AVA6103 Cancer Trial Data

Avacta shares promising early trial and preclinical data for cancer drug AVA6103.

Avacta presented preclinical findings and the Phase 1 FOCUS-01 trial design for AVA6103, an experimental peptide-drug conjugate intended to release the cancer drug exatecan in FAP-rich tumors, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. In patient-derived pancreatic cancer models, treatment delivered exatecan to tumors and produced complete or partial responses that persisted for weeks after dosing stopped; researchers also found FAP-positive fibroblasts near tumor cells and blood vessels, consistent with the drug’s proposed targeting mechanism. Early results from the first three trial dose levels showed a pharmacokinetic profile consistent with preclinical modeling and tolerability at payload doses reported to be about 50% above conventional exatecan’s maximum tolerated dose. Enrollment is continuing, including a pancreatic cancer arm testing dosing every two weeks, with doses reported to exceed twice the conventional exatecan maximum tolerated dose. These findings offer early support for the approach, but further clinical data are needed to determine AVA6103’s safety and effectiveness in patients.

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