UPDATE 2-Vical cancer drug shows promise in mid-stage trial
11:02am EDT
* Phase 2 median survival 18.8 months
* Says data favorable against other studies
* Shares up 10 pct (Adds analyst comments, details, updates share movement)
By Anand Basu
BANGALORE, May 12 (Reuters) - Vical Inc <VICL.O> reported positive data from a mid-stage trial of its experimental treatment for metastatic melanoma, a potentially fatal type of skin cancer, sending its shares up 10 percent.
The drug, Allovectin-7, is currently in a late-stage trial through a Special Protocol Assessment agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
"The Phase 2 trial results with a median survival of 19 months in refractory melanoma patients is definitely promising," Noble Financial Capital analyst Brian McCarthy said.
Currently, melanoma patients who are treated with chemotherapeutic agent dacarbazine had a median survival of 7 months to 8 months, he said.
"If the results from the ongoing Phase 3 trial even comes close to these, it will be significant not just for the company and shareholders but for patients worldwide," McCarthy said.
Top-line results from the company's late-stage trial is expected in mid-2011.
The company said a mid-stage trial of the drug has found that patients who received high-dose Allovectin-7 had a median survival of 18.8 months.
"These data compare favorably against historical controls from other studies in metastatic melanoma," Vical said.
The mid-stage trial was a single-arm study in which 127 patients were treated with the drug.
Shares of the company rose 10 percent to $3.70 Wednesday morning on Nasdaq. |
