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Prima Biomed Initiates Randomized Study for Breast Cancer

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Prima Biomed Ltd. announced that it has dosed the first patient in the enlarged randomized phase of the phase IIb study – AIPAC (Active Immunotherapy PAClitaxel) – on its most advanced pipeline candidate, IMP321, (based on the LAG-3 immune control mechanism) for the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer.

The company’s shares improved 2% after the news. Prima’s share price movement in the past one year shows that the company has underperformed the Zacks classified Medical-Biomedical/Genetics industry. Specifically, the stock declined 19.3% during this period, than the industry’s fall of 4%.



Coming back to the latest news, the study followed the Dose Escalation Committee’s approval of a 30 mg dosage level on IMP321 on Dec 30, 2016. Patients in the study will be randomized to receive IMP321 in combination with Celgene Corporation’s Abraxane (paclitaxel), or Abraxane plus placebo.

We remind investors that in Dec 2016, the company reported positive interim data from the AIPAC study that evaluated IMP321-Abraxane combination in patients with hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer. Initial data demonstrated that 6mg and 30mg doses of IMP321, in combination with Abraxane, was found to be safe and well tolerated with no drug-related serious adverse events. Prima expects to provide additional data on safety and efficacy of the candidate by mid-2017.

Meanwhile, IMP321 is being evaluated, in combination with Merck & Co., Inc.’s (MRK - Free Report) PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor Keytruda, in a phase I study (TACTI-mel) for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma.

The company noted that many large pharmaceutical partners are developing LAG-3 products including antibodies for immune response modulation in autoimmunity and cancer. Currently, Prima is developing an agonist of LAG-3 – IMP761– for autoimmune disease. Pre-clinical development on the candidate is expected to be initiated this year.

Going forward, we expect investors to remain focus on further updates by the company on its lead candidate, IMP321.

Prima BioMed Ltd. Price and Consensus

 

Prima BioMed Ltd. Price and Consensus | Prima BioMed Ltd. Quote

Currently, Prima carries a Zacks Rank # 2 (Buy).

A Key Pick in the Sector

A better-ranked stock in the health care sector is Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Sucmapo’s earnings estimates were stable at $1.22 for 2016 but have increased from $1.30 to $1.74 for 2017 over the last 60 days. The company posted a positive earnings surprise in all of the four trailing quarters with an average beat of 35.5%.

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