11:36 AM EDT, 05/23/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Theriva Biologics ( TOVX ) said Thursday that the US Food and Drug Administration granted fast track designation to VCN-01 for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer.

VCN-01 is an oncolytic adenovirus, designed to grow and attack cancer cells, breaking down the tissue around the tumor that blocks cancer treatments, the company said.

Intravenous VCN-01 is being evaluated in combination with standard-of-care chemotherapy as a first-line therapy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma under a phase 2b trial, the company added.

The regulator's fast track designation accelerates the development and review of treatments for serious conditions. It allows for early and frequent FDA interactions during clinical trials and potential pre-submission application reviews, the company said.

Shares of Theriva Biologics ( TOVX ) fell past 3% in recent trading.

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