In pre-market trading, Purple Biotech Ltd. (NASDAQ: PPBT) had a notable stock increase this morning, going up 57.08% to $5.27. The spike comes after PPBT revealed positive Phase 2 clinical research findings for CM24, its top cancer medication. Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) were screened for this humanized monoclonal antibody, which targets CEACAM1.
Phase 2 Study: A Milestone in PDAC Treatment
The randomized Phase 2 study revealed CM24’s ability to deliver consistent improvements across all evaluated efficacy endpoints. Particularly noteworthy were the enhanced outcomes in patients with specific biomarkers such as CEACAM1 and other serum indicators. These results demonstrate how CM24 may have a major effect on cancers that express CEACAM1.
These findings are encouraging to clinicians and researchers, especially when it comes to late-stage metastatic PDAC, when there are few available treatments. Refining patient selection based on biomarker profiles may also improve treatment results, according to the data.
The Role of CEACAM1 and NETs
A key insight from the study is the role of CEACAM1 and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in determining the efficacy of CM24. Tumors with moderate levels of CEACAM1 and NET-related markers like MPO were most responsive, encompassing 80% of the Nal-IRI cohort. This suggests that tumors with low reliance on these markers or excessively high levels may not benefit as significantly from the treatment.
Purple Biotech plans to further explore these dynamics in a forthcoming Phase 2b study. The trial will compare three arms: CM24 with a PD1 inhibitor, CM24 monotherapy, and standard-of-care (SoC) chemotherapy. The study aims to evaluate the necessity of PD1 blockade alongside CM24 and to target patients with elevated CEACAM1 and MPO levels.
Expanding Horizons in Oncology
These findings position CM24 as a versatile therapeutic candidate for multiple cancer types expressing CEACAM1. Purple Biotech’s approach of concentrating on patient groups that are biomarker-enriched may greatly improve the effectiveness of CM24. PPBT continues to be at the forefront of cutting-edge cancer therapies as it moves on to the next stage of clinical testing.