Vascular-targetting cancer drug clears Phase I
cancer treatment that takes a tried and tested drug and improves
its safety and efficacy, according to preliminary trial results.
MBT-0206 combines paclitaxel, a widely-used drug for breast and ovarian cancers, with a tumour-targetting agent designed to improve the delivery of the drug to the site it is needed. It acts via a novel mechanism, targetting tumour endothelial cells, inhibiting vascularisation of the tumour and effectively starving the cancer as it grows.
In Phase I studies, MBT-026 was found to be well-tolerated with no significant side effects. In addition, patients continuing with MBT-0206 beyond the trial period on compassionate grounds show quality of life improvements, stabilisation and, in some cases, tumour regression.
Importantly, neither increasing cytotoxic side effects nor drug resistance were recorded with the drug, which differentiates it from most other chemotherapies.
Because many of the patients on MBT-026 experienced a reduction of the pain associated with end-stage cancer at the very onset of treatment, eight were selected to remain on therapy after the trial terminated.
Results from these patients show both tumour stabilization and in four patients a partial response, which in one case led to the tumour being removed via surgery with the patient in remission. Typically, cytotoxic treatments have a benefit only at the onset of treatment and this declines as treatment continues with unpleasant side effects taking over.
Data has now been gathered from a total of five Phase I trials that have enrolled over 150 patients with different types of cancer, including breast, prostate, colorectal and melanoma, according to Munich.
Phase II clinical trials are now ongoing with MBT-0206 in metastatic breast cancer and advanced pancreatic cancer.
MBT-206 is based on Munich's EndoTAG technology, which differs from other drugs against the tumour vasculature by binding to a cellular target; the activated angiogenic tumour endothelial cells, found throughout all solid tumours and metastases.
In contrast, most known anti-angiogenic agents in development act on molecular targets like growth factors (VEGF, PDGF or bFGF), inhibiting the signal transduction at the corresponding growth factor receptors, or blocking matrix metalloproteases, enzymes involved in the spread and metastasis of cancers.
