Adaptimmune Therapeutics PLC (NASDAQ:ADAP) seized the opportunity at the 2016 Annual American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting (ASCO) over the weekend to present updated data on affinity enhanced SPEAR T-cell receptor therapy. The results were from the clinical trial of the therapy on patients suffering from advanced tumors. Besides Adaptimmune, several other biotech companies also presented at the ASCO.
According to Adaptimmune, affinity enhanced SPEAR T-cells are part of its efforts to come up with TCR T-cell therapies to tackle various cancers. As such, the company’s Chief Medical Officer, Rafael Amado, noted that the clinical data they were presenting helped clarify the potential of the technology they were working on. He said the data showed that their technology can be used to develop TCR T-cell therapies capable of providing a strong response in terms of treatment benefits and associated risks.
Adaptimmune also said that it has come up with a proprietary technology that helps to significantly reduce the safety risks associated with TCRs in the fight against various cancers.
Study outcome
Adaptimmune reported at the conference that its affinity enhanced SPEAR T-cells showed remarkable clinical response in relation to hematologic and solid tumors. The response rate in patients with multiple myeloma was 91% after a period of 100 days. The company further said response in patients afflicted by synovial sarcoma was 50%.
The trial outcomes led company insiders to say they believed that they have in their pipeline a compelling treatment technology that could bring much relief to cancer sufferers.
Liquidity issue
As Adaptimmune talks about positive data from the trial of its lead clinical program, the important question investors are asking is whether the company has enough gas to keep it driving at top gear. At the end of 1Q2016, the company said its liquidity position was $226.1 million and it hoped the funds to be enough to bankroll operations through 2016. At the end of December 2016, management anticipates liquidity position to be about $150 million barring unforeseen events.