Mersana Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:MRSN) reported preliminary safety, efficacy, and tolerability data from its ongoing expansion in the first phase. It evaluates its first antibody-drug conjugate XMT-1536, which targets NaPi2b in non-small cell lung and ovarian cancer patients.
Mersana to present XMT-1536 study data at the 2020 ASCO
The positive data supports the NaPi2b patient selection approach, and the company held a conference on May 27, 2020, to discuss the results. The investigator of the study was the lead investigator of the study by Debra Richardson, the Gynecologic Oncology associate professor at Stephenson Cancer Centre in the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Centre. Others present during the presentation and discussion of the results were the executive member of Mersana Therapeutics. The company will present this positive data in a poster session during this year’s annual American Society of Clinical Oncology virtual scientific meeting to be held on May 29, 2020.
Anna Protopapas, the CEO and President of Mersana, stated that the data shows that the company’s first-in-class Dolaflexin antibody-drug conjugate targeting NaPi2b, XMT-1536, can offer partial and complete responses in the platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. She added that the responses had the potential of deepening after some time in a population of patients with limited treatment alternatives and poor prognosis.
XMT-1536 showing high levels of tolerability compared to other ADC platforms
The CEO added that XMT-1536 has continued to show significant tolerability without dose-limiting toxicities associated with other ADC targeting platforms like neuropathy, neutropenia as well as ocular toxicity. For the company, these are encouraging indications, and the company is looking forward to reporting mature data on the study in the second half of 2020. Ann confirmed that Mersana has continued the advancement of XMT-1536 for NSCLC adenocarcinoma and resistant ovarian cancer patients.
The first phase expansion part is already enrolling platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, primary peritoneal, or fallopian cancer patients that have received around three lines of previous therapy. In some instances, up to four lines of previous therapy despite their platinum status. They also include NSCLC adenocarcinoma patients that received previous therapy treatment.
