Cancer data presented at ASCO

Pharma companies, including Sanofi, Takeda and Eisa, have continued to present data from drug trials at the 47tth annual meeting for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

France-based Sanofi showcased investigational drug iniparib (BSI-201), with data from a phase III trial supporting the company's decision to further develop the drug for the treatment of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer and recurrent ovarian cancer.

Despite one arm of the study not reaching statistical significance for either the overall survival endpoint or the progression free survival endpoint, lead investigator Dr Joyce O'Shaughness said she was "encouraged" by data from the trial's second and third arm.

Elsewhere, Eisai presented data concerning a phase III study of DNA methylation inhibitor Dacogen (decitabine) for injection in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

Results showed the drug demonstrated an overall survival advantage but did not show statistically significant superiority over the control arm of patients using either supportive care or low-dose cytarabine.

Millennium, a subsidiary of Takeda specialising in Oncology, also presented data at the meeting.

Investigational small molecule inhibitor MLN4924 showed "promising anti-tumour activity in patients with advanced solid tumours" in phase I trials according to the company, while a phase II trial demonstrated the potential for the use of Adectris (brentuximab vedotin) in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma.

Adectris is developed by Millennium in partnership with Seattle Genetics.

See ASCO's plans to make the cancer 'epidemic' a global priority.