EntreMed starts combination phase 2 trial with Panzem NCD in carcinoid cancer

By E. Janene Geiss

Philadelphia, May 15 - EntreMed, Inc. said Monday that it has started a phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of its lead clinical-stage drug candidate, Panzem NCD, in combination with Avastin (bevacizumab) in patients with locally advanced or metastatic carcinoid tumors.

The study will be coordinated by Boston's Dana-Farber/Partners Cancer Care, a collaboration among The Brigham and Women's Hospital Inc., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, according to a company news release.

Panzem (2ME2) is an orally active small molecule that attacks tumor cells through multiple mechanisms of action and has antiangiogenic activity. Panzem NCD, a liquid nanocrystal formulation of 2ME2, can attack tumors on multiple fronts - directly by disrupting microtubules, an intracellular matrix necessary for the rapid division of cancer cells (mitosis), by inducing programmed cell death (apoptosis) and by blocking blood vessels that feed tumors (angiogenesis inhibition), officials said.

Recent phase 1b studies with Panzem NCD have shown that the pharmacokinetic target for antitumor activity was achieved and that Panzem NCD has an acceptable toxicity profile at the therapeutic dose.

Panzem NCD is in a phase 2 clinical trial for brain cancer and a clinical trial in combination with Taxol in metastatic breast cancer, both being conducted at the Duke University Medical Center, officials said.

EntreMed is a Rockville, Md., clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing therapeutic candidates primarily for the treatment of cancer and inflammation.

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