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OncoGenex reports updated survival data on OGX-011 in a second-line chemotherapy trial for patients with prostate cancer
OncoGenex reports updated survival data on OGX-011 in a second-line chemotherapy trial for patients with prostate cancer
VANCOUVER, May 16 /PRNewswire/ - OncoGenex Technologies Inc. announced
today that updated Phase 2 data on the Company's lead cancer drug candidate,
OGX-011, also referred to as custirsen, revealed encouraging outcomes in the
treatment of patients with hormone refractory prostate cancer. Overall,
custirsen was well-tolerated in combination with either docetaxel or
mitoxantrone administered as second-line chemotherapy in patients with hormone
refractory prostate cancer and was associated with durable pain responses in
50 percent or more of patients, a minimum of a 50 percent PSA decline in 27
percent or more of patients, and better than expected survival with 60 percent
of patients alive at a median follow-up of 13.3 months. Top line data as of
January 3, 2008 were published online by the American Society of Clinical
Oncology (ASCO) in abstract ID # 5002, titled "A phase II randomized study of
custirsen (OGX-011) combination therapy in patients with poor-risk hormone
refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) who relapsed on or within six months of
first-line docetaxel therapy." Updated data as of May 1, 2008 will be
presented on June 1 at the 2008 Annual Meeting of the American Society of
Clinical Oncology by Dr. Fred Saad, Professor of Surgery/Urology at the
University of Montreal. OncoGenex and Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:
ISIS) are collaborating on development of OGX-011.
This study was designed as an open-label, randomized, multicenter study
evaluating weekly administration of custirsen in combination with second-line
chemotherapy in patients with metastatic hormone refractory prostate cancer
who were previously treated with a minimum of two cycles of docetaxel-based
first-line chemotherapy. Patients in this study represented a poor prognostic
population due to rapid disease progression after completing first-line
docetaxel therapy. Because custirsen has been shown to enhance chemotherapy
and reverse chemotherapy resistance in preclinical in vitro and in vivo
models, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of custirsen in
combination with either mitoxantrone or docetaxel retreatment as second-line
chemotherapy. Clinical studies that will support product approval are being
planned utilizing chemotherapy plus custirsen as second-line therapy in
patients progressing after a first-line docetaxel regimen.
About OGX-011
OGX-011 is designed to block production of clusterin, a cell survival
protein that is over-produced in several cancer indications and in response to
many cancer treatments, including hormone ablation therapy, chemotherapy and
radiation therapy. Increased clusterin production is observed in many human
cancers, including prostate, non-small cell lung, breast, ovarian, bladder,
renal, pancreatic, anaplastic large cell lymphoma and colon cancers and
melanoma. Increased clusterin production is linked to faster rates of cancer
progression, treatment resistance and shorter survival duration. Clusterin
levels may be further increased in response to standard cancer therapies,
including hormone ablation therapy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Clusterin expression is linked to disease progression, treatment resistance,
poor prognosis and survival in scientific publications. For example, increased
expression of clusterin in prostate cancer is closely correlated with
increasing Gleason score, which is a strong prognostic factor for poor
survival of patients with prostate cancer.
About OncoGenex
OncoGenex is a private biopharmaceutical company committed to the
development and commercialization of new cancer therapies that address
treatment resistance in cancer patients. The company's three product
candidates are designed to inhibit the production of specific proteins
associated with treatment resistance and which are over-produced in response
to a variety of cancer treatments. OGX-011 is completing evaluation in five
Phase 2 clinical studies in prostate, lung, and breast cancers. OGX-427 has
begun evaluation in Phase 1 clinical studies, while the third product
candidate, OGX-225, has completed preclinical pharmacology studies. More
information is available at www.oncogenex.ca.
CONTACT: OncoGenex Contact: Scott Cormack, President & CEO, (604)
805-2274, scormack@oncogenex.ca; OncoGenex Media Contact: Jason Spark, Porter
Novelli Life Sciences, (619) 849-6005, jspark@pnlifesciences.com
SOURCE OncoGenex Technologies Inc.
Copyright © 2008, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2008, NewsBlaze,
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