Antisoma announces promising preliminary phase II data for AS1404 in lung cancer
Antisoma announced preliminary findings from an ongoing phase II trial of AS1404 in lung cancer. With initial data available from 47 of the 71 patients enrolled, those receiving AS1404 in addition to chemotherapy showed a higher frequency of tumour responses (43.5% vs 33.3%) and a lower frequency of progressive disease (8.7% vs 33.3%) than those receiving chemotherapy alone. To date, all safety findings in the AS1404 arm of the trial have been consistent with those observed with standard chemotherapy treatment.
The lung cancer study is a multi-centre, randomised, controlled trial in patients being treated for the first time for locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. Enrollment was completed in August 2005, and the trial has included patients with both squamous and non-squamous lung cancers. Follow up of patients is continuing and Antisoma plans to present further data at medical congresses. These will include the final investigator-determined response rates, independently validated response rates and data on time to disease progression and survival. Disease progression data are expected during the first half of 2006.
AS1404 belongs to a class of drugs called vascular disrupting agents. These drugs selectively attack tumour blood vessels, giving them broad potential against solid cancers, which depend on their blood supply to survive and grow. Antisoma's lung cancer study is the first controlled trial of a vascular disrupting agent to report evidence of anti-cancer activity.
AS1404 is included in Antisoma's strategic oncology alliance with Roche.
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