NorthWest Biotherapeutics Inc (NWBO)

[longfellow95]

Well, TMZ is generally believed to cross the BBB, so Berubicin wouldn't be unique in that regard.

But back in the early 2000's, there were other chemo candidates around that were not necessarily inferior to TMZ. I think it was just a case of TMZ getting there first with Stupp 2005.
But since then it's become recognised that TMZ generally only 'works' for a limited period of time (9-12 months?) before the tumor acquires chemoresistance. And that's for the 40% of meth patients.

As to the approx 60% unmeth patients, I think it is fair to say that the current consensus opinion is that TMZ affords little or no benefit to those.

So the need for a treatment that confers real long term benefit is as great as ever, even more so for unmeth. And we all know what we hope will plug the gap.
But at the same time, you only have to look at 2 and 3yr blended survival stats in our trial to know that L will not afford a very significant survival benefit to the majority of unmeth patients.
(Though one could also hypothesise that for this group, cutting out the chemo and getting straight on with L treatment might improve outcome).

I would suggest that the chemo drug you refer to would have a mountain to climb in relation to ndGBM for the reasons above, plus the toxicities you mention.