Benzinga | May 20, 2021 12:20PM EDT

Iovance Shares Jump After Lifileucel Achieves 86% Response Rate In Melanoma Trial

* Yesterday the FDA asked Iovance Biotherapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: IOVA) for more data on the assays for lifileucel US application. Now the company announced additional clinical data for lifileucel alone and in combination with pembrolizumab in advanced melanoma.

* Data will be presented at the upcoming ASCO 2021 Annual Meeting.

* The company said it is reporting for the first time, results for lifileucel as an earlier treatment in combination with Merck & Co Inc's (NYSE: MRK) Pembrolizumab (Keytruda), demonstrating an overall response rate (ORR) of 86% in patients who are na?ve to anti-PD-1 therapy.

* One patient achieved complete response (CR), and 5 Partial Responses (PR) were reported.

* The longest duration of response was 16.8 months.

* New data in the ASCO abstract suggest that Duration of Response was positively associated with shorter cumulative duration of prior anti-PD-1 therapy. In responders, the median cumulative duration and median prior lines of anti-PD-1 therapy were 4.4 months and 1.5 lines.

* Additional data updates will be provided at ASCO 2021 Meeting.

* Price Action: IOVA shares gained 17.4% at 19.17 during the market session on the last check Thursday.