BERLIN, Germany & BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Plexxikon Inc. today announced encouraging clinical data from a Phase 1 extension study of PLX4032 (RG7204) in metastatic melanoma patients, which expand the results announced from the initial phase of the study. PLX4032 is a novel, oral and highly selective drug that targets the BRAFV600E cancer-causing mutation that occurs in about 50 percent of melanomas and about eight percent of all solid tumors. Tumor shrinkage has been observed in nearly all of the currently evaluable patients in the extension study, reflecting a 70 percent response rate. These data will be presented at the ECCO 15/ESMO 34 Joint Multidisciplinary Congress in Berlin, Germany. Larger clinical trials to support a registration program for product approval are targeted to start shortly. Plexxikon and Roche are co-developing PLX4032 under their 2006 license and collaboration agreement.
