From the WSJ interactive, not new news
DJ MGI Pharm Drug Study -2:Involved Up To 30 Patients
Dow Jones Newswires
MINNEAPOLIS -- MGI Pharma Inc.'s (MOGN) MGI 114 cancer-fighting
drug showed "significant antitumor activity" in a recently released phase II clinical study.
In a press release Monday, the pharmaceutical company said it is
"encouraged" by the activity of MGI 114 against hormone-resistant prostate tumors, and as a result of early positive responses it expanded the trial late last year.
The study, which involves patients with prostate tumors that have stopped responding to hormone therapies, was designed to assess the antitumor activity of the drug measured by a decrease in serum prostate specific antigen in up to 30 patients.
A company spokeswoman said 21 of the 30 patients were "evaluable" for
serum prostate specific antigen, and 76% of those 21 have shown stable or decreasing levels of the antigen.
The spokeswoman said the company intends to have 30 evaluable patients in the study, which could mean reaching a total enrollment of 40 or 50 in the ongoing study.
MGI 114 is the lead member of the company's group of new chemotherapy
agents called acylfulvenes, which the company said appear to have potential advantages over existing cancer therapies.
The company said in previous studies MGI 114 has "demonstrated activity against" a variety of tumor types, and clinical studies are underway focusing on kidney, prostate, pancreatic, ovarian, colon and rectal and non-small cell lung cancers.
In addition, a pediatric study is underway and a phase I study in leukemia patients is planned.
Nasdaq-listed shares of MGI Pharma last traded down 1 1/16, or 8.8%, at 11 on composite volume of 65,000 shares. Average daily volume is 67,030 shares
Jim |
