NeoRx Expands Lung Cancer Trial

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Apr 26, 06:22 PM

NeoRx has expanded its phase II clinical trial of picoplatin for lung cancer into selected eastern European countries with the treatment of the first patients in the region.

Picoplatin is a new generation platinum therapy that provides a differentiated spectrum of activity, reduced reactivity and an improved safety profile. An intravenous chemotherapeutic agent, picoplatin is designed to overcome platinum resistance associated with the treatment of solid tumors.

In addition, testing in more than 500 patients in phase I and II safety and efficacy studies has indicated that picoplatin has a more manageable safety profile with fewer side effects than currently available platinum-based therapies.

The ongoing phase II clinical trial is designed to confirm and expand data supporting the efficacy of picoplatin as a single agent in the treatment of patients with platinum refractory or resistant small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Several efficacy endpoints are being assessed, including response rates, progression-free survival, overall survival, improvement in disease-related symptoms and disease control.

"New drugs are urgently needed that are active in small cell lung cancer and that can overcome the drug resistance that occurs with currently available platinum compounds," explained Dr Jerry McMahon, chairman and CEO of NeoRx. "The expansion of our phase II trial into eastern Europe is important because small cell lung cancer is a serious disease in both North America and Europe, allowing us to maximize access to patients on both continents for our clinical study."

The trial is currently being conducted at approximately 30 clinical sites in eastern Europe and approximately 30 sites in North America.