Portage Biotech Soars 178.13% on Promising Lung Cancer Data

On March 28, 2025, Portage Biotech's stock price surged by 178.13% in pre-market trading, driven by the company's presentation of promising preclinical data for PORT-7, a selective Adenosine A2B receptor inhibitor, at the 2025 European Lung Cancer Congress.

Portage Biotech has reported significant preclinical results for PORT-7, demonstrating over 90% tumor growth inhibition when combined with an anti-PD1 antibody in a murine mesothelioma model. This data suggests that PORT-7 could effectively reverse immune suppression, a critical factor in overcoming treatment resistance in mesothelioma patients.

The company is preparing to initiate a first-in-human clinical trial with PORT-7 and is also advancing the dose escalation of PORT-6, an A2A adenosine receptor inhibitor. The plan is to co-administer both drugs in the ongoing ADPORT-601 trial, aiming to achieve a complete blockade of adenosine-induced immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment.

Portage Biotech's focus on selective adenosine receptor antagonists aligns with the industry trend toward precision immunomodulation. This approach could potentially improve efficacy while reducing off-target effects, offering a differentiated position in the competitive landscape of immuno-oncology treatments.