Targovax ASA (OSE: TRVX), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company, has revealed 18-month follow-up data from the randomised phase I/II trial of ONCOS-102 in combination with standard-of-care chemotherapy in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), it was reported on Tuesday.

The study is an open-label, exploratory phase I/II trial adding ONCOS-102 to standard-of-care chemotherapy (pemetrexed/cisplatin) in first- and second- (and later) line treatment of MPM to evaluate safety, immune activation and efficacy compared to standard-of-care only. The company has included 31 patients in the trial, with 20 patients in the experimental group receiving the ONCOS-102 and standard-of-care combination (eight randomised in first-line), and 11 patients in the control group receiving standard-of-care only (six in first-line).

After the 18-month follow-up, over half of the patients in the first-line ONCOS-102-treated group were still alive, and the median Overall Survival (mOS) was not yet reached. Based on present survival data the mOS will be 18.2 months or longer. According to the company, ONCOS-102-treated patients show broad and powerful immune activation, associated with better survival outcome.