Verastem, Inc.
VSTM
announced the initiation ofa phase II registration-directed study of VS-6766, its RAF/MEK inhibitor, and defactinib, its FAK inhibitor, in patients with recurrent low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC). LGSOC is a recurrent, chemotherapy-resistant cancer with a high mortality rate.
The phase II study (GOG3052) will evaluate the efficacy and safety of VS-6766 alone and in combination with defactinib in patients with recurrent LGSOC.
Shares of the company have surged 50% compared with the
industry
’s growth of 4.3%.
The first part of the two-part multicenter study will determine the optimal regimen of either VS-6766 monotherapy or in combination with defactinib in patients with recurrent LGSOC, randomized 1:1 in each treatment arm. Once the optimal strategy is determined based on objective response rates, the study will proceed to an expansion phase, in which investigators will assess the efficacy of the chosen regimen in patients who will not be required to harbor KRAS mutations in their tumors. Enrollment in the study is ongoing in the United States, with European sites to follow.
Verastem is launching the registration enabling combination study after establishing positive data from a phase I study, published in
The Lancet.
The data showed that VS-6766 could be effective against a range of KRAS-mutated tumor types, including lung and gynecological cancers. Data from a phase I/II study showed that the combination of a RAF/MEK and FAK inhibitor could be beneficial for patients with KRAS-mutant LGSOC.
Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider
Verastem currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Sell).
Some better-ranked stocks in the healthcare sector include
ASLAN Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
ASLN
,
Abeona Therapeutics Inc.
ABEO
and
Alimera Sciences Inc.
ALIM
. All of them carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see
the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here
.
ASLAN’s loss per share estimates have narrowed from 42 cents to 40 cents for 2020 and from 60 cents to 57 cents for 2021 over the past 60 days.
Abeona’s loss per share estimates have narrowed from 95 cents to 83 cents for 2020 and from 65 cents to 62 cents for 2021 over the past 60 days.
Alimera’s loss per share estimates have narrowed from $1.31 to 96 cents for 2020 over the past 60 days.
Legal Marijuana: An Investor’s Dream
Imagine getting in early on a young industry primed to skyrocket from $17.7 billion in 2019 to an expected $73.6 billion by 2027. Although marijuana stocks did better as the pandemic took hold than the market as a whole, they’ve been pushed down. This is exactly the right time to get in on selected strong companies at a fraction of their value before COVID struck. Zacks’ Special Report, Marijuana Moneymakers, reveals 10 exciting tickers for urgent consideration.
Download Marijuana Moneymakers FREE >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days.
Click to get this free report