CanariaBio Completes 50% of Patient Recruitment for Phase 2 Clinical Trial in Treatment-Resistant Ovarian Cancer Patients

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hyowon] Canaria Bio (CEO Hanik Na) announced on the 30th that patient recruitment for the Phase 2 clinical trial of oregovomab for the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer, which began in August last year, has been 50% completed.

This clinical trial, conducted in collaboration with Professor Jung Yoon Lee's obstetrics and gynecology team at Yonsei University Severance Hospital, involves two cohorts: a combination therapy of oregovomab with PLD (PEGylated Liposomal Doxorubicin) and a combination therapy of oregovomab with weekly paclitaxel. Each cohort will recruit 28 patients, totaling 56 patients.

The subjects are patients who have failed PARP inhibitor treatment, which is used as the first-line management drug for ovarian cancer, and patients who are resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy, the first-line treatment. This patient group has a high unmet medical need because there are few treatment options when resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy, commonly used in ovarian cancer patients, develops.

Ovarian cancer chemotherapy is known to have a very low response rate of 5-10% to any drug after patients experience recurrence and undergo several rounds of chemotherapy. Cytotoxic chemotherapy remains the only treatment option, while Avastin (bevacizumab: an angiogenesis inhibitor) and PARP inhibitors are used as maintenance drugs.

Avastin is currently used in ovarian cancer patients with residual tumors after optimal debulking surgery. PARP inhibitors such as Lynparza and Zejula are used for patients positive for BRCA (DNA damage repair gene) mutations and HRD (homologous recombination deficiency). However, studies have shown that the use of PARP inhibitors may actually reduce overall survival, leading manufacturers to voluntarily narrow their indications.

CEO Hanik Na stated, "Combination therapy with oregovomab minimizes the severe side effects of existing ovarian cancer treatments and enhances therapeutic effects even in patients resistant to current treatments, offering hope to patients who have been difficult to treat until now."

Canaria Bio plans to expand indications not only to new patients but also to recurrent ovarian cancer patients, providing treatment opportunities to more patients.