The Zhitong Finance App learned that on Wednesday, the stock price of Novocure (NVCR.US), a research and development company in the field of cancer treatment, once soared more than 40% to 18.660 US dollars during pre-market trading of US stocks, and rose more than 12% to 14.790 US dollars at the beginning of the opening of the market. Earlier, the company said that the phase 3 clinical trial of its cancer treatment method “TTFields” (also known as “tumor electric field therapy”) in patients with lung cancer brain metastases reached a major end. The stock price of ZLAB.US (ZLAB.US), a partner of TTFields under Novocure in the Chinese market, rose more than 3% before the opening of the US stock market after the announcement was issued, and the increase was basically the same at the beginning of the session.
According to information, Novocure, headquartered in New Jersey, quoted the latest data as saying that the company's phase 3 METIS trial reached the main end point. Among patients receiving TTFields treatment and supportive treatment, the time to reach intracranial progression was significantly improved in the statistical sense.
According to the company, the median intracranial survival progression in the group of patients receiving TTFields plus supportive treatment was approximately 21.9 months, while at the same time, the patient group receiving supportive treatment alone was approximately 11.3 months. This means that patients treated with TTFields had a significantly longer time to progress in their intracranial tumors. Compared to patients receiving only supportive treatment, their condition remained stable over a longer period of time, with no progression or worsening. In other words, TTFields treatment helps slow the progression of brain metastases and saves patients more time.
The results of this study are seen as a major breakthrough because it provides a new treatment that can significantly prolong the progression free survival of patients with brain metastases, which is very significant for improving patients' quality of life and prognosis.
According to reports, the METIS trial recruited nearly 300 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with brain metastases after radiosurgery surgery. As for safety, Novocure said that consistent with previous research results, this treatment is well tolerated. This means that from past research and current METIS trials, the safety of TTFields treatment has been verified, causing no serious safety issues or adverse effects, making it a relatively safe treatment option.
However, the study showed no statistical significance of key “secondary endpoints”, including overall survival, when TFields had a median treatment of up to 16 weeks. The company continues to analyze data to measure the impact on secondary endpoints.
Novocure plans to share these latest findings with relevant regulators and seek publication in peer-reviewed medical journals.