Pipeline drug offers promise in treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, report

Mirvetuximab soravtansine (IMGN853), a drug currently being trialled by ImmunoGen (Nasdaq: IMGN), has the potential to solve a major unmet medical need for patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData.

As explored in the US biotech company’s latest ovarian cancer report, once a patient becomes resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy regimens, the efficacy and duration of response with current treatment options are highly limited and demonstrate modest activity at best. Earlier in 2017, ImmunoGen announced that the first patient was dosed in its pivotal Phase III study that investigates mirvetuximab soravtansine as a single agent treatment in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, thereby positioning its novel antibody-drug conjugate well within the late-stage pipeline.

Mark Hansel, senior healthcare analyst for GlobalData, explains: “Mirvetuximab soravtansine is an anti-body drug conjugate that selectively targets cells expressing folate receptor alpha (FRA) and delivers its cytotoxic payload, DM4, to kill cells. Unlike previous FRA antibodies, ImmunoGen’s asset doesn’t solely rely on a patient’s immune system to kill cancer cells.”