Novocure (NSDQ: NVCR) touted a long-term analysis of data from a Phase III pivotal trial of its Optune device in combination with temozolomide for the treatment of newly-formed glioblastomas.
Survival data for nearly 700 patients confirmed interim results from the trial, 1st published in December 2015 in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. Patients treated with Optune plus temozolomide had superior 2-, 3- and 4-year survival rates compared to patients treated with temozolomide alone.
The results come weeks after the St. Helier, N.J.-based company announced that Optune, in combination with placlitaxel, is effective against ovarian cancer.
Optune is a noninvasive, portable device that emits targeted tumor fields (TTFields), which are designed to selectively disrupt the cell division process in cancer cells. Novocure won FDA approval in July for the Optune device to treat GBM.
The results of the long-term analysis will be presented as a late-breaking oral presentation in November at the 21st Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Neuro-Oncology in Scottsdale, Arizona.
“The analysis of the mature dataset provides an impressive confirmation of the improvement in both progression free and overall survival we saw in the trial’s interim analysis results, and demonstrates the trial met its pre-specified endpoints at both interim and long-term analyses,” principal investigator Dr. Roger Stupp, professor at the University of Zurich and director of the department of oncology at the Zurich University Hospital, said in prepared remarks. “I look forward to sharing the data with the scientific community in November.”
The company’s stock was up 7.79% to $8.72 apiece in mid-afternoon activity.
Don’t miss Novocure chairman Bill Doyle at this year’s DeviceTalks Boston event, Wed., Sept. 28. Tickets are still available here.
