Serono cancer drug fails to meet trial targets

Adecatumumab (MT201) is being developed in collaboration between Micromet and Serono. The product candidate was assessed as a single agent for efficacy and safety in patients.

Serono commented that, while the primary endpoint of the study was not reached in the first study of breast cancer, secondary end point analysis showed a significant prolongation of time-to-progression in patients treated with the higher dose of MT201 compared to patients receiving the lower dose.

If this activity can be confirmed in additional trials, MT201 could have significant benefits for survival rates in breast cancer, said Dr Ahmad Awada from the Institute Jules Bordet in Belgium.

The second trial was a phase II study in relapse of prostate cancer. While the primary end point was not reached again, the analysis of the final data of the study indicated that treatment with MT201 had a beneficial trend when compared to placebo.

The two companies said that they will continue to investigate opportunities for further development. MT201 is being explored for tolerability in combination with docetaxel in an ongoing phase Ib study in Europe.