A clinical study investigating a potential new treatment for myelofibrosis, a rare type of blood cancer, can now move forward with its next group of patients. The study, known as HOVON 172 or TasqForce, has completed its first safety evaluation under a revised protocol.
Myelofibrosis affects the bone marrow, where blood cells are produced. Although treatments are available, some patients do not respond to them or experience side effects that make continued treatment difficult. More treatment options are therefore needed.
Led by Oncode Investigator Rebekka Schneider at Erasmus MC together with clinical lead PIs Peter te Boekhorst and Martina Crysandt, HOVON 172 is a Phase Ib/II clinical trial investigating tasquinimod in patients who do not respond to or cannot tolerate existing JAK inhibitor treatments.
The first three patients treated under the revised protocol have completed their initial six-week safety evaluation. During this period, one serious adverse event was reported and subsequently resolved with medical treatment. All three patients remain on treatment.
The study can now enrol three additional patients at the same dosing schedule. Researchers will continue assessing the safety and tolerability of tasquinimod to determine the recommended dose for the next phase of the trial.
The study builds on research conducted within Oncode Institute and is supported through its Clinical Proof-of-Concept (CPoC) Programme, which helps bring promising laboratory discoveries into early clinical studies.
“It is very encouraging to see the first three patients complete the initial safety evaluation and continue treatment. Reaching this milestone is an important step forward for our trial, and we are pleased that recruitment can now continue. We look forward to learning more as the study progresses,” says Rebekka Schneider.
The study builds on research conducted within Oncode Institute and is supported through its Clinical Proof-of-Concept (CPoC) Programme, which helps bring promising laboratory discoveries into early clinical studies.
HOVON 172 is conducted in collaboration with HOVON, a Dutch-Belgian cooperative group that coordinates clinical research into blood cancers, and Active Biotech, the company developing tasquinimod.
Read the full announcement from Active Biotech.