LONDON and CAMBRIDGE, MA--(Marketwire - November 11, 2010) - Antisoma plc (LSE: ASM; USOTC:
ATSMY) announces that a scheduled interim analysis showed that the ATTRACT-
2
trial should stop as ASA404 was unlikely to provide any benefit as a
second-line
treatment for non-small cell lung cancer.
Glyn Edwards, CEO of Antisoma, said: "The findings from ATTRACT-2 mirror
those
from ATTRACT-1 and therefore come as no surprise. Our focus for some time
has
been on other programmes, most notably AS1413, which reports phase III data
in
the first half of next year."
Except for the historical information presented, certain matters discussed
in
this announcement are forward looking statements that are subject to a
number of
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially
from results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
statements. These risks and uncertainties may be associated with product
discovery and development, including statements regarding the company's
clinical
development programmes, the expected timing of clinical trials and
regulatory
filings. Such statements are based on management's current expectations,
but
actual results may differ materially.
About the ATTRACT studies in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
ATTRACT-2 was a pivotal study carried out by Novartis to evaluate ASA404 in
previously treated, advanced NSCLC. Patients were randomised to receive
either
ASA404 plus docetaxel or a placebo plus docetaxel as a control. A separate
study, ATTRACT-1, had investigated ASA404 as a first-line treatment for
NSCLC.
About ASA404
ASA404 (vadimezan, formerly known as DMXAA and AS1404) is a small-molecule
Tumour-Vascular Disrupting Agent (Tumour-VDA) which targets the blood
vessels
that nourish tumours. The drug was discovered by Professors Bruce Baguley
and
William Denny and their teams at the Auckland Cancer Society Research
Centre,
University of Auckland, New Zealand. It was in-licensed by Antisoma from
Cancer
Research Ventures Limited (now Cancer Research Technology), the development
and
commercialisation company of the Cancer Research Campaign (now Cancer
Research
UK), in 2001. Worldwide rights to the drug were licensed to Novartis AG in
April
2007.
About Antisoma
Antisoma is a London Stock Exchange-listed biopharmaceutical company that
develops novel products for the treatment of cancer. The Company has
operations
in the UK and the US. Please visit www.antisoma.com for further information
about Antisoma.
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Source: Antisoma plc via Thomson Reuters ONE