Endocyte Initiates Phase 1 Trial Of EC0489 For Treatment Of Refractory Or Metastatic Solid Tumors

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 07 May 2009 - 7:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

Endocyte Inc., has announced the initiation of a Phase 1 clinical trial with EC0489, a folate-targeted anti-cancer drug for the treatment of refractory or metastatic solid tumors.

The Phase I trial is a multi-center, open-label dose escalation study designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of EC0489 in patients with refractory or metastatic cancer who have exhausted standard therapeutic options.

EC0489 combines a folate vitamin analogue with a microtubule destabilizing anticancer drug. Using Endocyte's advanced proprietary Drug Guidance System, EC0489 is engineered to target the folate receptors that are over-expressed on many cancer cells. When the drug "links" with the folate receptor, EC0489 delivers a potent anticancer drug into the cancer cell. By improving drug targeting, EC0489 can make it possible to treat patients with a super-potent anticancer drug or new drug combinations while reducing the risk of toxicity and side effects that can occur when drugs target healthy cells.

"The initiation of the Phase I trial of EC0489 represents another important milestone in the development of our product pipeline. Endocyte's Drug Guidance System technology offers proven capabilities in targeting to deliver drugs directly to cancer cells while avoiding healthy cells," said Christopher P. Leamon, vice president of research at Endocyte. "In EC0489, we have refined the technology that links our drug to cancer cells which may allow for treatment using higher doses of powerful drugs without the risk of serious side effects."

Participants also will be evaluated with EC20, Endocyte's new molecular imaging agent. By targeting folate receptors, the EC20 imaging agent is being developed to allow clinicians to identify tumors that over-express the folate receptor. Using EC20, doctors may be able to identify, in advance, those patients who will benefit from Endocyte's folate-targeted therapies such as EC0489.

Source
Endocyte

• Additional
• References
• Citations