Biocancell Therapeutics Ltd. (TASE:BICL) today announced that the Phase I/IIa clinical trial of BC-819 for the treatment of ovarian cancer found that the drug is effective and safe to use. The drug is administered to patients for whom standard available treatments have failed.
The primary endpoint of the high (240 milligram) dosage of BC-819 was found to be effective. In view of the positive results, company intends to expand the trial.
The trial included 11 patients with late stage heavily pretreated ovarian cancer, who received 60-mg, 120-mg, and 240-mg dosages of BC-819 for a period of three weeks. Under the trial's US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) protocols, the trial's primary endpoint was to test the safety of the drug at much higher dosages than in previous trials, and via a different delivery method - intraperitoneal injection into the abdominal cavity. No serious adverse events were seen and there were no dose-limiting toxicity related to the size of the dosage.
Patients who received the 240-mg dosage showed a reduction in liquids accumulated in the cancer cells to the point of their elimination. This effect lasted as long as the treatment was administered. These liquids are major side effect of the cancer, and seriously affect patients' quality of life.
Biocancell's share price rose 4.7% in morning trading to NIS 0.81, giving a market cap of NIS 31 million.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 14, 2012
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2012
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 14, 2012
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2012