Galera Therapeutics said that it has wrapped up enrollment of patients for its phase 1b/2a safety and anti-cancer efficacy clinical trial of the combination of avasopasem manganese (GC4419) with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in patients having locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC).

The US biotech company said that its investigational, selective small molecule superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetics are designed to quickly and preferentially convert superoxide to hydrogen peroxide and oxygen.

Galera Therapeutics said that GC4419 is a dismutase mimetic which has potential anti-cancer synergy, that is backed by positive results noted across various preclinical models.

The biotech firm said that the randomized phase 1b/2a clinical trial is assessing the safety, progression-free survival, and overall response rate of GC4419 in combination with stereotactic body radiation therapy. This will be in comparison to stereotactic body radiation therapy and placebo, in locally advanced pancreatic cancer patients.

The early-stage clinical trial is also evaluating safety and tolerability to establish the recommended dose of stereotactic body radiation therapy when combined with either GC4419 or placebo.

Mel Sorensen – President and CEO of Galera Therapeutics said: “Pancreatic cancer has one of the poorest survival prognoses of common cancers and better treatments are urgently needed. Even when the disease is locally advanced, treatment options have limited impact on this difficult-to-treat cancer.

“This pilot trial is the first to evaluate the anti-cancer effects of our dismutase mimetics in combination of SBRT in patients. We look forward to reporting topline data from this trial in the second half of 2020.”

  cancer, Galera Therapeutics, GC4419, Mel Sorensen, Pancreatic Cancer, radiation therapy, stereotactic body radiation therapy, USA