Morphotek Presents Farletuzumab Phase II Clinical Trial Data

Morphotek has reported preliminary data from a phase II trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of farletuzumab in platinum-sensitive epithelial ovarian cancer subjects experiencing their first relapse. Farletuzumab (MORAb-003) is a humanised monoclonal antibody that targets the Folate Receptor Alpha (FRA).

The primary objectives of the open-label phase II study included; to measure overall response rate (ORR), to compare the length of a subject’s second remission with her first remission and to measure change in CA-125 level. Approximately 20 centers in the US, Germany and the Netherlands participated in the study.

Preliminary data from the study indicate that farletuzumab, in combination with standard platinum and taxane chemotherapy, eliminated the tumor in 69.8% of subjects; in addition, 23% of the subjects had their tumor stabilised. The results of the study also showed that in more than 20% of subjects the second progression-free interval was as long as or longer than the first.

Martin Phillips, chief medical officer at Morphotek, said: “The rate of relapse of ovarian cancer is high, and over time standard chemotherapeutic agents become ineffective in treating relapsed ovarian cancer patients. We are excited about these new data and look forward to seeing results from our ongoing global phase III trial testing farletuzumab in combination with platinum and taxane in platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer.”