UPDATE 1-GTx says muscle drug meets main goal of mid-stage trial
Mon Oct 13, 2008 7:18am EDT
Oct 13 (Reuters) - Biopharmaceutical company GTx Inc (GTXI.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said its experimental drug Ostarine to treat cancer induced muscle loss, also known as cancer cachexia, met the main goal of a mid-stage trial.
The company, which is developing the drug with Merck & Co Inc (MRK.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), said the study met the main goal of increasing lean body mass, as well as the secondary goal of improved muscle function.
During the 16 weeks of study, 159 cancer patients on standard chemotherapy in the United States and Argentina were either given dummy drug or 1 mg or 3 mg oral capsule of Ostarine once daily.
The results showed that Ostarine resulted in a statistically significant increase in lean body mass compared to placebo in both doses.
GTx said the drop out rate during the trial was 33 percent, lower than the expected 50 percent rate which has been observed in other cancer supportive care clinical trials.
Shares of GTx closed at $14.97 Friday on Nasdaq. (Reporting by Jennifer Robin Raj in Bangalore; Editing by Deepak Kannan) |
