PRINCETON, N.J., July 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cytogen Corporation today announced that the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Radiation Treatment Oncology Group (RTOG) has initiated a randomized phase III trial to evaluate either QUADRAMET (samarium Sm-153 lexidronam injection) or strontium-89 chloride in conjunction with zoledronic acid (Zometa(R), Novartis) in the treatment of osteoblastic metastases arising from lung, breast, and prostate cancer.
The study is designed to determine if the addition of a radiopharmaceutical to bisphosphonates for patients with asymptomatic or stable symptomatic bone metastasis will delay the time to development of malignant skeletal related events (SREs), defined as a pathological bone fracture, spinal cord compression, surgery to bone, or radiation to bone. The study is expected to involve approximately 350 patients.
“We are pleased that the RTOG and NCI are supporting this important clinical trial evaluating the use of bone-targeted therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, including QUADRAMET, in combination with bisphosphonates,” said Michael D. Becker, president and chief executive officer of Cytogen. “Bone pain palliation is critical for cancer patients afflicted with metastatic bone disease, yet radiopharmaceuticals remain underutilized in such settings. With more than a dozen company and government sponsored clinical studies underway or in planning, we are demonstrating our commitment to optimize radiopharmaceutical therapy for pain palliation, increase its awareness among oncologists, and contribute effectively to patient palliation and quality-of-life improvements.”
About Metastatic Bone Disease
Each year, more than 100,000 patients in the U.S. develop bone metastases from spread of their primary cancer. Bone is the third most common site of metastatic disease after liver and lung, and spread to bone is associated with considerable morbidity. This includes bone pain and fracture, spinal cord compression, and hypercalcemia. The incidence of bone metastasis is expected to increase over the next decade as patient survival improves due to advances in anticancer therapy. This will make the treatment of this problem more important in the overall management of the surviving cancer patient. The majority of skeletal metastases arise from primary tumors of the thyroid, kidney, lung, prostate, and breast, with the latter two accounting for about 80% of metastatic bone disease. While all bones can be affected, the most common site of disease spread is the spine with the subsequent development of spinal cord compression. In advanced breast cancer, a majority of skeletal events will occur every three to four months resulting in significant morbidity and impaired quality of life.
About QUADRAMET
QUADRAMET is indicated for the relief of pain in patients with confirmed osteoblastic metastatic bone lesions that enhance on radionuclide bone scan. This press release describes clinical applications that differ from that reported in the QUADRAMET package insert.
QUADRAMET is an oncology product indicated for pain relief that pairs the targeting ability of a small molecule, bone-seeking phosphonate (EDTMP) with the therapeutic potential of radiation (samarium Sm-153). Skeletal invasion by prostate, breast, multiple myeloma, and other cancers often creates an imbalance between the normal process of bone destruction and formation. QUADRAMET selectively targets such sites of imbalance, thereby delivering radioactivity to areas of the skeleton that have been invaded by metastatic tumor.
QUADRAMET has demonstrated a range of characteristics that may be advantageous for the treatment of pain arising from metastatic bone disease, including early onset of pain relief (patients may experience pain relief within the first week with maximal relief generally occurring at three to four weeks after injection), length of pain relief, lasting a median of four months in responding patients, and predictable and reversible bone marrow toxicity or myelosuppression that tends to return to pretreatment levels after eight weeks. QUADRAMET is administered as a single intravenous injection, usually on an outpatient basis, and exhibits selective uptake in areas of bone formation with little or no detectable accumulation in soft tissue.
QUADRAMET Safety Profile
QUADRAMET causes bone marrow suppression. In clinical trials, white blood cell counts and platelet counts decreased to a nadir of approximately 40% to 50% of baseline in 123 (95%) of patients within 3 to 5 weeks after QUADRAMET, and tended to return to pretreatment levels by 8 weeks. Because of the unknown potential for additive effects on bone marrow, QUADRAMET should not be given concurrently with chemotherapy or external beam radiation therapy unless the clinical benefits outweigh the risks. Blood counts should be monitored weekly for at least 8 weeks, or until recovery of adequate bone marrow function. Non-hematologic adverse events that occurred in 5% or more of patients and greater than placebo were pain flare (7%), diarrhea (6%), infection (7%), spinal cord compression (6.5%), arrhythmias (5%), and hematuria (5%). Patients who receive QUADRAMET should be advised that for several hours following administration, radioactivity will be present in excreted urine. To help protect themselves and others in their environment, precautions need to be taken for 12 hours following administration.
A copy of the full prescribing information for QUADRAMET, including warnings, precautions, adverse events and other safety information, may be obtained in the U.S. from Cytogen Corporation by calling toll free 800-833- 3533 or by visiting the web site at www.cytogen.com, which is not part of this press release.
ABOUT CYTOGEN CORPORATION
Founded in 1980, Cytogen Corporation of Princeton, NJ, is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the lives of patients with cancer by acquiring, developing and commercializing innovative molecules targeting the sites and stages of cancer progression. Cytogen’s marketed products include QUADRAMET(R) (samarium Sm-153 lexidronam injection), PROSTASCINT(R) (capromab pendetide) kit for the preparation of Indium In-111 capromab pendetide, and SOLTAMOX(TM) (tamoxifen citrate, oral solution 10mg/5mL) in the United States. Cytogen’s development pipeline consists of CYT-500, a therapeutic radiolabeled antibody targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a protein highly expressed on the surface of prostate cancer cells and the neovasculature of solid tumors. Cytogen also has exclusive United States marketing rights to COMBIDEX(R) (ferumoxtran-10) for all applications, and the exclusive right to market and sell ferumoxytol (previously Code 7228) for oncology applications in the United States. Full prescribing information for the Company’s products is available at www.cytogen.com or by calling 800-833-3533. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.cytogen.com, which is not part of this press release.
This press release contains certain “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties and investors are cautioned not to put any undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. There are a number of important factors that could cause Cytogen’s results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. In particular, Cytogen’s business is subject to a number of significant risks, which include, but are not limited to: the risk of obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals; the risk of whether products result from development activities; the risk of shifts in the regulatory environment affecting sales of Cytogen’s products such as third-party payor reimbursement issues; the risk associated with Cytogen’s dependence on its partners for development of certain projects, as well as other factors expressed from time to time in Cytogen’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). As a result, this press release should be read in conjunction with Cytogen’s periodic filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as of the date of this press release, and Cytogen undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Cytogen Corporation
CONTACT: Brian Korb of The Trout Group for Cytogen Corporation,+1-212-477-9007 x23
Web site: http://www.cytogen.com//
