Targovax starts Ph Ib of TG02 in rectal cancer

Targovax A/S (OSE:TRVX) began a Phase Ib trial to evaluate TG02 in about 20 patients with locally recurrent Ras-mutated rectal cancer scheduled for surgery. In the first part, 10 patients will receive TG02 plus GM-CSF on days 1, 8, 15, 22 and 36. TG02 may be given on day 64 if surgery is after week 10. The second part will evaluate TG02 plus GM-CSF as dosed in the first part in combination with Keytruda pembrolizumab in 10 additional patients.

The open-label, Australian and New Zealand trial's primary endpoint is safety and immune response, with secondary endpoints of immune suppression factors, pathological responses and markers of apoptosis in tumor tissue, standard uptake values and tumor marker carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)...