Pharmacyte Biotech Inc (OTCMKTS:PMCB) live-cell encapsulation technology, popularly termed as ‘Cell-in-a-Box®’, was the star in a recently launched corporate video by the company. The company disclosed that when cancer treatment of Cell-in-a-Box® along with low dosage of the anticancer drug known as ifosfamide was administered, it resulted in complete tumor remission in subject animals. They were given treatment on days’ two to six of a previously issued preclinical study.
The test model
Pharmacyte revealed that the study used a colon cancer model so as to cure malignant ascites. It is a type of fluid that is found in people suffering from abdominal cancers including pancreatic, ovarian, colon and liver cancer. The fluid collects in the abdominal cavity area and is a major reason for aching swelling of the stomach in patients. Dr. Matthias Löhr, the famous gastroenterologist and oncologist, stated that a team formed of doctors and researchers claimed that they could almost cure malignant ascites in abovementioned study.
The promising data
The preclinical trial was developed by Bavarian Nordic who used “targeted chemotherapy” to attack and treat malignant ascites fluid just as Pharmacyte lead drug candidate does. In the respective trial, words such as “complete tumor remission” and “cure” highlighted the results. However, Nordic could not continue with its work as at the time of trial he had three in-house technologies in development phase. After the 9/11 attacks, he decided to focus on the development of poxvirus based delivery platform and divested the encapsulation technology and retroviral vector technology to Austrianova.
The future ahead
Pharmacyte is reviving the trials to treat malignant ascites where there is no treatment available other than the expensive and painful periodic removal of the fluid. In last trading session, the stock price of PMCB declined 0.68% to close the trading session at $0.146. The decline came at a share volume of 2.06 million compared to average share volume of 2.24 million.
