Endocyte lung cancer drug shows promise
pharmafile | March 24, 2014 | News story | Research and Development, Sales and Marketing | Endocyte, MSD, NSCLC, lung cancer, vintafolide
Endocyte and partner MSD have released positive mid-stage trial results for their investigational lung cancer drug vintafolide.
The treatment met its primary endpoint in the Phase 2b TARGET study, which showed that vintafolide in combination what chemotherapy agent docetaxel reduced the risk of the disease worsening, or death by 25% compared with using docetaxel alone.
The firms say that more detailed trial results, including data regarding overall survival (OS), will be presented at an upcoming medical conference.
Binh Nguyen, vice president of medical affairs at Endocyte, says: “These results provide further validation of our targeted approach to treatment using companion imaging and our SMDC technology. We were especially pleased with the results in the adenocarcinoma [a sub-set of NCSLC patients] population and early OS trends, and we have learned important information about the dosing schedule.
“We look forward to reviewing additional analysis of this study when the OS data has matured later this year to help inform potential further development of the vintafolide/docetaxel combination in NSCLC.”
The trial results in non-small cell lung cancer are key because that study involves a larger patient population, Adnan Butt, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets in San Francisco, tells Bloomberg.
He adds that the company could be a candidate for a merger or acquisition “with an attractive product, pipeline and technology,” – but he wouldn’t go so far as to mention any potential suitors by name.
Dr Eric Rubin, vice president of clinical development for oncology, Merck Research Laboratories, adds: “We are encouraged by the results from the TARGET trial which show activity with vintafolide in these difficult-to-treat patients, and look forward to reviewing still maturing data from TARGET later this year.”
Endocyte’s chief Executive Ron Ellis says that the start of a final-phase trial required for approval to sell the drug will depend on data still being gathered on how long vintafolide extends patients’ lives. He believes the data may be available later this year.
Ben Adams
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