Active Biotech's Prostate Cancer Project TASQ Featured In British Journal Of Cancer

Main Category: Prostate / Prostate Cancer
Article Date: 25 Sep 2009 - 8:00 PDT

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British Journal of Cancer (doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6605322) releases an article covering Active Biotech's (NASDAQ OMX Nordic: ACTI) prostate cancer project TASQ, where TASQ was studied as a single agent in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Two open-label phase I clinical trials in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer were conducted to evaluate the safety and tolerability of TASQ, with additional pharmacokinetic and efficacy assessments.

The results showed that long-term continuous oral administration of TASQ seems to be safe, and the overall efficacy results indicate that TASQ might delay disease progression.

A total of 32 patients were enrolled; 21 patients were maintained for >=4 months. The median PSA progression-free time was 19 weeks. In 15 patients, radiologic imaging with bone scan was done at screening and every 2 months until the final visit. It is noteworthy that there was no finding of bone scan progression at end of study in 80% of the patients (median treatment time 34 weeks; range 15 - 54 weeks).

TASQ is presently in development for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. A phase II study, which has completed enrollment of over 200 patients, is currently ongoing. The results from this study are expected in late 2009/early 2010.

About TASQ

The development of TASQ is principally focused on the treatment of prostate cancer. TASQ is an antiangiogenic compound, meaning that it cuts off the supply of nutrients to the tumor but it does not belong to the most frequently occurring group of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Positive results for the concluded Phase I trial show that TASQ is well-tolerated and has a favorable safety profile. In September 2008, the follow-up efficacy data from the Phase Ib trial of TASQ was presented, which showed that patients treated with TASQ developed few new bone metastases and displayed a reduced rate of increase of the disease marker PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen). The project is currently in a clinical Phase II trial in progress in the US, Canada and Sweden. The trial is a 2:1 random, placebo-controlled, double-blind study of 1mg/day TASQ, compared with placebo. The study includes symptom-free patients with metastasized, hormone-resistant prostate cancer. Information about the ongoing clinical trial is available at http://www.activebiotech.com and http://www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Source
Active Biotech

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