ACTengine Program Propels IMTX, Cannabics Pharma On Watch, TBIO Disappoints, All Eyes On PRQR

Today’s Daily Dose brings you news about Cannabics’ drug candidate RCC-33 prolonging survival rate in mice inoculated with human colorectal cancer cells, encouraging data of Immatics’ ACTengine program, and disappointing results from Translate Bio’s cystic fibrosis trial.

Read on…

1. Cannabics’ Antitumor Drug Candidate RCC-33 Prolongs Survival in Mice

Cannabics Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s (CNBX.OB) drug candidate RCC-33 prolonged survival rate in mice inoculated with human colorectal cancer cells.

In the in vivo study, the mean survival rate observed in the experimental group treated with RCC-33 was 31 days from treatment initiation compared to 23 days in the control group, reflecting a 35% increase in survival rate in the treatment group.

The company is planning to schedule a pre-IND meeting with the FDA by next quarter and start Phase 1/2a trials by beginning of 2022.

Gabriel Yariv, Cannabics Pharmaceuticals’ President and COO said, “Colorectal cancer accounts for 10% of all cancer cases worldwide, with an approximated 1.8 million new cases diagnosed annually. CRC is also the second most lethal cancer type accounting for over 550k deaths annually. It is also estimated that over 65% of CRC patients will have a survival rate of 5 years or longer, which creates ample opportunity for RCC-33 to potentially become a part of their treatment regime.”

CNBX.OB CLOSED Wednesday’s trading at $0.37, up 4.17%.

2. Immatics Rallies on ACTengine Program Update

Shares of Immatics N.V. (IMTX) jumped over 25% on Wednesday, following encouraging clinical data update from the dose escalation cohorts of the company’s ongoing Phase 1 trials with ACTengine product candidates IMA201, IMA202 and IMA203.

According to the trial data, tumor shrinkage was observed in 8 out of 10 patients including one partial response, and 9 out of 10 evaluable patients showed disease control on treatment with the ACTengine product candidates.

The ACTengine product candidates were well tolerated, and all adverse events were transient and manageable, added the company.

IMTX closed Wednesday’s trading at $14.60, up 25.54%.

3. ProQR to Present STELLAR Trial Data Next Week

ProQR Therapeutics N.V. (PRQR) will present and discuss results from its phase I/II trial of QR-421a in adults with Usher syndrome and non-syndromic retinitis pigmentosa, dubbed STELLAR, on March 24, 2021.

Usher syndrome is the leading cause of combined deafness and blindness. Usher syndrome type 2a and non-syndromic retinitis pigmentosa can be caused by mutations in the USH2A gene. To date, there are no pharmaceutical treatments approved or in clinical development that treat the vision loss associated with mutations in USH2A.

The first interim analysis findings from the STELLAR trial reported last March demonstrated that QR-421a was generally well tolerated and there were early signals of target engagement and clinical activity.

The data to be reported on March 24, 2021, will be able to clearly inform the design of the next study of QR-421a, including the dose to take forward, population to enrich for, and endpoint selection, according to the company.

PRQR closed Wednesday’s trading at $5.21, up 0.19%. In after-hours, the stock was up 1.54% at $5.29.

4. Translate Plunges On Cystic Fibrosis Trial Results

Shares of Translate Bio Inc. (TBIO) plunged more than 21% in extended trading Wednesday, following results from the second interim analysis of a phase I/II clinical trial of single- and multiple-ascending doses of MRT5005 in patients with cystic fibrosis.

According to the trial results, repeat dosing of MRT5005 was generally safe and well tolerated with no serious adverse events. However, there was no pattern of increase in percent predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (ppFEV1), which is an index of airway obstruction and an accepted endpoint measuring lung function.

Cystic fibrosis is characterized by mucus buildup in the lungs, pancreas and other organs. Mortality is primarily driven by a progressive decline in lung function.
Translate Bio has a next-generation cystic fibrosis discovery program that has generated positive preclinical data supporting planned initiation of investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies in the second half of 2021.

TBIO closed Wednesday’s trading at $25.70, up 2.72%. In after-hours, the stock fell 21.48% to $20.18.

5. Stocks That Hit New 52-week High

InfuSystem Holdings Inc. (INFU) closed Wednesday’s (Mar.17, 2021) trading at $22.28, up 12.53%.

Sierra Oncology Inc. (SRRA) closed at $18.52, up 8.88%.

Oncternal Therapeutics Inc. (ONCT) closed at $8.98, up 7.54%.

Anixa Biosciences, Inc. (ANIX) closed at $7.14, up 14.79%.

Silverback Therapeutics, Inc. (SBTX) closed at $60.41, up 8.57%.

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