Phosplatin Therapeutics, a clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on oncology therapeutics, has revealed data from a Phase 1b dose escalation study (NCT 03409458) of lead candidate PT-112, an immunogenic cell death inducer, used in combination with avelumab, a PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, in patients with progressing solid tumours who earlier exhausted all available treatment options, it was reported on Friday.

The company has found the combination of PT-112 and avelumab to be safe and well tolerated in 36 heavily pre-treated solid tumour patients who have exhausted standard therapy options, the majority of whom had received earlier immunotherapy.

The study was carried out under a collaboration agreement between Phosplatin Therapeutics, Pfizer Inc and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. According to the terms of the collaboration, Phosplatin Therapeutics is the Sponsor of Phase 1b/2a clinical trials in several indications. Pfizer and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany are to provide avelumab for the trials.

Daniel D Karp, MD, professor of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, said, 'These results demonstrate that the PT-112 and avelumab combination is safe and well tolerated in heavily pre-treated patients. As in any advanced cancer population treated with numerous prior therapies, appropriate dose modifications are important. We are encouraged by activity observed thus far, and we look forward to confirming the combination dose in future studies as we seek treatment options for these patients who effectively have no other therapeutic alternatives remaining.'