BRIEF—Immutep rises on release of activities report

Shares of Australian biotech Immutep (ASX: IMM) closed up 5.45% at A$0.29 today, after the company provided an update on the ongoing development of its product candidates, eftilagimod alpha (“efti” or IMP321) and IMP761.

Commenting on the quarter and the period ahead, Immutep chief executive Marc Voigt said: “Immutep has continued to report encouraging data from its trials of efti, with first data from TACTI-002 and INSIGHT-004, along with final efficacy data from our TACTI-mel trial. Building on this momentum, we have entered into a very important and decisive quarter especially as we prepare to report our first PFS data from late-stage AIPAC study in metastatic breast cancer, expected in March 2020.

“If positive, AIPAC results could help to validate an entirely new class of products in immuno-oncology: antigen presenting cell activators, along with the “pushing the gas” concept. This would be a landmark medical achievement, with metastatic breast cancer just being the first indication of possibly many others to follow. It would also arm the company with the data it needs to make strategic decisions, paving the way for the creation of very significant value for Immutep and its shareholders.”