WntResearch reaches full operations again in NeoFox study
The NeoFox study, conducted to explore the efficacy of WntResearch’s drug candidate Foxy-5, is now back in full swing. A total of 80 patients have been recruited and the company reiterates that it sees good opportunities to obtain an interim result from the study by the end of 2022. BioStock has spoken to Anders Rabbe, CEO of WntResearch, to get his view on the latest news.
Cancer therapy company WntResearch is developing Foxy-5, a peptide-based drug candidate that mimics the WNT5A protein in order to reduce tumour cells’ ability to spread and thus prevent the spread of secondary tumours, i.e. metastases. In a first step, Foxy-5 is being developed for the treatment of colon cancer, a common type of cancer that every individual is at a 4 per cent risk of contracting.
NeoFox aims to confirm good preclinical results
Preclinical studies have shown that Foxy-5 has a good ability to counteract tumour formation, and the phase II study NeoFox is currently being conducted to obtain clinical confirmation of the results. A total of 28 hospitals in Spain and Hungary are participating in the study with the aim of conducting an interim analysis of patient data on 120 patients by the end of 2022.
Study back to fully operative
Recruitment of patients to the study has been a major challenge during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, as the infection rate continues to drop in both Spain and Hungary, containment measures have also been loosened, thus creating the conditions for WntResearch, together with partners and the participating clinics, to work more actively with the recruitment of patients. The company announced last week that the study activities are back to pre-pandemic levels, and it also confirmed that the plan is still to be able to conduct an interim analysis of patient data on 120 patients in December 2022. During the first quarter, 12 patients were recruited for the study and by the end of June an additional 11 patients have been recruited, which means that 80 patients have now been randomised for the study.
»I also see it as a great success that during the first half of the year, 23 patients were randomised for the study, even though the conditions to participate in the study have been extremely challenging.« – Anders Rabbe, interim CEO WntResearch.
WntResearch expects the recruitment rate to slow slightly during the summer, which it says is completely normal during holiday periods. According to the company, the increased optimism with regard to the pandemic will provide the conditions for full implementation of the clinical activities planned for the autumn. Another prerequisite for keeping up the pace is that the business is fully financed, something that was resolved with the spring share issue, which raised a total of 56.4 MSEK, before issue costs.
CEO comments
BioStock spoke to Anders Rabbe, CEO of WntResearch, to learn more about the latest announcement.
First of all, how would you sum up the first half of 2021?
– The Covid-19 pandemic created major problems for the company as we were unable to carry out the NeoFox study according to plan and, at the time of writing this, this has meant a delay of almost 18 months. It was therefore a great success to secure financing, which also indicates that there is confidence in the revised plan that the company presented during the year.
– I also see it as a great success that during the first half of the year, 23 patients were randomised for the study, even though the conditions to participate in the study have been extremely challenging. Against this backdrop, there are very good conditions for increasing the recruitment rate during the autumn and I look forward to continuing to follow developments closely.
Now that the recruitment is back in full swing, what activities will be important to you in the future?
– Above all, a successful study is based on being able to work closely with the participating doctors and healthcare professionals who meet patients. An improvement in the Covid situation now creates the conditions for, together with our CROn, SMS and Optimapharm, to visit hospitals and actively contribute to supporting the recruitment of patients.
The content of BioStock’s news and analyses is independent but the work of BioStock is to a certain degree financed by life science companies. The above article concerns a company from which BioStock has received financing.
