ImmunoGen, Inc.’s IMGN shares soared 71.9% on the news that the company’s investigational ovarian cancer drug mirvetuximab soravtansine showed positive single-agent activity in an ongoing phase I study.
The study is assessing mirvetuximab soravtansine for the treatment of folate-receptor alpha (FRα)-positive solid tumors. Out of 17 patients included in the efficacy analysis, 9 showed a 53% objective response rate to treatment.
Following the determination of the recommended phase II dose of mirvetuximab soravtansine (RP2D) for patients likely to suffer from FRα-positive cancer, ImmunoGen opened an expansion cohort to evaluate the candidate in patients suffering from FRα-positive platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, when administered as a single agent at this RP2D. All these patients have undergone prior treatment with platinum-based therapy and taxane.
Meanwhile, ImmunoGen is preparing to initiate a phase II study to evaluate mirvetuximab soravtansine as a single-agent treatment for FRα-positive platinum-resistant ovarian cancer in late 2015. The company intends to evaluate mirvetuximab soravtansine as part of combination therapies for lightly pretreated ovarian cancer patients. Additionally, the company is assessing the candidate for the treatment of FRα-positive relapsed/refractory endometrial cancer.
ImmunoGen presented the above data at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
We note that several companies are currently working on developing treatments for ovarian cancer. Late last week, Clovis Oncology CLVS revealed positive data from two ongoing phase II studies on its ovarian cancer candidate, rucaparib. The company is planning to file for rucaparib for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer with the FDA in 2016. Celsion Corporation CLSN is also developing GEN-1 for the treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.
ImmunoGen carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A better-ranked stock in the health care sector is Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. VRX, carrying a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
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