PharmaMar aims to start phase III trial of cancer drug for Covid-19

The company said there was a substantial reduction in viral load and the C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients, and that 80.7% of the patients had been discharged before the 15th day of hospitalization, and 38.2% before the 8th day.

Spanish pharmaceutical company PharmaMar said on Friday a clinical trial of its cancer drug Aplidin to treat adult patients with Covid-19 had achieved its safety and efficacy goals and it aimed to start phase III trials.

PharmaMar said on Friday a clinical trial of its cancer drug Aplidin to treat adult patients with Covid-19 had achieved its safety (Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

PharmaMar shares rose 4.4% in morning trading.

The company said there was a substantial reduction in viral load and the C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients, and that 80.7% of the patients had been discharged before the 15th day of hospitalization, and 38.2% before the 8th day.

“With these data, the company will begin, in the next few days, conversations with the regulatory agencies to define the next phase III pivotal study for plitidepsin (Aplidin) in patients with Covid-19, who require hospitalization,” PharmaMar said in a statement.