As of the last check, shares of biopharmaceutical company developing novel cancer therapies for patients who are failing or are resistant to current treatment regimens, Kintara Therapeutics Inc. (KTRA) were trading at $2.80, an increase of 23.35%. Kintara stock closed at $2.27 in the previous session. Volume for KTRA stock remained at 4.81 million shares, which is above the past 50 days’ average of 1.15 million shares.
In the past week, KTRA shares have gained 1.34%, with this year’s performance of 230.04%. During a three-month period, KTRA stock gained 30.46%, and over a six-month period, it gained 71.97%. Additionally, KTRA has a current market capitalization of $74.68 million and still has 29.27 million outstanding shares. Following topline results from a phase 2 clinical trial, KTRA stock has been rising.
Why did KTRA conduct the trial?
Kintara, which has its headquarters in San Diego, California, focuses on the development of novel cancer therapies. In addition to VAL-083, KTRA is developing REM-001 for cutaneous metastatic breast cancer (CMBC), both of which are Phase 3-ready. A novel blood-brain barrier crossing, small molecule, bifunctional alkylating agent by KRTA, called VAL-083, has shown clinical activity against a variety of cancers. KTRA’s proprietary, late-stage photodynamic therapy platform, REM-001, demonstrates promise for localized cutaneous tumor treatment and for other potential applications.
In its open-label, Phase 2 clinical study of its lead compound VAL-083, Kintara today announced topline data results from the recurrent arm.
- The study was conducted by KTRA at the MD Anderson Cancer Center (MD Anderson) in Houston, Texas.
- In Phase 2 of KTRA’s study, the treatment will be tested in patients with the unmethylated promoter of the methylguanine DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) gene in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients.
- In the recurrent arm of the KTRA study, temozolomide was pre-treated prior to disease recurrence in patients with temozolomide pre-treatment.
- A total of 89 patients were enrolled at KTRA, who were initially treated with 30 mg/m2/day on days 1, 2, and 3 of a 21-day cycle.
- The 30 mg dose being examined is the same dose being tested in KTRA’s recently initiated and currently enrolling GBM AGILE study arm, VAL-083.
An overview of the results:
- The median overall survival (mOS) of the 48 efficacy-evaluable patients initially treated with 30 mg / m2 / day was found to be 8.0 months in the KTRA study.
- Similary to KTRA’s prior research, the most frequent adverse event was myelosuppression.
- Among patients receiving VAL-083 at 30 mg/m2/day, five experienced a serious adverse event (SAE) possibly related to the drug.
- KTRA observed that mOS was 7.5 months for 83 efficacy evaluable patients who had completed at least one cycle of treatment.
The FDA and European Medicines Agency have granted KTRA’s VAL-083 an Orphan Drug Designation for GBM. The FDA has also authorized Kintara (KTRA) to use it for the treatment of medulloblastoma and ovarian cancer, granting it Orphan Drug Designation for the same. Furthermore, KTRA’s VAL-083 in recurrent GBM has been given Fast Track Designation by the FDA.
