Novocure Shares Surge on Positive Trial Results for Cancer Treatment
On Monday, Novocure (NASDAQ: NVCR) saw a significant increase in its stock price, rising by 19% following the announcement of successful results from its Phase 3 PANOVA-3 clinical trial. The trial, focusing on the company's Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) therapy for pancreatic cancer, achieved its primary endpoint by demonstrating a statistically significant improvement in overall survival in patients with unresectable, locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma when TTFields was used in conjunction with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel.
The positive outcome of the PANOVA-3 trial marks a milestone for Novocure, as it represents the first Phase 3 trial to show a statistically significant benefit in overall survival specifically for unresectable, locally advanced pancreatic cancer. This also marks Novocure's third positive Phase 3 clinical trial result in the past two years. The company stated that based on these findings, it aims to seek regulatory approvals in the U.S., EU, Japan, and other key markets.
Patients in the treatment group of the trial showed a median overall survival (mOS) of 16.20 months when treated with TTFields therapy, compared to 14.16 months for those receiving standard treatment without TTFields, representing an improvement of 2.0 months. This result was supported by a 13% improvement in overall survival at 12 months and a 33% improvement at 24 months. The safety profile of the TTFields therapy was consistent with previous clinical studies and demonstrated good tolerability by patients.
The full results of the PANOVA-3 trial are expected to be presented at an upcoming medical conference, which will provide the medical community with a comprehensive look at the data. There is high anticipation for these results, as the trial represents a potential advancement in the treatment of a particularly difficult form of cancer.
In addition to the PANOVA-3 trial, Novocure is conducting a Phase 2 PANOVA-4 trial investigating the TTFields therapy in combination with atezolizumab, gemcitabine, and nab-paclitaxel for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer. The PANOVA-4 trial has completed patient enrollment, and its data is expected to be released in 2026.