Access Pharmaceuticals is planning to enrol cancer patients in three combination studies to test a new DACH platinum drug later this year, it emerged yesterday (10th September).

The company has already received positive results from Phase 2 monotherapy clinical assessments of ProLindac in late-stage, heavily pre-treated ovarian cancer patients.

Two-thirds of the patients who were administered the highest dose of the drug attained clinically meaningful disease stabilisation, with none experiencing acute neurotoxicity.

Furthermore, the tests revealed that Ca-125, the accepted specific serum marker for ovarian cancer, was significantly reduced in some patients who met RECIST criteria.

However, the firm's clinical development team is now preparing protocols with Aosaikan Medical Group, its primary partner in Asia, for a new set of trials involving ProLindac.

The drug will be tested in combination with gemcitabine and/or taxol in hepatocellular carcinoma - a form of liver cancer - plus pancreatic cancer and recurrent ovarian cancer.

"Access is extremely pleased with the clinical progress to date and looks forward to [the] initiation of clinical trials looking at ProLindac in combination with commonly used chemotherapies," said President and CEO Jeffrey Davis.

The company believes that ProLindac's positive safety and efficacy results in tests on tumours could position it as an alternative to Eloxatin, which has toxic side-effects.

Sources:

Access Pharmaceuticals provides update on ProLindac™ clinical development plan (10/09/09)

Ÿ Adfero Ltd