Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:HALO), a novel oncology and drug delivery based biotechnology company, announced that it has dosed its first patent in Phase 3 clinical trial (Halo-301 | Pancreatic study) on pancreatic cancer patients.
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The international, double-blind, randomized trial study will collect all the information about PEGPH20 – Halozyme’s investigational drug, along with gemcitabine and ABRAXANE in those patients who carry high chances of hyaluronan. It’s a chain of natural sugars or glycosaminoglycan that can easily impede the access of drugs, which target tumors.
The new PEGPH20 degrades HA for some time. It has been used in animal models to check whether it can improve the concentration of co-administered therapies in any particular tumor. So far the results are positive, and the management team of Halozyme Therapeutics is delighted to see these initial findings and hopes that things will continue to fall in line in the coming months as well.
In addition to this, Halozyme also unveiled that the investigational device exemption that it had submitted to U.S. Food and Drug Administration by its partner company Ventana Medical Systems has been approved without any hassle. With the help of IDE, Halozyme can use Ventana HA CDx Assay without any complexity in companion diagnostic Halo-301. It can further help the company to identify HA-High patients easily and include them in the trial.
The start of Phase 3 Study of PEGPH20 in HA-High pancreatic cancer patients is a milestone for PEGPH20 development program as well as the entire senior management team of the company. In the opinion of Dr. Margaret Tempero, Director, Pancreas Center – University of California, high HA level can be seen as a sign of below-expectations progress in many cancer patients.
It will continue to come up with more such products in the coming months and make it easier for the patients to live a healthy and long life.
