Last month Sorrento Therapeutics (SRNE) released positive news of their relief of cancer pain results, three subjects at the higher doses had rapid and marked pain reduction after treatment and one additional cohort was added to further evaluate a 25 ug dose for upcoming Phase 3 studies
There are some signs of efficacy showing but will continue to follow patients for at least 77 days.
Safety Outcomes
No dose limiting toxicities or notable adverse events unrelated to progression of underlying disease were encountered for any of the subjects. The most common treatment-related adverse event was transient post-procedural pain: 7 of 14 subjects (50%) reported moderate severity. Two additional treatment-related adverse events of moderate severity were back pain and increase in blood pressure in a patient. All events resolved in less than two days following drug administration.
Efficacy Outcomes
The ongoing trial will follow subjects for at least 84 days. The lower doses of 0.4, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 ug did not demonstrate notable pain relief, but permitted dose escalation to the next designated dose level based on how well the drug was tolerated.
Three patients had marked pain relief starting shortly after initial administration that were still observed weeks after treatment: 1 of 3 subjects who received 8 ug (a 58-year-old woman with gastrointestinal stromal cancer with severe lower back pain reported a decrease in numerical pain rating scale (NPRS) scores from >6/10 to 2/10), and 2 of 3 subjects who received 15 ug (a 62-year-old man with rectal cancer noted significant improvement in pain, physical strength, mood, and appetite with NPRS scores reduced from 7-8/10 to 3/10; and a 57-year-old man with multiple myeloma and severe pain in his back, hips, and lower extremities subsequently reported mild pain in the target areas after RTX injection). Improvement in pain and mobility within 24 hours of dosing in the three responders at the higher dose levels of RTX suggests the clinical potential of the drug for intractable cancer pain.
Sorrento intends to present the detailed results of the completed study upon completion of the additional expansion cohort later this year. A pivotal Phase 3 trial is being planned using epidural RTX for severe pain states associated with advanced disease.
Options Signal Big Move
Option traders are pricing for a big move for Sorrento Therapeutics. Currently no analysts have increased their earnings estimates for the current quarter, while one analyst decreased their estimate from a loss of $0.37 to a loss of $0.41 in that period.
Given the sentiment of how analysts and traders feel about Sorrento Therapeutics right now, implied volatility could mean there’s a trade developing, with average volume of $5.6 million shares exchanging hands it’s a highly positive sign for the company.
Other therapeutic companies on our radar for cancer treatment are Aptose Biosciences and Sunesis Pharmaceuticals
