Wilex starts clinical trial with new anti-cancer compound
Wilex AG, Munich, a privately held biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of novel cancer therapies, today announced that it has started a "first into man" clinical Phase I trial with its new oral non-cytotoxic anti-cancer compound WX-671.
The open-label dose escalating study will investigate the oral bio-availability, pharmacokinetics, and safety of WX-671 in 12 healthy male volunteers.
WX-671 is a oral second generation serine protease inhibitor targeting the uPA (urokinase plasminogen activator) system which has been shown to play a key role in metastasis and primary tumor growth of solid tumors. In pre-clinical models, WX-671 has effectively blocked metastasis formation and primary tumor growth and has also shown good safety and good oral bio-availability.
WX-671 is Wilex's third compound in clinical development. Wilex's other clinical compounds are the chimeric antibody Rencarex, which is currently in a pivotal Phase III trial in the adjuvant treatment of non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC); and WX-UK1, a small molecule serine protease inhibitor which is currently being studied as a single agent in two Phase Ib studies in cancer patients in Germany and in a Phase I study in combination with chemotherapy in the US.
Dr. Paul Bevan, Head of Research and Development and Member of the Executive Board of Wilex AG, said: "I am very pleased that with WX-671 Wilex has brought a new compound with an exciting pre-clinical profile into clinical development. This study is designed to confirm in humans the good safety and bio-availability that WX-671 has shown in pre-clinical models."
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