Reata brain cancer therapy shows promising interim results
Pharmaceutical Business Review Online has an article noting that Reata’s ongoing phase I trial is showing promising signs of activity on patients with the deadliest form of brain tumor, glioblastoma multiforme.
RTA 744 is a new anticancer drug that crosses the blood-brain barrier and shows significant potential for the treatment of brain cancers. The drug has demonstrated appropriate pharmacokinetics and a safety profile consistent with other drugs in its class.
In the phase I trial, RTA 744 produced positive signs of anticancer activity in multiple patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). In particular, one patient who has been receiving RTA 744 has experienced complete tumor abrogation, a complete response as measured by repeated MRI imaging. Several other patients have also seen their tumors shrink or stabilize upon treatment with RTA 744. Complete responses are extremely rare in this patient population, noted the company.
Advanced trials are scheduled to begin in 2007, and additional trials have begun on different tumors that have spread to the central nervous system.