MATINS trial data presented at ESMO

Data from completed Part I of bexmarilimab MATINS trial presented at ESMO Virtual Congress 2020

TURKU – FINLAND, 18 September 2020 – Faron Pharmaceuticals Ltd (Faron”) (LON: FARN), the clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, today announces details from an oral presentation being held at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Virtual Congress 2020, showcasing data from the Company’s ongoing MATINS trial to the scientific community.

The ongoing phase I/II MATINS clinical trial is investigating the tolerability, safety and efficacy of bexmarilimab, Faron’s wholly-owned novel precision cancer immunotherapy targeting Clever-1 positive tumour associated macrophages (TAM) in selected metastatic or inoperable solid tumours. During the on-demand mini oral session, Petri Bono, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator of the MATINS study, presents data on all 30 patients in Part I of the trial with advanced solid tumours and who had exhausted standard therapeutic options. The presentation includes previously announced data, highlighting:

  • Key pharmacokinetics (PK) and Clever-1 receptor occupancy data showing that exposure to bexmarilimab in the trial was more than dose proportional, that full (transient) Clever-1 receptor occupancy was achieved and, despite its relatively fast clearance from circulation, sustained pharmacodynamic effects by bexmarilimab were observed.
  • Very good tolerability across all dosing levels with no observed dose limiting toxicity.
  • Th1-weighted immune activation in all subjects measured following treatment with bexmarilimab. The patients also increased circulating CD8+ T cells and CD8+/CD4+ ratio, decreased regulatory T-cells (T-regs) or had a substantial increase in natural killer cells in the blood, all of which are considered as strong signs of this desired immune activation.
  • Promising clinical anti-tumour activity including, 1) a long-lasting partial response of a heavily pre-treated microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer patient who had previously been treated with six different anti-cancer drugs, which had all failed, 2) target lesion responses in heavily pre-treated melanoma and ovarian cancer patients.
  • Conversion of immunologically non-inflamed (cold) tumours into inflamed (hot) tumours in patients traditionally not responsive to currently available checkpoint inhibitors.

Commenting on the presented data, Petri Bono M.D., Ph.D., Terveystalo, Helsinki, Finland and principal investigator of the MATINS trial, said: “The emerging tolerability profile and evidence of clinical anti-tumour activity for this novel anti Clever-1 antibody are promising. These data are from patients with difficult-to-treat cancers who had already failed all standard therapy options and received as many as six different lines of therapy, exhausting all future treatment options.  As this trial continues, we will learn more about this novel immunotherapy’s potential to help those cancer patients who desperately need new treatment options.”

Title: A phase I/II MATINS trial: Part 1 pharmacokinetic, safety and efficacy results of Clever-1 blockade in advanced cancer

Presentation number: 1024MO

www.esmo.org

 

ENDS

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