Immuno-oncology (I-O) cancer medications have seen a big leap forward in the past few decades. Yet they face a major obstacle – while many I-O drugs are highly effective in treating certain cancers such as melanoma and lung cancer, they don’t have much success in treating other forms of cancer (eg. breast, ovarian, prostate, bowel).

Noxopharm (ASX: NOX) has its eyes on the biggest prize of all – an immunotherapy that works in the majority of cancer patients who currently lack an immunotherapy option. Noxopharm is beginning this quest by focusing in the first instance on prostate cancer – a major unmet need with about 350,000 men expected to die worldwide this year from the disease.

The Company has completed a Phase 1b safety and proof-of-concept study in 25 men with advanced prostate cancer who had exhausted all standard treatment options. These men typically are receiving palliative care to try and make their remaining time as comfortable as possible, with expected survival times between about 2 and 6 months.

Veyonda proved to be very well tolerated, always the vital first question to be asked. The second question of whether Veyonda provided an anti-cancer response in some of the patients also was answered encouragingly, with a high proportion of patients showing significant pain relief and having cancer growth halted.

On the basis of these encouraging early results, the Company is currently working towards conducting a much larger Phase 2 study in over 200 men with end-stage prostate cancer, set to start early-2021.

“I am most proud of the company’s scientists and doctors who have persevered against considerable odds, including limited resources, to come up with a unique and ground-breaking technology” says Noxopharm CEO, Dr Graham Kelly.

 

“All drug development is speculative. But today’s Reach Markets’ investors can focus on how de-risked the company’s opportunity is (which in the case of NOX we believe is considerably de-risked) and what is the potential pay-off of the opportunity (which in the case of NOX we believe is very considerable).”

Did you miss the investor briefing? Watch the video to hear more about Noxopharm from CEO, Dr Graham Kelly.

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