Update
on Cancer Clinical Plans
Oxford
BioMedica plc (LSE:OXB) is holding an analysts meeting today
at its premises on the Oxford Science Park. At the meeting
the Company is reviewing its major programmes in cancer, Parkinson’s
disease and vision-loss. As part of the meeting, the Company
is describing clinical development plans for its two cancer
products TroVax® and MetXia®.
TroVax®
will continue to be developed for the lucrative colorectal
cancer market alongside current chemotherapy, 5FU plus Irinotecan
and 5FU plus Oxaliplatin. It is expected that Phase II studies
will be complete by the end of 2003 and the product will be
ready for Phase III trials at that time. In addition TroVax®
will enter, during 2003, three further Phase II trials in
order to broaden the potential indications for the product.
The three areas will be colorectal cancer without chemotherapy,
metastatic renal cancer and breast cancer. These programmes
will expand considerably the body of data to support the notion
that TroVax® will be used as a cancer product
for many tumour types, a notion predicted by the fact that
the tumour antigen that is delivered by TroVax®
is found on more than 75% of human solid tumours.
MetXia®
is expected to complete its second ‘high dose’
Phase I/II study by the end of H1 2003 and then will be ready
to enter Phase II studies in a number of disseminated but
accessible cancers. In addition the product is planned to
enter trials for pancreatic cancer by the end of 2003. The
pancreatic cancer trials are designed to roll into a Phase
II study and should make the product ready for Phase III trials
by late 2004. As with TroVax® this will broaden
the commercial potential of MetXia® considerably.
The Phase
II studies described at the meeting do not change the Company’s
overall funding requirements. The Company’s planned
expenditures can be met from existing cash resources into
late 2004 at least. The Phase II trials may be used to apply
for accelerated approval if the data justify it.
The clinical
plans for MetXia® are being presented at the
Annual Meeting of the American Association of Pharmaceutical
Scientists in Toronto on November 13thby Dr. Susan Kingsman,
Oxford BioMedica’s Senior Vice President for Research.
Commenting
on the developments Chief Executive Prof. Alan Kingsman said
“We are very pleased with the way that TroVax®
and MetXia® have performed in the clinic so
far. The definition of the clinical development plans for
these products marks another key step in Oxford BioMedica
becoming a development stage Company”.
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