Why this matters, as we discussed, they may be able to use these CTC numbers as a surrogate endpoint for accelerated approval. Meaning just showing this in connection with the added benefit of CTC reduction, they may be able to get approval, before a much longer study of overall survival is finished.
.

ACCELERATED APPROVAL The accelerated approval provisions of FDASIA in section 506(c) of the FD&C Act provide that FDA may grant accelerated approval to: . . . a product for a serious or life-threatening disease or condition . . . upon a determination that the product has an effect on a surrogate endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit, or on a clinical endpoint that can be measured earlier than irreversible morbidity or mortality, that is reasonably likely to predict an effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality or other clinical benefit, taking into account the severity, rarity, or prevalence of the condition and the availability or lack of alternative treatments.