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Faron teams up with University of Birmingham for Clevegen liver cancer clinical program

Published: 17:14 18 Apr 2017 AEST

woman holding a liver outside of her body
Hepatocelluar cellular carcinoma is the most common liver cancer type

Clinical stage biopharma group Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (LON:FARN) has partnered up with the University of Birmingham as it looks to advance its potential cancer immunotherapy, Clevegen.

Faron will work with the “world-renowned” UoB Medical School to develop and initiate a liver cancer program testing Clevegen in clinical trials.

The collaboration will focus on trial and protocol design for a phase I/II trial, called TIETALC (Tumour Immunity Enabling Technology Against Liver Cancer).

Faron will seek approval for an adaptive protocol which would allow flexible administration of the treatment based on the results of previous dosings.

A clinical trial application will be filed with the regularity authorities (MHRA) either late this year or early next.

Should the CTA get the green light from the authorities, it is expected that Faron and the UoB will conduct the TIETALC trial together.

“[The UoB Medical School’s] substantial clinical expertise and numerous research programmes in liver cancer treatment will provide us with a unique opportunity to assess the effect Clevegen has on immune function in these patients.,” said Faron chief executive Markku Jalkanen.

“We are optimistic that Clevegen will stimulate strong immune responses against the cancer, restricting tumour growth and metastasis, and thereby improving the long term survival of these patients, whose prognosis with current therapies is very poor.”

The main focus of the TIETALC trial is to study the safety and initial efficacy of Clevegen in liver cancer patients, focusing on those with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) – the most common form of liver cancer.

The study will also look at whether or not Clevegen is able to reduce the number of Clever-1 positive, immune suppressive myeloid cells.

Faron added that TIETALC may also help it to develop a liquid biopsy based on the recognition of these Clever-1 cells which could help identify patients who are most likely to benefit from Clevegen going forward.

Shares were unchanged at 612.5p on Tuesday.

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on 21/2/18