Immutep (ASX:IMM) reports positive trial data

Immutep Limited (ASX:IMM) CEO, Marc Voigt provides an update on the company's clinical trial data for its Phase 1 trial in melanoma, TACTI-mel, where patients are responding positively to the combination therapy of efti and Keytruda.

Rachael Jones: Hello. I'm Rachael Jones for the Finance News Network. Joining me today from Immutep (ASX:IMM) is CEO Marc Voigt. Marc, welcome back to the network.

Marc Voigt: Thank you so much. Pleasure to be here.

Rachael Jones: Now, you've just released some data from your lead product candidate, efti (eftilagimod alpha). What can you tell me about that?

Marc Voigt: Actually, we had two data points from two different clinical trials.

One was in September, a trial called TACTI-002. In non-small cell lung cancer. We reported very early first data. However, encouraging was a response rate of 41% even at the first point, so that was quite nice. The very first group we completely recruited, 17 patients and the data-monitoring committee, the guys overseeing the trial practically from a data point of view. We're enlarging based on the results achieved, we're enlarging the clinical trial by another 19 patients. So, quite encouraging and we plan to present an update in terms of non-small cell lung cancer at the big congress in the United States near Washington. It's an immunotherapy congress called SITC (Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer), and it will be around 9 November this year.

And then just about two weeks ago we had another data point for a trial called TACTI-mel, which we performed here in Australia, and it was final efficacy data. Our CSO, Frédéric Triebel, presented in Basel in Switzerland, and it was very well received. I think very encouraging signs of efficacy, but of course there's more to come.

Rachael Jones: And looking forward now, Marc, what milestones are on the horizon for shareholders?

Marc Voigt: So we have in the first quarter next year really decisive results coming from our biggest clinical trial called AIPAC (Active Immunotherapy PAClitaxel) in metastatic breast cancer, where we have 227 patients in a controlled setting. A very important clinical trial. Would be the first positive randomised clinical trial in solid tumours for an antigen-presenting cell activator. So, a new class of immunotherapy products. So could be a landmark clinical trial. By the way also serves as a basis for approval. Conditional marketing authorisation of eftilagimod in that setting together with chemotherapy. So, we try to do nothing less than to improve the existing standard of care for the women who unfortunately experience metastatic breast cancer. Indeed, very important milestones ahead. Also, we plan another mature data update for TACTI-002. And it will be exciting, so it will be a great quarter to come.

Rachael Jones: So, how does all this data help the company, and what does it mean for shareholders?

Marc Voigt: These catalysts ahead are very important value inflection points, and it would be no surprise if the company would significantly benefit from positive clinical trials. So, it's mature clinical trials we're looking at here, and if these are positive it will for sure be reflected in the share price. You may have seen round about two weeks ago when Frédéric presented the results from TACTI-mel, a small clinical trial, 24 patients, not controlled, has been leading to good activity on the market, and this is a natural way people should look at the business. You generate data, it takes years, four years for our biggest clinical trial, and if that data is positive, clinically meaningful, then this should really lead to significant interest from all relevant stakeholders.

Rachael Jones: Marc Voigt, thanks so much for the update.

Marc Voigt: Thank you.

Source: Finance News Network