Actuate Therapeutics' Clinical Trial Results Drive Market Rally—A Closer Look at the Salivary Gland Cancer Study Outcomes

Biotech company Actuate Therapeutics, Inc. (ACTU) made headlines Monday with the disclosure of encouraging Phase II trial data for elraglusib, a treatment candidate being tested alongside standard chemotherapy agents carboplatin and cisplatin for patients battling advanced metastatic cancers affecting salivary gland tissue.

The trial population included a nearly even split, with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) representing 47% of the 47 enrolled patients, while non-ACC malignancies accounted for the remaining 53%. What stood out in the findings was the survival profile: patients demonstrated a median overall survival of 18.6 months, with 58% still alive after 12 months and a substantial 40% remaining at the 2-year mark.

Within the non-ACC patient cohort—those with other subtypes of salivary gland cancers—outcomes were particularly noteworthy, with median overall survival reaching 27.8 months. The progression-free survival data painted an equally compelling picture: a median of 6.4 months was achieved, with one-quarter of participants (27%) maintaining disease stability through the first year. This performance notably exceeded historical benchmarks, which typically show less than 6 months of progression-free survival for non-ACC patients, though historical ACC data traditionally extends to around 49 months.

The peer-reviewed findings gained official publication in Clinical Cancer Research, lending credibility to the trial outcomes. Market sentiment reflected optimism around these results, with ACTU stock climbing more than 4% during pre-market hours. The shares had previously closed Friday’s session at $7.52, representing a 1.35% weekly gain.

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