Radiopharm Theranostics Ltd (ASX:RAD, OTC:RDPTF) has secured approval for a second Australian site for its Phase 1 trial of its groundbreaking therapy, RAD 204, for the treatment of PD-L1 positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a prevalent form of lung cancer, at Perth's Hollywood Private Hospital.
Trial to debut on January 4
This follows the recent approval for a first site, the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, where the trial is set to open on January 4, 2024.
With the expansion into Perth, the geographic availability of the trial widens and recruitment should accelerate accordingly.
The study, titled 'Safety and Tolerability of 177Lu-RAD 204 in Metastatic Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients', is a first-in-human trial exploring the effects of 177Lu-RAD 204. It is being supported by leading oncology care provider GenesisCare.
The novel radiotherapeutic targets Programmed Cell Death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1), a protein involved in suppressing the immune system, which is often overexpressed in cancer cells.
The trial will assess both the safety and efficacy of this treatment in 21 patients with advanced NSCLC.
Speedy recruitment with second site
“It’s an excellent piece of validation for the interest in and potential of this trial to have another site already committed to participating,” said Radiopharm CEO and managing director Riccardo Canevari.
“It gives us added confidence in the speed at which we’ll be able to recruit as we aim to deliver a new and improved solution for one of the most common cancer diagnoses in Australia as well as worldwide.”
The global incidence of lung cancer was over 2.2 million in 2020 – the trial therefore represents a critical step in addressing this significant global health challenge.
In 2023, some 300,000 new cases are projected in the US alone, with NSCLC accounting for 81% of these.