Prostate cancer patients could soon be in for potentially good news after clinical stage-drug development company, Noxopharm (ASX: NOX) reported interim data indicating effective anti-cancer responses from patients receiving treatment for late-stage prostate cancer. 

To date, the data from the study (DARRT-1) found that 80% of patients showed no further progression in their disease after six months of treatment. Furthermore, data collected 6 months into the study identified 55% of patients experienced a significant reduction in pain. The remaining data of the study group will be released next month. 

Noxopharm Chief Medical Officer, Dr Gisela Mautner, commented “DARRT-1 is our first study in metastatic prostate cancer and the results so far are very encouraging. Considering that these patients were at the end of their treatment journey with no further treatment option available to them, it is impressive to see that the DARRT-1 treatment regimen was able to stabilise the disease progression in the majority of trial participants.”

Noxopharm Executive Chairman, Dr Graham Kelly said further that “This data helps confirm our belief that Veyonda is on track to become an important new drug in the management of cancer more generally.”

The Northern-Sydney based company is focused primarily on the development of the drug, Vendonya, designed to work in conjunction with radiotherapy and chemotherapy cancer treatments. The company stated the drug is intended to work with the body’s defence system to fight cancer by activating the innate immune system, enhancing the safety and effectiveness of other treatments. 

The results from DAART-1 will be presented to an Australian cancer conference next month, with talk about a further study, DAART-2, being planned to take place in the U.S. and Europe next year. 

Following the announcement, NOX traded as high as $0.45, approximately an 18% increase on Fridays close of $0.38, suggesting the market responded well to the news of the interim results.