Copenhagen-based Scandion Oncology is a biotechnology company focused on developing new drugs for the treatment of drug-resistant and serious cancers. The company's lead drug candidate, SCO-101, is currently being evaluated in two clinical studies – the phase II study CHORUS for the treatment of drug-resistant metastatic colon cancer, as well as the phase Ib study PANTAX for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic pancreatic cancer. In addition, they recently revealed their plans to advance SCO-101 into a third indication, namely acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Read more here.
Progress in PANTAX
Scandion Oncology was able to announce top line results from PANTAX at the end of March. The results show that SCO-101 is safe and well tolerated in combination with standard-of-care gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. This adds to the previous safety data demonstrated with the candidate in CORIST in patients with colon cancer, and is important for the continued development of the candidate in PANTAX. The study has established the maximum tolerated dose at 200 milligrams for 6 consecutive days every other week. A total of 22 patients are included in the study.
Some of the patients in the study are still undergoing treatment. Once all patients have completed their treatment and follow-up period, the company will perform the full data analysis and then determine the next steps in the development program.
CMO tells more
BioStock contacted Scandion Oncology CMO Alfred Zurlo to get his comment on the progress of PANTAX.
You have now completed the dose finding in PANTAX. What does this mean for the development of SCO-101?
- It is of course very pleasing to have reached this milestone, again proving our capabilities in carrying through challenging international multi-center clinical trials. Strong trial execution is of course very important for the entire development of SCO-101, so we are glad to have demonstrated this.
- In terms of the topline results from PANTAX we are happy to have established the maximum tolerated dose of SCO-101 and get confirmation that the compound is well-tolerated in combination with different chemotherapies in vulnerable patients.
What do you hope to see in the final results of the study?
– The final results will hopefully give us a better understanding of how SCO-101 may work in pancreatic cancer patients and therefore also ideas of optimal dosing schedules, etc. This will add to our collective knowledge of the compound across indications and combinations.
When do you expect to be able to publish the final results?
- That is not possible to say at this time as some of the 22 patients participating in the trial are still receiving treatment. We will of course wait for all patients to complete treatment and a follow up period before we can conduct a full analysis of all safety and activity outcomes.
Could you elaborate on what the next steps might be after PANTAX is concluded?
- That would be premature. We will carefully analyze and publish the final results before deciding next steps of development of SCO-101 when used as a combination treatment of pancreatic cancer.