Phase III Development Of ASA404 In Lung Cancer Extended To Japan

Main Category: Lung Cancer
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 26 Mar 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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Antisoma plc (LSE: ASM; USOTC:ATSMY) announces that ATTRACT-1, the Novartis phase III trial evaluating ASA404 as a first-line treatment for non-small cell lung cancer, is now enrolling patients in Japan. ATTRACT-1 has been enrolling patients in a variety of other countries since it began in April 2008. Extension of the trial to Japan follows the successful completion of a phase I study evaluating the safety of ASA404 in Japanese lung cancer patients.

Glyn Edwards, Antisoma's CEO, said "We're pleased that Japanese lung cancer patients can now participate in this key phase III trial of ASA404. This is an important step towards a potential application to market the drug in Japan."

The Trout Group

Except for the historical information presented, certain matters discussed in this statement 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 NSCLC

Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer death for both men and women worldwide, with 1.2 million new cases per year and 921,000 deaths. Around 85-90% of all lung cancer cases are NSCLC. In Japan, there are approximately 66,000 new cases and 56,000 deaths per year from lung cancer.

About ASA404

ASA404 (DMXAA) is a small-molecule Tumour-Vascular Disrupting Agent (Tumour-VDA) which selectively disrupts tumour blood vessels, generating tumour death (necrosis) due to the resulting lack of blood flow in the tumour. 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 August 2001. In a randomised phase II study in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), addition of ASA404 to standard first-line chemotherapy was associated with a five month improvement in median survival. Worldwide rights to ASA404 were licensed to Novartis AG in April 2007. In addition to the ATTRACT-1 phase III trial testing ASA404 as a first-line treatment for NSCLC, Novartis is conducting a phase III trial of ASA404 as a second-line treatment for NSCLC and plans to evaluate the drug in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

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 http://www.antisoma.com for further information about Antisoma.

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Antisoma

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