eFFECTOR Therapeutics Shares Jump After Clinical Update Of Investigational Cancer Drug

Benzinga · 01/06/2023 12:12
  • eFFECTOR Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:EFTR) provided an update on its ongoing clinical development programs for zotatifin, in Phase 2 expansion cohorts for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer (ER+ BC) and KRAS non-small cell lung cancer (KRAS NSCLC) as well as Phase 1 development for COVID-19, and tomivosertib, in Phase 2b trial for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in combination with pembrolizumab.
  • In the cohort receiving zotatifin, fulvestrant, and abemaciclib (ECBF+A), two patients experienced confirmed partial responses (PRs), and a third patient had stable disease continuing beyond 24 weeks for an objective response rate (ORR) of 29% and a clinical benefit rate (CBR) of 43%).
  • ORR and CBR data for the remaining 11 patients is anticipated in 1H of 2023.
  • In the ECBF cohort receiving zotatifin and fulvestrant, one patient experienced a confirmed PR, and another had a stable disease beyond 24 weeks. 
  • Zotatifin was generally safe and well-tolerated in doublet and triplet combinations.
  • The company is deferring initiation of the Cyclin D1 amplified cohort in ER+ BC and pausing enrollment in the KRAS G12C lung cancer cohort until completion of dose escalation.
  • Enrollment challenges have persisted across both cohorts for Tomivosertib Program, resulting from staffing issues across clinical sites and competition from other trials. Topline data from the frontline PD-L1>50% cohort is anticipated to read out in 2H of 2023.
  • The company is discontinuing further enrollment of the PD-L1>1% maintenance cohort.
  • eFFECTOR Therapeutics expects existing cash resources to provide a cash runway into Q1 of 2023.
  • Price Action: EFTR shares are up 21.5% at $0.67 during the premarket session on the last check Friday.