Ziopharm presents positive data from Phase II lymphoma study

The ongoing Phase II study demonstrates that darinaparsin is clinically active in heavily pretreated, relapsed or refractory patients with lymphoma. Of 15 evaluable patients, four patients (27%) had objective responses (complete response + partial response) and three patients (20%) had stable disease, the company said.

Of four evaluable patients with refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma, one achieved a complete response and two had stable disease. One patient with marginal zone lymphoma and one with marginal zone lymphoma transformed to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma achieved partial responses. Of the four patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkins disease one achieved partial response and one had stable disease.

According to the company, the medium number of prior regimens of chemotherapy was three. In addition six patients received prior radiation and seven patients had previously undergone bone marrow transplantation. Darinaparsin was very well tolerated with possibly related adverse events including nausea, fatigue and dizziness.

Michael Craig, lead investigator of the study, said: “These data indicate darinaparsin is active in lymphoma. The drug is remarkably well tolerated and easily combinable for therapy. We look forward to further developing it in lymphoma.”