UPDATE 1-Peregrine drug meets goal in breast-cancer study

Feb 11 (Reuters) - Peregrine Pharmaceuticals Inc (PPHM.O) said its experimental cancer drug bavituximab met the main trial goal in the first phase of a mid-stage study evaluating response in breast cancer patients.

Bavituximab is currently being studied in two separate mid-stage combination therapy trials as a treatment for both advanced breast cancer and non-small cell lung cancer.

Last week, the company said the drug met the main goal in the first phase of a mid-stage study for the treatment of lung cancer. [ID:nBNG352362]

The two-stage studies would evaluate the safety and efficacy of the drug in combination with chemotherapy drugs carboplatin and paclitaxel, Peregrine said.

In the breast-cancer study, six of the 14 evaluable patients showed partial tumor response, while one showed complete tumor response. There were 15 patients enrolled in the trial.

"With the Stage A pre-specified primary endpoint achieved, the design of the clinical trial allows for an additional 31 study patients to be enrolled," the company said.

Shares of the company were down marginally at $0.435 in opening trade on Nasdaq. (Reporting by Anand Basu in Bangalore; Editing by Anthony Kurian)