VRTX---Tuesday December 15, 2:08 pm Eastern Time
Vertex says some tumors shrink in
cancer study
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec 15 (Reuters) - Vertex
Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq:VRTX - news) said Tuesday that preliminary results of a Phase II
trial show that tumors in some patients with advanced breast cancer shrank when the standard
paclitaxel treatment was combined with the Vertex drug Incel.
Vertex said that of 32 patients, a partial response (50 percent or more tumor regression) was noted
in three patients, and a minor response (25 to 50 percent regression) was noted in one patient.
Of these four patients, three had experienced tumor growth during a previous course of paclitaxel
therapy.
The study is part of a broad program evaluating Incel's potential to resensitize drug-resistant tumors
to chemotherapy in a range of cancer types and therapeutic regimens.
Vertex said treatment with Incel and paclitaxel has been well tolerated.
With Incel coadministration, only half the standard dose of paclitaxel is necessary to achieve and
maintain paclitaxel blood levels comparable to those produced using the higher usual dose of
paclitaxel alone, it said.
''The potential of Incel to enhance or restore a therapeutic effect of paclitaxel is a promising finding
from this exploratory study and provides justification for future trials in patients with less advanced
disease,'' George Demetri of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, principal investigator for the study, said
in a press release.
Enrollment in the breast cancer study will be completed early next year with 40 to 50 patients.
The company said additional Phase II clinical results from Incel trials in other tumors, which it
expects to be available in 1999, will help the company select the most appropriate regimens and
indications for Phase III clinical development.
Vertex said the Phase II clinical trial data were reported today at the 21st annual Breast Cancer
Symposium in San Antonio, Texas. |
