Introgen's p53 Immunotherapy Drug Candidate to Advance Into Second Phase 2 Clinical Trial in Small Cell Lung Cancer With National Cancer Institute
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Introgen Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:INGN) and Moffitt Cancer Center
today announced plans to begin a phase 2 randomized, controlled study of
INGN 225, Introgen’s investigational
immunotherapy product in patients with metastatic small-cell lung cancer
(termed extensive stage SCLC).
INGN 225 is an immunotherapy using a patient’s
own cells to stimulate an anti-tumor immune response to fight cancer.
The immunotherapeutic targets a molecular abnormality found in over half
of all solid cancers.
The National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute awarded a
grant of approximately $1.3 million to fund this trial, which is
expected to enroll as many as 80 patients starting early next year upon
completion of the protocol with the NCI and U.S. Food and Drug
Administration.
Results from a previous Phase 2 trial were presented today at the 12th
World Conference on Lung Cancer, sponsored by the International
Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, in Seoul, Korea showing a 45
percent response rate in patients with platinum-resistant small-cell
lung cancer who received chemotherapy following INGN 225. Interim
results from this study also were presented earlier this year at the
annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. The
historical response rate is generally less than 15 percent in these
patients. Among the 43 patients evaluable for survival following INGN
225 treatment, survival was also improved compared to historical
controls.
"The data to date indicate that INGN 225 could
be a promising treatment in terms of survival, response rate and
tolerability in a disease with virtually no treatments after
chemotherapy has failed,” said Dr. Dmitry
Gabrilovich, professor of Oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center. "We
are looking forward to confirming these earlier findings in a
randomized, controlled phase 2 study that, if successful, could be
expanded to become a registration study since there is such an acute
medical need for new treatments in patients with extensive stage
small-cell lung cancer resistant to chemotherapy.”
The controlled, randomized trial, which will be co-led by Dr. Scott
Antonia, program leader, Immunology and medical director, Cellular
Therapies Core, and Dr. Gabrilovich, is being designed to evaluate the
efficacy and safety of INGN 225 in patients with extensive stage SCLC at
multiple centers and will include a control arm.
About Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women.
More people die of lung cancer than colon, breast and prostate cancers
combined. In 2007 there will be 213,380 new cases of lung cancer. About
15-20 percent of all lung cancers are small-cell lung cancer. Patients
with extensive stage (metastatic) small-cell lung cancer have a dismal
prognosis and most live less than 10 months. This cancer often starts in
the bronchi near the center of the chest, although the cancer cells
often multiply quickly to form tumors that spread widely through the
body. This is important because it means the treatment must include
drugs that kill the widespread disease. (Source: American Cancer Society)
About INGN 225
INGN 225 is an investigational immunotherapy that delivers the p53 tumor
suppressor (Ad-p53) to a patient’s immune
cells, stimulating an anti-tumor immune response. Dendritic cells are
collected from patient following the last dose of first-line
chemotherapy, and treated in the laboratory with Ad-p53, to generate the
INGN 225 immunotherapy.
About Moffitt Cancer Center
Located in Tampa, Florida, Moffitt Cancer Center (www.moffitt.org)
is the only Florida-based cancer center with the NCI designation as a
Comprehensive Cancer Center for its excellence in research and
contributions to clinical trials, prevention and cancer control. Moffitt
currently has 15 affiliates in Florida, one in Georgia and two in Puerto
Rico. Additionally, Moffitt is a member of the National Comprehensive
Cancer Network, a prestigious alliance of the country’s
leading cancer centers, and is listed in U.S. News & World Report as one
of "America’s Best
Hospitals” for cancer and ear, nose and
throat. Moffitt’s sole mission is to
contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer.
About Introgen Therapeutics, Inc.
Introgen Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on
the development, manufacturing and commercialization of targeted tumor
suppressors, a new class of therapies for the treatment of cancer.
Introgen’s technology delivers targeted
molecular therapies that increase production of normal cancer-fighting
proteins and cytokines. The Company is developing a proprietary pipeline
of product candidates utilizing molecular biomarkers to identify
patients most likely to benefit from its therapies which target central
cancer-causing mechanisms. ADVEXIN®, its lead
product candidate, targets abnormal p53, a fundamental cancer defect
present in over 50 percent of all tumors. Introgen is analyzing its
phase 3 clinical trial data for recurrent head and neck cancer using
ADVEXIN as a monotherapy. The Company plans to complete regulatory
filings in both the United States and in Europe by the end of 2007. For
more information about the Company, please visit www.introgen.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this release that are not strictly historical may be "forward-looking”
statements, including those relating to Introgen’s
future success with its INGN 225 clinical development program for the
treatment of small-cell lung cancer. The actual results may differ from
those described in this release due to risks and uncertainties that
exist in Introgen’s operations and business
environment, including Introgen’s stage of
product development and the limited experience in the development of
gene-based drugs in general, dependence upon proprietary technology and
the current competitive environment, history of operating losses and
accumulated deficits, reliance on collaborative relationships, and
uncertainties related to clinical trials, the safety and efficacy of
Introgen’s product candidates, the ability to
obtain the appropriate regulatory approvals, Introgen’s
patent protection and market acceptance, as well as other risks detailed
from time to time in Introgen’s filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission including its filings on Form
10-K and Form 10-Q. Introgen undertakes no obligation to publicly
release the results of any revisions to any forward-looking statements
that reflect events or circumstances arising after the date hereof.
Editor's Note: For more information on Introgen Therapeutics, or for a
menu of archived press releases, please visit Introgen’s
Website at: www.introgen.com.
Editor’s Note: The project is supported by
Grant Number R01CA120282 from the National Cancer Institute.