UPDATE 1-U.S. FDA places Mersana's cancer drug trial on hold following death
(Adds background)
March 13 (Reuters) - Mersana Therapeutics Inc said on Monday the U.S. drug regulator had placed on hold an early-stage trial testing its experimental cancer drug after the death of a participant.
The death was of a patient enrolled at the initial dose level in the dose escalation portion, the company said.
The study was testing the company's XMT-2056 candidate.
The company is now focused on analyzing the death and "consider potential next steps for development,” Chief Executive Officer Anna Protopapas said in a statement.
The company will continue to make progress with the other cancer drug candidate UpRi and XMT-1660 clinical trials.
Shares of Mersana were halted before the bell. (Reporting by Leroy Leo and Khushi Mandowara in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)
