A peer-reviewed research paper published in the scientific journal Oncolmmunology has given Scancell Holdings plc's (LON: SCLP) lead drug SCIB1 a positive review, the company announced on Monday.

Assessing the data from Scancell's Phase 1/2 study of SCIB1 in patients with malignant melanoma who had been operated on and received five doses of the drug, the paper's authors said SCIB1 was "worthy of further study", particularly in an "adjuvant setting" with checkpoint inhibitors.

Scancell also revealed updated data from the trial, showing 18 of the 20 stage III/IV melanoma patients were still alive.

The data also showed that: only six of the 16 participants who received 2-4mg doses of SCIB1 had recurrence of the disease, and only two deaths; all 14 surviving patients in the group had passed the five-year time point since study entry; the four patients with disease recurrence received other treatments for their melanoma, while the 10 others had no other treatment since entering the trial.

The company expects to progress into Phase 2 clinical trials in the second half of 2018, investigating the drug as a combination therapy with a checkpoint inhibitor.