NorthWest Biotherapeutics Inc (NWBO)

[learningcurve2020]

>>The study initially enrolled patients who had a type of brain tumor called anaplastic astrocytoma. But as medical definitions changed, the study ended up including three types of brain tumors: glioblastoma, grade 3 IDH-mutant astrocytoma, and grade 4 IDH-mutant astrocytoma.

Astrocytomas are primary brain tumors that can form in the brain or spine. IDH, a gene that mutates and is thought to drive the conversion of normal cells in the brain into tumor cells, is the most common driver of astrocytoma tumors. Glioblastoma is a different type of astrocytoma that is more aggressive and does not involve mutations in the IDH gene.

In the STELLAR trial, the experimental group of patients received oral eflornithine in combination with lomustine. The other half, the control group, received lomustine alone.

Among all patients, the study found no difference in overall survival rates between the control and experimental group. There was also no benefit of eflornithine for patients with grade 4 IDH-mutant astrocytomas or glioblastoma.

But for patients with grade 3 IDH-mutant astrocytoma, the new treatment helped them live much longer-about 35 months compared to 24 months with the standard treatment.

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20251208/New-combination-treatment-offers-significant-benefits-for-people-with-recurring-grade-3-astrocytoma.aspx