The Celsion Corporation (NASDAQ:CLSN) in collaboration with Royal Phillips Electronics (NYSE:PHG) announced this morning that the FDA has approved a Phase II clinical trial of its ThermoDox cancer treatment alongside PHG’s Sonalleve MR-HIFU (MR-guided high intensity focused ultrasound). The technology non-invasively targets bone metastases caused by lung, breast, or prostate cancer with high energy acoustic waves. The energy creates enough heat that Celsion’s ThermoDox is activated and concentrated directly at the site of the bone lesion. Ultimately, the joint development program hopes to palliate pain associated with the bone metastasis. Management believes that the treatment, if successful, could transform the treatment of numerous cancers.
Philips Sonalleve MR-HIFU system is approved in Europe for the treatment of uterine fibroids and in treating bone metastases. ThermoDox is already in a Phase III trial for the treatment of primary liver cancer and is expected to release data in the fourth quarter of this year. The drug is approved for use in some oncology indications in the U.S. Expect shares to trade up on the development news.
