Active Biotech AB (publ) announced that tasquinimod, when given as monotherapy or in combination with ixazomib, lenalidomide and dexamethasone (IRd), has a favourable safety profile in heavily pre-treated patients with a median of 8 previous lines. All 15 patients included in this interim readout were previously refractory to IMiDs, Proteasome Inhibitors (PIs) and CD38 mAbs. With single agent tasquinimod three patients with progressive disease at study entry had stabilization of disease while on study.

Of 5 patients treated with tasquinimod in combination with IRd, one patient (20%) has a durable partial response ongoing since April 2022, despite being previously refractory to ixazomib-pomalidomide and carfilzomib-pomalidomide combinations. No dose limiting toxicity was seen in the combination with tasquinimod at 1mg daily after a one week run in at 0.5 mg daily. The study (NCT04405167) which is conducted at Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA is ongoing in the dose-escalation cohort investigating the safety, tolerability, and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of tasquinimod in combination with (IRd).

Enrolment into the study continues and an expansion cohort will start once the MTD is established.