In a mid-November 2022 news release from biopharmaceutical company Apexigen, Inc., the company shared that positive interim results were available from a Phase 2 study evaluating sotigalimab, in conjunction with doxorubicin, for patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Doxorubicin is the current standard-of-care within this realm. The study found that this therapeutic combination was particularly effective in extending the median progression-free survival rate of those with liposarcoma, a STS subtype.
Historically, research has shown that the median progression-free survival in liposarcoma when only using doxorubicin is just under five months. Therefore, it is crucial to find a more effective therapy that can better assist patients and improve overall outcomes. Within this study, researchers evaluated the combination of sotigalimab and doxorubicin to determine whether this novel combination could be beneficial.
The interim efficacy data highlights how, when using this combination, median progression-free survival was 12.45 months, compared to under five when using just doxorubicin. Moving forward, the trial will explore the combination in a further ten patients with liposarcoma. If the results are similar, it could help inform a potential Phase 3 study.
What is Liposarcoma?
Although liposarcoma is considered rare, it is also the most common form of soft tissue sarcoma, accounting for an estimated 18% of cases. Liposarcoma forms in fatty tissue. Though it most often occurs in the abdomen or limbs, it can occur in other areas of the body. Risk factors include being male, being older in age, radiation and chemical exposure, a damaged lymph system, and certain genetic conditions. Symptoms vary based on the location of the liposarcoma. Potential symptoms can include:
- Extreme fatigue
- A growing lump under your skin
- Limb weakness
- Pain and swelling of the affected area
- Difficulty breathing
- Constipation
- Abdominal pain
- Bloody stool or vomit
