Precision cancer drug rivoceranib has demonstrated excellent therapeutic effectiveness, with 85 percent of patients showing tumor cell disappearance and/or more than 30 percent reduction in tumor size in the neoadjuvant treatment of locally advanced esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC), according to results from a Phase 2 clinical trial recently published in BioMed Research International.

The neoadjuvant treatment was conducted to reduce the size of cancer before surgery, according to HLB, the Korean developer of the drug, on Wednesday.

Based on investigators` assessment, data showed complete remission (CR) in 17 of 39 esophageal cancer patients with an objective response rate (ORR) of 84.6 percent and a high survival rate of 95 percent even after two years of treatment. Side effects were within the manageable range.

The latest study results following positive data in liver and adenocarcinoma cancer treatments can serve as evidence for expansion of the drug’s indications above gastric cancer treatment, HLB said.

Rivoceranib has shown clinical data for treatment benefits in multiple scientific journals. On June 15, BMC Cancer published data that low-dose rivoceranib in combination achieved 33.3 percent in CR, 66.7 percent in ORR and 17 months in progression-free survival in patients with advanced liver cancer.

By Han Jae-beom and Minu Kim

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