NEW YORK, Jan. 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Delcath Systems, Inc. (OTCQB:DCTH), an interventional oncology company focused on the treatment of primary and metastatic liver cancers, announces that results of a multi-center retrospective analysis of Delcath’s PHP® Therapy have been published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Surgical Oncology. The study, Percutaneous Hepatic Perfusion with Melphalan in Uveal Melanoma: A Safe and Effective Treatment Modality in an Orphan Disease, was conducted by researchers from Moffitt Cancer Center (Moffitt) in Tampa, FL and the University Hospital Southampton (UHS) in the United Kingdom. The retrospective analysis of outcomes in 51 patients with liver metastases from ocular melanoma represents the largest data set compilation on the use of PHP Therapy in this tumor type outside of a clinical trial setting.
Patients in the study were treated at the two centers between December 2008 and October 2016. Patients received up to four PHP treatments at UHS and up to six PHP treatments at Moffitt. All patients received at least one PHP treatment, the median number of treatments per patient was two, and a total of 134 PHP treatments had been administered.
Results showed that of the 51 treated patients, 22 (43.1%) showed a partial response, 3 (5.9%) showed a complete response, and 17 (33.3%) had stable disease. The six-month overall and hepatic disease control rates were 64.7% and 70.6% respectively. Survival analysis showed median overall survival of 15.3 months at the time of data cut off. One year overall survival was 64.6%.
Safety analysis showed that 19 patients (37.5%) had Grade 3 or 4 non-hematologic toxicity. Cardiovascular toxicity was seen in 17.6% of patients, a rate comparable to the company’s prior Phase 3 study. Further to implementation of the Gen 2 filter along with prophylactic use of growth factors, severe neutropenia was seen in 16 (31.3%) patients as opposed to 60 (85.7%) patients in the prior Phase 3 trial. Most significantly, as compared to the prior Phase 3, there were no treatment related deaths. Researchers stated that PHP Therapy “can be safely employed in appropriately selected ocular melanoma patients in institutions with appropriate expertise.”
The study authors further concluded that “results clearly demonstrate that PHP Therapy appears to be an effective means of obtaining rapid intrahepatic disease control, and is a sensible option in patients with predominant liver disease.” Researchers said their results support the use of PHP Therapy in an integrated approach to the management of metastatic ocular melanoma, and looked to the company’s Phase 3 FOCUS Trial to further quantify the benefit and optimize treatment strategies for these patients.
Commenting on the announcement, Jennifer K. Simpson, Ph.D., President and CEO of Delcath Systems, said, “gathered over a period of 8 years, this retrospective two-center study represents the most robust data demonstrating a durable response, manageable side effects and a trend toward prolonged survival in this patient population since our prior Phase 3 trial. These data provide confidence that our Phase 3 FOCUS Trial can confirm these findings and produce the evidence necessary to support an application for a labeled indication in this tumor type.”
PHP Therapy with Melphalan/HDS was developed by Delcath Systems as a targeted, whole organ therapy for the liver. It is commercially available as a device in Europe, where it is marketed as CHEMOSAT®. The system has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and is undergoing Phase 3 clinical testing in the U.S. as an investigational product.
