ESMO: Cardiff Oncology Falls Despite Onvansertib’s Broad Potential In KRAS-Mutant CRC

Phase II Trial To Initiate In Q4; Data In 2024

A planned Phase II trial for PLK1 inhibitor onvansertib in KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer may support accelerated approval, but results are two years off and the company cut its prostate cancer plans to conserve cash.

Anatomy of human body with digestive system — Onvansertib generated responses across several KRAS mutations in CRC • Source: Shutterstock

Cardiff Oncology, Inc. presented updates from the ongoing Phase Ib/II clinical trial for its Polo-like kinase-1 (PLK1) inhibitor onvansertib at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) meeting that showed the drug’s potential for treating a broad range of KRAS mutations in second-line colorectal cancer (CRC), unlike closely watched KRAS inhibitors like Amgen, Inc.’s Lumakras (sotorasib) and Mirati Therapeutics, Inc.’s adagrasib that specifically target KRAS G12C mutations.

Even so, while Cardiff’s stock price rose 10.7% to $3.21 per share on 12 September based on the ESMO poster...