On August 22, 2007 Antisoma plc has reported that its single arm phase II trial of ASA404 in non-small cell lung cancer has produced positive final results (Press release, Cancer Research Technology, AUG 22, 2007, View Source [SID1234523386]). In particular, survival data support the findings from an earlier, randomised study in which addition of ASA404 to standard chemotherapy produced one of the largest increases in median survival ever reported in lung cancer.

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Findings from the trial will be presented by Dr Mark McKeage of the Auckland Cancer Centre, New Zealand, on 5 September at the World Lung Cancer Conference in Seoul, Korea.

ASA404 (formerly known as AS1404; DMXAA) is a small-molecule vascular disrupting agent which targets the blood vessels that nourish tumours. The drug was discovered by Professors Bruce Baguley and William Denny and their teams at the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, University of Auckland, New Zealand, and initially licensed by Cancer Research Technology (CRT) to Antisoma in August 2001. Worldwide rights to the drug were licensed by Antisoma to Novartis AG in April 2007. Novartis plan to start enrolment of patients into a phase III trial in early 2008.

The original press release from Antisoma can be viewed here.