On December 5, 2016 Helsinn, a Swiss pharmaceutical group focused on building quality cancer care products, and MEI Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: MEIP), an oncology company focused on the clinical development of novel therapies for cancer, reported final results from a Phase 2 clinical study of the investigational drug candidate Pracinostat and azacitidine in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who were not eligible for induction chemotherapy, including evidence of prolongation of survival in the overall population and across a number of patient subgroups (Press release, MEI Pharma, DEC 5, 2016, View Source [SID1234516928]). Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo! In an oral presentation at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting on Saturday, Dr. Guillermo Garcia-Manero, MD Anderson Cancer Center, principal investigator of the study, reported a median overall survival of 19.1 (95%CI: 10.7-26.5) months, one-year survival of 62% and a complete response (CR) rate of 42%.
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:
Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing
Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!
"The results from this study of Pracinostat and azacitidine in elderly patients deemed unfit for intensive therapy are particularly encouraging," said Dr. Garcia-Manero. "Despite recent advances in the treatment of AML, options for these elderly unfit patients remain limited. The combination of Pracinostat and azacitidine appears to show a long-term survival benefit in this population, including an unprecedented two-year survival rate of 41% in this study. Furthermore, the prolongation of survival over what is generally expected for azacitidine alone is observed not only in the overall population, but across virtually every defined patient subset, including cytogenetic risk group, de novo or secondary AML, age and ECOG performance status."
A copy of the presentation, entitled "A Phase 2 Study of Pracinostat and Azacitidine in Elderly Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Not Eligible for Induction Chemotherapy: Response and Long-Term Survival Benefit," is available at www.meipharma.com.
The open-label Phase 2 study enrolled a total of 50 patients at 15 centers across the U.S. Median age in the study was 75 years. Patients received 60 mg of Pracinostat orally three times a week for three weeks followed by one week of rest and 75 mg m2 of azacitidine via subcutaneous injection or intravenous infusion for the first seven days of each 28-day cycle. The combination of Pracinostat and azacitidine had no unexpected toxicities. The most common grade 3/4 treatment-emergent adverse events reported in >10% of all patients included thrombocytopenia, febrile neutropenia, neutropenia, fatigue and anemia.
Site recruitment is ongoing for the global Phase 3 study of Pracinostat and azacitidine in newly diagnosed AML patients who are ≥75 years of age or unfit for intensive induction chemotherapy.
About Pracinostat
Pracinostat is a potential best-in-class, oral histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation for Pracinostat in combination with azacitidine for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed AML who are ≥75 years of age or unfit for intensive chemotherapy. In August 2016, Helsinn and MEI Pharma entered into an exclusive licensing, development and commercialization agreement for Pracinostat in AML and other potential indications. The deal provides the complementary resources from both organizations to rapidly advance Pracinostat into Phase 3 clinical development and expand into additional indications, including high and very high risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).
Pracinostat is an investigational agent and is not approved for use in the U.S.
About AML
Acute myeloid leukemia (also known as acute myelogenous leukemia) is the most common acute leukemia affecting adults, and its incidence is expected to continue to increase as the population ages. The American Cancer Society estimates about 20,830 new cases of AML per year in the U.S., with an average age of about 67 years. Treatment options for AML remain virtually unchanged for nearly 40 years. Front line treatment consists primarily of chemotherapy, while the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology recommend hypomethylating agents azacitidine or decitabine as low intensity treatment options for AML patients over the age of 60 who are unsuitable for induction chemotherapy.