Oncoethix, the Swiss-based specialist in oncology drug development, reported that the first patient has been enrolled in an international, open-label, non-randomized, multicenter Phase 1b trial of OTX015 in advanced solid tumors (Press release OncoEthix, NOV 12, 2014, View Source [SID:1234501220]). The trial will be coordinated by Dr Lillian Siu, MD, of the Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Canada, who is Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, and Director of the Phase 1 program.
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The trial seeks to enrol up to 98 patients across seven centers in five countries (Belgium, Canada, France, Spain and Switzerland), including the Institut Gustave-Roussy in Paris, where Professor Jean-Charles Soria is the Principal investigator. Three patients have already been enrolled. The trial aims to determine, in a first step, the suitability of five solid tumor indications under investigation (BRD-NUT Midline Carcinoma, Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer harbouring a rearrangement ALK gene/fusion protein or KRAS mutation, and Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer and Pancreatic Ductal Carcinoma) to be progressed into the Phase 2a part of the trial.
Dr Esteban Cvitkovic, MD, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Oncoethix, commented: "This multicenter Phase 1b trial is an important step for OTX015, as it will provide key safety and efficacy data in several solid tumor types, after having characterized its single agent safety and activity profile in the Acute Leukemias and Lymphomas in Phase 1 trial (OTX015_104). The solid tumor indications approach selected for OXT015 is based on compelling data from our own preclinical pharmacology program. We have also initiated a multicentric (France, Switzerland) Phase 2a trial in recurrent glioma."
OTX015 is a novel first-in-class synthetic small molecule inhibitor of BET bromodomain proteins 2/3/4. These proteins are considered potential cancer targets, as they play a pivotal role in regulating the transcription of growth-promoting and cell cycle regulators.
Coordinating investigator Dr Lillian Siu commented: "OTX015 is a promising drug that has shown outstanding early results in hematologic cancer studies and we are delighted to have commenced the solid tumor trial at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Canada."
Bertrand Damour, Chief Executive Officer at Oncoethix, added "We believe that OTX015 has the potential to be an important new drug across a number of advanced solid tumors and the start of the Phase 1b is a key milestone for the Company. We are also ahead of schedule in our hematologic cancer program and will be releasing further data from this program at NCI/EORTC/AACR in November and the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) in December."