LONDON and PHILADELPHIA — October 19, 2025 — Leads & Copy — Avacta Therapeutics (AIM: AVCT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, shared updates from its Phase 1a clinical trial of faridoxorubicin (FAP-Dox, AVA6000) at the 2025 European Society of Medical Oncology Annual Congress in Berlin. The trial highlighted the drug’s safety and tolerability, along with a reduction in toxicities typically associated with doxorubicin therapy and preliminary efficacy in salivary gland cancers and soft tissue sarcomas.
Data showed that median progression-free survival (PFS) had not been reached in patients with salivary gland cancers, indicating a durable response. Follow-up data suggested a PFS duration more than double that reported in benchmark data, with a median PFS follow-up of 41 weeks. Cardiac safety data showed no severe toxicity, even at cumulative doses up to 550 mg/m².
CEO of Avacta, Christina Coughlin, expressed excitement about the efficacy in salivary gland cancer patients, emphasizing the potential of pre|CISION® to deliver meaningful PFS data with no FAP on tumor cells. She noted that the strong cardiac safety data validate the safety implications of the platform, potentially opening new treatment options.
Faridoxorubicin, a FAP-activated form of doxorubicin, is designed to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy by concentrating the active payload in the tumor microenvironment. In the Phase 1a study, the drug was well-tolerated with no maximum tolerated dose reached despite high dosing. Patients with salivary gland cancers showed a disease control rate of 91%.
Avacta is continuing to enroll patients in Phase 1b expansion cohorts, with salivary gland cancer data expected by the end of 2025.
Christina Coughlin (CEO)
Brian Hahn (CFO)
ICR Healthcare: Mary-Jane Elliott / Jessica Hodgson / Stephanie Cuthbert, avacta@icrhealthcare.com
Investor Contact: Renee Leck, THRUST Strategic Communications, renee@thrustsc.com
Media Contact: Carly Scaduto, THRUST Strategic Communications, carly@thrustsc.com
Source: Avacta Group plc
