Northwest Bio suspends screening of patients in brain cancer trial

Northwest Biotherapeutics

21/08/2015 17:06

By Ransdell Pierson 
    Aug 21 (Reuters) - The chief executive officer of 
biotechnology company Northwest Biotherapeutics Inc  NWBO.O  
said on Friday the company has temporarily stopped screening new 
patients for the trial of its experimental brain cancer drug. 
    CEO Linda Powers said in a telephone interview the company 
will issue a statement later Friday explaining why it took the 
step, just a few months before it had planned to complete 
recruitment of patients for the 7-year-old study of the drug, 
called DCVax-L. 
    Screening is the process by which a company makes sure that 
an individual seeking to enter a clinical trial meets 
eligibility requirements, such as age and not having had another 
cancer for the last five years. 
    The study is being conducted at over 60 medical centers in 
Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. When 
asked whether the suspension of new patient screening will take 
effect in all countries, and whether the suspension was being 
required by health regulators, Powers said details would be 
provided in the planned company statement. 
    Shares of the company fell as much as 15 percent, before 
easing. At midday, it was off 9.2 percent to $8.06 on the 
Nasdaq. 
 
 (Reporting by Ransdell Pierson in New York; Editing by Jeffrey 
Benkoe) 
 ((ransdell.pierson@thomsonreuters.com; 646 223 6030; Reuters 
Messaging: ransdell.pierson.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: NORTHWEST BIO SUSPENSION/