Geron presents early clinical trial data for its telomerase inhibitor cancer drug

14-Nov-2006

Geron Corporation announced the first clinical trial data for its telomerase inhibitor cancer drug, GRN163L. Presented by Laurence Elias, M.D., Geron's vice president, oncology clinical development, the data demonstrate the safety, tolerability and predicted pharmacokinetics in low-dose cohorts from a Phase I/II trial in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and a Phase I trial in patients with solid tumors.

"The early clinical data are very encouraging," said Alan Colowick, M.D., Geron's president, oncology. "This is the first time telomerase inhibition has been tested in cancer patients. The excellent tolerability and pharmacokinetics observed so far enable us to advance to the therapeutic dose cohorts, where we hope to demonstrate safe, sustained telomerase inhibition in the targeted tumor cells."

Telomerase is a broadly applicable and critical tumor target. It is expressed in a broad array of malignant tumors, essential for malignant cell growth and absent or expressed transiently at low levels in most normal adult tissues.

GRN163L is a short chain oligonucleotide that is, according to the company, unique in its resistance to nuclease digestion in blood and tissues and its very high affinity and specificity for telomerase. The molecule has superior cellular and tissue penetration properties due to its proprietary manufacturing chemistry and its 5' lipid chain. GRN163L has been demonstrated to have anti-tumor effects in a wide range of hematological and solid tumor models and appears to be unique in its observed effects on tumor stem cells: the rare, chemotherapy-resistant cancer cells that cause cancer recurrence.

https://www.bionity.com/en/news/59433/geron-presents-early-clinical-trial-data-for-its-telomerase-inhibitor-cancer-drug.html