Introgen’s cancer therapy shows promise in study

Introgen Therapeutics Inc said its experimental gene therapy, Advexin, significantly increased survival in certain end-stage head and neck cancer patients in a late-stage trial.

The primary goal of the study was survival with superior safety and the secondary goal was tumor growth control with superior safety, the company said in a statement.

In the trial, patients either received Advexin or methotrexate, a chemotherapy drug used to treat many types of cancer.

Advexin targets abnormal or blocked p53 tumor suppressor function. Normal p53 gene suppresses tumors and protects against cancer.

Introgen said it believes that application of p53 biomarkers, tests which predict response to treatment or increased survival following therapy, can help in showing which patients would be most likely to benefit from Advexin.

In the intent-to-treat (ITT) population, which included patients with favorable p53 and unfavorable p53 profiles, Advexin and methotrexate had similar overall survival while Advexin had a superior safety profile.

Advexin significantly improved survival, tumor responses in end-stage head and neck cancer patients with p53 favorable profiles, the company said.

Based upon the ITT and p53 biomarker analyses, the secondary goal of tumor growth control was met, the company said.

Introgen shares closed at $2.80 Tuesday on Nasdaq.

BANGALORE (Reuters)