EndoTAG-1 plus Gemcitabine

I just read an article in “The Oncology Report”, Winter 2008, that I’d like to pass along. The information pertains to pancreatic cancer (of course, not CC!) but does have some hopeful information from a study out of Stockholm presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress. Dr. Matthias Lohr, professor of gastroenterology and hepatology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm and associates, reported their results from a randomized phase II trial adding lipid complexed paclitaxel nanoparticles to first-line gemcitabine.

“Adding lipid complexed paclitaxel nanoparticles to first-line gemcitabine substantially extends survival in locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer…”
“It’s notable that roughly 50% of patients who responded to the combination regime were alive at 1 year, among a cohort of patients with inoperable, mostly metastatic pancreatic cancer… The 12-month survival is about 15% in clinical practice with gemcitabine, the drug of choice for initial treatment of these patients.”
“EndoTAG-1 is a vascular disrupting agent that targets and destroys proliferating tumor endothelial cells…”
“There was no indication of significant hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity, or pulmonary or cardiovascular events associated with EndoTAG-1…There was no evidence of cumulative side effects with EndoTAG-1 after up to 7 treatment cycles.”

The study shows an approximate doubling of overall survival over use of gemcitabine alone. MediGene Inc. sponsored this study.

Though CC is not pancreatic cancer, they both do involve endothelial cells. It appears the trial took place in Europe, and I do not know if any US cancer centers were in anyway involved.

Perhaps a sign of hope!

Jean