Allos says Efaproxyn improves survival for patients with brain metastases from breast cancer

By Ted A. Knutson

Washington, Dec. 12 - Allos Therapeutics, Inc. announced Monday the presentation of new findings from its phase 3 clinical trial of the investigational radiation sensitizer Efaproxyn (efaproxiral) that showed that the addition of Efaproxyn to Whole Brain Radiation Therapy (WBRT) led to a statistically significant increase in survival for patients with brain metastases originating from breast cancer.

Efaproxyn is the first synthetic small molecule designed to sensitize hypoxic, or oxygen-deprived, areas of tumors during radiation therapy by facilitating the release of oxygen from hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein contained within red blood cells, and increasing the level of oxygen in tumors. The presence of oxygen in tumors is an essential element for the effectiveness of radiation therapy. By increasing tumor oxygenation, Allos believes that the drug has the potential to enhance the efficacy of standard radiation therapy.

Specifically, Efaproxyn-treated patients with brain metastases originating from breast cancer experienced a slower overall decline in Spitzer Quality of Life Index (SQLI) scores over time (p<0.001) relative to the control arm. SQLI is a five-item questionnaire with overall score ranges from 0 (worse) to 10 (best).

"Importantly, the survival benefit realized by patients with brain metastases originating from breast cancer was not clinically compromised by a decline in quality of life," said the chief researcher, Charles Scott, Ph.D., of CBS Squared.

Scott presented the findings in a poster presentation Saturday at the 28th annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Westminister, Colo.-based Allos Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of cancer.

The announcement was made in an 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

© 2015 Prospect News.
All content on this website is protected by copyright law in the U.S. and elsewhere. For the use of the person downloading only.
Redistribution and copying are prohibited by law without written permission in advance from Prospect News.
Redistribution or copying includes e-mailing, printing multiple copies or any other form of reproduction.