21-month follow-up data for mesothelioma drug indicate long-term survival Mesothelioma.net

Published 23 February 2021

Just days after they are awarded FastTrack status Targovax has released the latest clinical data for ONCOS-102 through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, indicating that overall survival has not yet reached the apparent median.

ONCOS-102 in combination with chemotherapy shows continued promise

This morning, Targovax released the 21-month follow-up data from the randomized phase I / II trial of ONCOS-102 in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma, and the results are extremely promising. The study enrolled 31 patients, 20 of whom were treated with a combination of ONCOS-102 and pemetrexed / cisplatin, and the remaining 11 patients received chemotherapy alone.

At 21 months, half of the mesothelioma patients who received the combination treatment studied are still alive, indicating that the median overall survival is not yet known, but will be at least 20.5 months. In comparison, of the 11 patients in the chemotherapy-only group, the median overall survival was set at 13.5 months, showing a very significant improvement, the extent of which is still not fully realized.

Researchers praise “in-depth” results

Dr. Magnus Jäderberg, Chief Medical Officer of Targovax, said of the results seen so far in the mesothelioma study: “It is very encouraging that survival continues to perform so well in the ONCOS-102 treated first-line group. We have previously seen and reported how ONCOS-102 stimulates deep remodeling of the tumor microenvironment. It is now becoming apparent that this translates into a long-term survival benefit. The survival data is also consistent with the recently FDA-approved combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab, confirming the relevance of immunotherapy in mesothelioma and strongly suggesting that combining ONCOS-102 with checkpoint inhibition has efficacy in this highly malignant and difficult to treat could further intensify cancer. . “

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, immunotherapy treatments may be available to you through clinical trials and other sources. Contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608 for information on how to access these resources.

Written by Terri Oppenheimer

Terri Heimann Oppenheimer is the lead author of our news blog Mesothelioma.net. She graduated from the College of William and Mary with a degree in English. Terri believes knowledge is power and is committed to sharing news about the impact of mesothelioma, the latest research and medical breakthroughs, and victims’ stories.

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