AngioChem, a Canadian-based biotechnology company, presented new clinical data at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) on a novel drug for brain cancers, ANG1005. The data, from two separate Phase 1/2 studies in  brain cancer patients, demonstrated that ANG1005 has potential efficacy in treating brain cancers as evidenced by tumor regression and the halting of tumor progression; has a favorable safety and tolerability profile; and has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier to effectively deliver active therapeutic concentrations.

Treatment options for brain cancer patients are limited and prognoses are dismal due to the effective role the blood-brain barrier (BBB) serves as the natural guardian of the brain, preventing more than 95 percent of drugs from reaching the brain.

AngioChem is developing ANG1005 as its first clinical compound within a deep and broad pipeline of product candidates uniquely capable of crossing the BBB to treat a wide range of brain diseases.

“We are very excited by the encouraging tumor responses ANG1005 has produced in a trial that was designed primarily to assess safety and tolerability,” said Jean-Paul Castaigne, MD, president and chief executive officer of Angiochem. “We look forward to receiving the final data and, with the right partner, initiating a larger and possibly pivotal clinical trial early next year to further explore the potential of ANG1005.” 

AngioChem presented preliminary data from these two studies based on available data from 32 patients with malignant glioma and 42 patients with advanced solid tumor and brain metastases; enrollment in these studies continues. Key findings from the data from these patients, presented at AACR, include:

Tumor response data, as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computerized tomography (CT), show that ANG1005 has potential efficacy as evidenced by tumor regression and the halting of tumor progression;

Safety and tolerability data show that adverse events from treatment with ANG1005 were manageable and included neutropenia, leucopenia, thrombocytopenia and anemia;

Immunogenicity data, as measured by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assays (ELISA), show that ANG1005 does not elicit an immune response, including in patients who have received up to six treatment cycles;

Neurocognitive data show that ANG1005 does not show evidence of central nervous system toxicity.

Release date: April 21, 2009
Source: AngioChem