Biotech Strategy Blog

Commentary on Science, Innovation & New Products with a focus on Oncology, Hematology & Cancer Immunotherapy

Posts tagged ‘Clinical Trial Results’

AB Science – realizing the potential of masitinib in cancer and inflammation

Following on from yesterday’s news that Gilead had acquired Calistoga and CAL-101, another company that is exploring the interface between cancer and inflammation is Paris based AB Science.

Pharma Strategy Blog has an excellent interview with the CEO, Alain Moussy.  AB Science is an emerging French biopharmaceutical company, and I previously wrote about its IPO.

The company has adopted a unique market entry strategy of obtaining approval first in animal health for their tyrosine kinase inhibitor, masitinib.  In 2008, AB Science gained European approval for canine mast cell tumors and in December 2010 FDA approval.

The company recently announced that on February 8, 2011 it had its first US sale of masitinib to vets.

Masitinib is in fact a multi-kinase inhibitor that inhibits wild type and mutant forms of stem cell factor receptor (c-KIT, SCFR), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGFR), fibroblast growth factor 3 (FGFR3) and to a lesser degree, focal adhesion kinase (FAK).

Sally Church on the Pharma Strategy Blog has written about how AB Science’s strategy makes sense – if you look at Pfizer, they obtain more revenue from animal health than they do from oncology.  AB Sciences’ Masivet® in Europe, Kinavet® in the United States competes against Pfizer animal health’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor, Palladia® (toceranib), which also targets mast cell cancer in dogs.

Not only does this growth strategy generate revenue for an early-stage company like AB Science, it also allows the company to build a sales and marketing infrastructure in the United States and Europe while waiting for the results of pivotal phase 3 studies in humans.

The phase 2 clinical trial data for masitinib in combination with gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer were impressive (28% survival at 18 months).  The phase 3 clinical trial results are expected this year.  The clintrials.gov listing shows the date for the estimated primary completion date (Overall Survival) as November 2010 with study completion in November 2011.  Obviously the exact timing depends on how fast subjects were accrued, but I would be surprised if we didn’t see some data presented at ASCO or ESMO, especially if positive.

In terms of targeting inflammation, masitinib is in phase III development for mastocytosis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and asthma.  AB Science announced on January 27, 2011 the first patient recruited into their phase 3 study in severe asthma.

The company’s new product development strategy is way ahead of many of its competitors in identifying the links between cancer and inflammation, and choosing to target market opportunities in both areas.

AB Science is an exciting company to watch, and I expect that we will see important new data come out at major scientific meetings this year.

Inspire Pharmaceuticals Shares Plunge on Negative Data

By on January 3, 2011

Thanks to Adam Feuerstein of TheStreet for breaking the news this morning, that shares in Inspire Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ISPH) have plunged following the announcement of negative data from the phase 3, TIGER-2 clinical trial for denufosol in cystic fibrosis.

According to the Chief Medical Officer at Inspire Pharma: “The analysis of the primary endpoint, key secondary endpoints and select subgroup populations in TIGER-2 indicates an absence of meaningful treatment benefit in this patient population.”

I wrote a blog post last week about denufosol and the hope that this drug offered to cystic fibrosis patients despite the uncertainty about its clinical effectiveness.

The latest data is disappointing and a major setback to Inspire Pharma. It highlights the risk/reward situation that many emerging biotechnology companies face with new product development, the hope that they will make it to market, coupled with the reality that many will fail.

New cystic fibrosis drug offers hope

By on December 29, 2010

Inspire Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ISPH), a North Carolina based biopharmaceutical company that focuses on products for ophthalmic and pulmonary diseases, recently announced positive results from their phase 3 trial (TIGER-1) of denufosol tetrasodium in patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF).

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disorder that can lead to death as a result of pulmonary complications from airway obstruction, bronchial thickening and accumulation of mucous.  Lung function tests are widely used in the diagnosis, treatment and management of patients with CF.  Measurement of FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second) is regarded as the best predicator of mortality.  As the disease progresses and the lungs become more obstructed, FEV1 decreases.

Inspire Pharma’s denufosol is an ion-channel regulator that helps keep the airways moist and helps mucous removal in CF patients.  It increases chloride secretion via calcium-activated chloride  channels (CaCCs), inhibits sodium absorption via epithelial sodium channels (ENaCs) and stimulates ciliary beat frequency.  Conveniently for patients, it is being developed as an inhaled drug delivered direct to the lungs by nebulizer.

The phase 3 clinical trial data presented by Dr Frank Accurso at the Annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, and in the paper published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (AJRCCM), showed an improvement in lung function after 24 weeks in patients with mild CF who received daily denusofol by means of a nebulizer.  The primary efficacy endpoint was a change in FEV1:

Source: October 21, 2010 presentation by Frank J. Accurso M.D. to North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference.  Available at Inspire Pharma.

Dr Accurso and his colleagues reported that the results demonstrated:

“Mean change from baseline to Week 24 endpoint in expiratory volume at 1 second (primary efficacy endpoint) was 0.048 L for denufosol (n=178) and 0.003 L for placebo (n=174; P=0.047).”

Despite the significant improvement in FEV1, there was no significant difference between the denufosol and placebo arms in the time to progression to first pulmonary exacerbation, suggesting that its long-term clinical effectiveness remains uncertain.

Source: October 21, 2010 presentation by Frank J. Accurso M.D. to North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference.  Available at Inspire Pharma.

Notwithstanding, these results do offer hope to patients with mild symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis.  Early treatment to maintain lung function may delay the onset of more severe physiological changes and the need for more radical treatment options such as a heart/lung transplant.

Thanks to BBC Health for writing about this topic and giving me the idea for this post.

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