Novocure Stock Soars, Its Lung Cancer Electric Field Treatment Slows Progression To Brain, Data Shows

Wednesday, Novocure Ltd NVCR released data from the Phase 3 METIS clinical trial of Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) therapy.

The study met its primary endpoint, demonstrating a statistically significant improvement in time to intracranial (within skull/brain) progression for adult patients treated with TTFields therapy and supportive care compared to supportive care alone for 1-10 brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) following stereotactic radiosurgery. 

Tumor Treating Fields is a cancer therapy that uses electric fields tuned to specific frequencies to disrupt cell division, inhibiting tumor growth and causing cancer cells to die.

Patients treated with TTFields therapy and supportive care exhibited a median time to intracranial progression of 21.9 months compared to 11.3 months in patients treated with supportive care alone for brain metastasis. 

TTFields therapy was well-tolerated with sustained quality of life and neurocognitive function. 

Preliminary analyses of key secondary endpoints (time to neurocognitive failure, overall survival, and radiological response rate) did not demonstrate statistical significance. 

Certain secondary endpoints showed positive trends favoring treatment with TTFields therapy, including time to distant progression and quality of life. 

The company says a full analysis of secondary endpoints is ongoing.

In January, Novocure announced that its Premarket Approval application seeking approval for TTFields therapy with standard systemic therapies for non-small cell lung cancer, following progression on or after platinum-based therapy, has been accepted for filing by the FDA.

Price Action: NVCR shares are up 10.70% at $14.49 on the last check Wednesday.

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