First Patient Dosed with AVB-001 in Trial for Relapsed Refractory Ovarian Cancer

The first patient has received a dose of AVB-001 in a phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating the drug in relapsed refractory ovarian cancer, according to a press release.

The trial is evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (how the body interacts with the drug), pharmacodynamics (how the drug works) and preliminary antitumor activity in patients with high-grade serous adenocarcinoma of the ovary, primary peritoneum or fallopian tube.

To be eligible, patients must have metastatic or unresectable, platinum-resistant, high-grade, serous adenocarcinoma of the ovary, primary peritoneum or fallopian tube; received five or fewer prior lines of therapy; have minimal, if any cancer-related effects on their activities of daily living; have certain blood labs, as determined by the researchers; and have measurable disease.

"This major milestone comes at a time when there are limited treatment options for those with relapsed refractory ovarian cancer," said Doug Carlson, chief operating and financial officer at Avenge Bio the drugs manufacturer, in the release. Of note, ovarian cancer is notoriously difficult to treat and ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women.

The treatment works by having cells encapsulated in a pro-inflammatory biomaterial that are then sent to the tumor environment and generate into high, sustained concentrations of native interleukin-2 (IL-2). IL-2’s role is to promote the growth and development of peripheral immune cells using immune response and to keep them alive as effector cells.

The product, AVB-001, initiates a robust and durable, local and systemic immune response while avoiding toxicities, the release reported.

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