Ark shares rise 11.3% on encouraging update on Ph III Cerepro trial

Shares in UK-based Ark Therapeutics jumped 11.3% to 46.75 pence on April 7, after the firm reported encouraging data from a late-stage  study of Cerepro (sitimagene ceradenovec), its novel gene-based medicine  that is being developed as an Orphan Drug for the treatment of operable  malignant glioma. Results from the multicenter, standard-care  controlled, pivotal trial in 236 patients, showed median survival and  adverse event profile results consistent with those previously reported.  On the primary endpoint of death or re-intervention, Kaplan Meier curves  have improved to demonstrate a clear sustained separation from around  four months post surgery in favor of Cerepro treatment. Significance  levels associated with the main data have improved in the update  analyses. 29 patients have still to reach a primary endpoint -  defined  as time to death or re-intervention - versus 53 in the last update.