Avacta Details Phase 1 FOCUS-01 Trial of AVA6103, a FAP-Targeted Peptide-Drug Conjugate Carrying Exatecan, at AACR Pancreatic Cancer Conference
Avacta Group announced on Friday, September 25, 2026 that it would present the design of its Phase 1a FOCUS-01 trial and new preclinical data for AVA6103 (FAP-Exd) on September 26 at the AACR Conference on Pancreatic Cancer in San Diego. AVA6103 is a peptide-drug conjugate built on Avacta's pre|CISION platform, which is designed to be cleaved inside the tumor by fibroblast activation protein (FAP) so that the chemotherapy payload exatecan is released there, limiting exposure elsewhere in the body. The company said AVA6103 was well tolerated through the first three dose levels, up to a payload dose about 50% above the maximum tolerated dose of conventional exatecan, and that enrollment continues at dose level 4, including an every-two-weeks arm for pancreatic cancer. In mice implanted with human tumor tissue, Avacta reported durable complete and partial responses lasting weeks after dosing stopped; it released no efficacy data from patients.