeutics announced promising results from its ongoing phase 1a trial of AVA6000 on Thursday, demonstrating meaningful tumour shrinkage in patients with salivary gland cancer (SGC).
The AIM-traded firm said that among 10 patients treated at doses of 250 milligrams per square metre or higher, five exhibited tumour shrinkage, including one partial response and four minor responses, contributing to a 90% disease control rate.

AVA6000, a peptide-drug conjugate combining doxorubicin with Avacta's proprietary 'preCISION' peptide, specifically targets fibroblast activation protein-alpha (FAP) in the tumour microenvironment, reducing off-target toxicities associated with conventional doxorubicin.

Avacta said one patient achieved a confirmed partial response with a 45% tumour reduction at 12 weeks, while another experienced a rapid 15% reduction in metastasis despite low FAP expression.

Of the 10 patients, six remained on treatment, and two others were in progression-free follow-up after completing their treatment cycles.

Only one patient reported disease progression as the best response.

The safety profile of AVA6000 continued to show reduced hematologic and cardiac toxicities compared to standard doxorubicin, the company reported.

A maximum tolerated dose had not been reached in either of the trial's dosing regimens, which included administration every two or three weeks.

Based on the encouraging results, Avacta said it was initiating phase 1b expansion cohorts to evaluate AVA6000 in triple-negative breast cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, and salivary gland cancer.

Screening was underway, with the first patients expected to begin treatment imminently in the US.

"These data highlight the transformative potential of our preCISION peptide drug conjugates in expanding the efficacy of highly potent therapeutics and support our growing optimism in this programme," said chief executive officer Christina Coughlin.

"Salivary gland cancer is a devastating disease with no established standard of care treatment options.

"AVA6000 demonstrated a clinically meaningful tumour shrinkage in SGC patients, highlighting its potential as an important new treatment option for patients with SGC and other solid tumours."

Dr Coughlin said the company was "looking forward" to continuing to work with its investigators and the broader community to explore its potential in SGC and other cancers.

"We are thrilled to begin enrollment in the expansion cohorts, and this part of the trial will also be conducted in less heavily pretreated patients which will allow us to better understand the potential of AVA6000 in these disease settings with high unmet need."

At 1040 GMT, shares in Avacta Group were up 5.96% at 52.45p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.

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