(AOF) – Transgene has announced new positive data from the Phase I trial combining intravenous (IV) administration of the oncolytic virus TG6002 and oral intake of 5-FC in patients with gastrointestinal carcinomas in the advanced stage. TG6002 is an oncolytic virus using the VVcopTK-RR- viral strain, which is the foundation of the Invir.IO platform. This proprietary technological platform makes it possible to generate numerous multifunctional oncolytic virus candidates.
These new data were generated in 37 patients treated at the highest doses in the Phase I trial. They show that the treatment is well tolerated and confirm the mechanism of action of TG6002 administered IV. These results were presented on September 11, 2022 in a poster at the annual conference of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), which takes place in Paris from September 9 to 13, 2022.
LEXICON
Clinical trials (Phases I, II, III)
Phase I: small-scale testing of the molecule on humans to assess its safety, tolerance, metabolic and pharmacological properties. Phase II: evaluation of tolerance and efficacy on several hundred patients to identify side effects. Phase III: assessment of the overall benefit/risk ratio with several thousand patients.
AOF – LEARN MORE
An inevitable race for new blockbusters
The patent for Merck’s star product, the cancer drug Keytruda, which accounts for more than 35% of its sales, expires in 2028. Despite the loss, since 2019, of the patents for its three star products (Avastin, Herceptine, Rituxan) Roche was able to renew its portfolio by bringing new molecules to market. However, the discovery and launch of new drugs are increasingly expensive. AstraZeneca spends about $6 billion a year on R&D in a pharmaceutical industry where the life of a patent only lasts ten to fifteen years. This leads laboratories to withdraw from certain activities. Thus J&J, Pfizer, GSK and, no doubt, Novartis soon prefer to refocus on specialty drugs and abandon any ancillary activity.