DARRT-1 results

The ASX places restrictions on the content of company announcements, but that does not stop readers using their brains.  Let’s look at the latest announcement by Noxopharm.

NOX reported factual data from 12 patients enrolled in the Phase I DARRT trial, which is a dose-escalation study of palliative radiation combined with Veyonda in terminally-ill prostate cancer patients who have exhausted their standard treatment options.  These patients have a life expectancy of about 6 months.

The cancer in these patients has spread throughout their body and, significantly, to their skeleton.  When Graham Kelly had terminal prostate cancer and had tried every known therapy, he was in very great pain.  At times he had to work lying on the floor, with his laptop on his chest.  Metastatic prostate cancer is synonymous with skeletal pain.

The data reported yesterday stated that: “3/4 patients in the 800 mg cohort and 2/4 patients in the 1200 mg cohort had a pain response of > 30% (52-92%).”  In other words, 5 of 8 patients had pain reduction of 52% to 92%.

How can this be?  Low dose radiation was directed at a single tumour and yet these people had a massive reduction in pain throughout their bodies.  Furthermore, half the patients in each cohort has PSA reductions of 51% to 78% over the assessment period.

The announcement did not SAY that abscopal responses had been achieved, but the dots are clearly aligned.  It is quite clear, from the reduction in PSA and pain scores, that significant abscopal responses have occurred.

And abscopal responses should translate into longer survival in due course, which would be great news for everyone.