Biothera expands Imprime/Erbitux combo trial

Minnesota, USA-based Biothera says it has expanded the second arm of its clinical trial evaluating whether the combination of Imprime PGG and  Erbitux (cetuximab) can achieve positive outcomes for metastatic  colorectal cancer patients without the use of chemotherapy.

Imprime PGG is a targeted immunotherapeutic drug candidate from Biothera  that works synergistically with monoclonal antibodies through specific  innate immune cell activation. Erbitux is an anti-tumor monoclonal  antibody from ImClone Systems that is approved for the treatment of  colon cancer and head-and-neck cancer.

Daniel Conners, Biothera chairman and founder, said: "we believe Imprime  PGG and Erbitux alone can improve patient outcomes without the harmful  side effects of chemotherapy. In fact, with continued clinical success,  this combination therapy could change the way many cancers are treated."  The additional patients will be dosed at the study protocol's existing  dose levels. With the expansion of the second arm, the trial will now  include 32 patients.