Faron Pharmaceuticals Limited, a biopharmaceutical firm in clinical development, is developing novel treatments to treat medical conditions that have significant unmet need due to immune system dysfunction.
The company has developed a pipeline of products based on receptors that are involved in the regulation of immune responses in oncology and organ damage, as well as bone marrow regrowth.
Bexmarilimab is a novel anticlever-1 humanised antibody, its precision immunotherapy. It has the potential to stimulate immune function permanently for cancers that are difficult to treat by targeting myeloid functions.
Faron’s headquarters are in Turku, Finland.
Faron Pharmaceuticals Limited’s chief executive Dr Markku Jalkanen described the emerging data from Faron Pharmaceuticals Limited’s phase I/II study as “extremely promising”.
The BEXMAB trial is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of bexmarilimab for treating acute myeloid lymphoma (AML) as well as myelodysplastic disorders (MDS).
These are serious blood disorders which often resist standard treatment. Clinical evaluation showed that bexmarilimab was able to achieve a 50% remission in 22 patients, who were resistant or relapsed after standard treatments including hypomethylating drugs (HMAs).
Eight of the 22 patients achieved complete remission. This means that their symptoms had been completely eradicated or reduced.
Faron Pharmaceuticals Limited has appointed Dr Birge Bers as interim chief medical director (CMO), replacing Marie-Louise Fjallskog who will take on the role of non executive director for the company.
Berns has a background in clinical medicine, oncology, rheumatology, and immunology.
Peel Hunt analysts have expressed their optimism about Faron Pharmaceuticals Limited bexmarilimab’s leukaemia treatment. They noted the progress of the drug in clinical trials, and its approval by regulatory agencies.
Peel Hunt stated that despite Faron’s continuing operating losses, due to its continued investment in bexmarilimab (an “exciting asset”), “we remain extremely enthusiastic about the potential of bexmarilimab.”
Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy has a burgeoning pipeline of projects, as its COVID-19 candidate Traumakine just received approval to move into the final phase of US trials.
The Finnish pharmaceutical company will test the drug on patients who have been admitted to hospital but have not yet received corticosteroids or ventilation.
Peel Hunt, a boutique investment bank, has described the preliminary clinical results from Faron Pharmaceuticals Limited as “highly encouraging”.
The data come from an interim evaluation of the BEXMAB trial, a Phase 1/II study assessing the efficacy of bexmarilimab for treating acute myeloid lymphoma (AML) as well as myelodysplastic disorders (MDS), two challenging blood disorders that are often resistant to conventional treatments.
The study showed that bexmarilimab was able to achieve a 50% remission rate among 22 patients, who either had relapsed after standard treatment or were not responding to it. This included hypomethylating agents.
Faron Pharmaceuticals Limited Faron Pharmaceuticals Limited CEO Markku Jalkanen and Chief Financial Officer James O’Brien talk to Thomas Warner following the announcement by the company that it has been granted the orphan drug designation from the US Food and Drug Administration for its bexmarilimab to treat acute myeloid Leukaemia.
The news was released along with Faron’s results for the first half. Jalkanen provides an overview of the BEXMAB trial, including the progress made so far. He highlights the rapid remission of patients with limited treatment options.
Jalkanen said that the dual action mechanism of the treatment, which stimulates the immune system while targeting cancer cells, is ideal for this context. The FDA granted orphan status to the treatment. CFO James O’Brien then spoke about the finances of the company.
