(ADXS)—ADRO drops CRS-207 program—its original listeria-based cancer vaccine—to focus on other programs including pLADD, the neoantigen listeria-based vaccine that just started phase-1 (#msg-134949543):
Aduro Biotech…today provided an update on its clinical development programs for CRS-207, a first-generation proprietary attenuated strain of Listeria that has been engineered to express the tumor-associated antigen mesothelin. Based on preliminary results from its mesothelioma and ovarian studies, as well as a business and commercial assessment, the company has determined that it will not continue advancement of CRS-207 and will wind down each of its trials in mesothelioma, ovarian and gastric cancer.
… “We will shift our focus and investment toward our STING agonist program, B-select antibodies and personalized neoantigen approach with pLADD.
…“As a result of our portfolio decisions, we expect our current cash balance to be sufficient to fund planned activities for the next three years through 2020.”
During the last year or so, ADRO began talking less and less about CRS-207, so this decision is not especially surprising.