Halozyme Therapeutics Inc saidits lead experimental drug, in tandem with therapies fromCelgene Corp and Eli Lilly and Co, succeeded ina mid-stage study involving patients with an advanced form ofpancreatic cancer.
Halozyme´s shares shot up 21.6 percent to $13 before theopening bell on Thursday.
Halozyme´s PEGPH20, in combination with Celgene´s Abraxaneand Lilly´s gemcitabine, provided a statistically significantbenefit in helping patients with high levels of hyaluronan (HA)live longer without their cancer worsening.
PEGPH20 is an enzyme that targets and degrades HA - a chainof natural sugars throughout human tissue that can accumulate inhigher concentrations around certain cancer cells - potentiallyconstricting blood vessels and impeding access of othertherapies.
The data confirms for the first time that high HA patientswill have a meaningfully greater response when PEGPH20 is addedto their treatment, said Dr.Sunil Hingorani, the study´sprincipal investigator.
Pancreatic cancer is the third-leading cause ofcancer-related death in the United States, killing about 41,780Americans in 2016, the American Cancer Society estimates.
PEGPH20 is also being tested in combination with Merck & CoInc´s Keytruda for gastric cancer and the most commonform of lung cancer.It is also being evaluated for use in breast cancer incombination with Eisai Co Ltd´s Halaven.