Ecopia begins patient dosing in cancer trial

The phase I study is designed to test the safety and tolerability of ECO-4601. Up to 30 patients suffering from one of six types of cancer, and who are refractory to current chemotherapies, will be recruited for this trial. Such cancers include glioblastomas, breast, prostate, ovarian, lung and colon cancers.

The clinical trial involves a 21-day cycle during which escalating dosages of the compound will be tested in different patients via continuous infusion using ambulatory pumps for 14 days, followed by a seven-day rest.

The investigation is taking place at the clinical research unit of the Sir Mortimer B. Davis – Jewish General Hospital (JGH), a McGill University Teaching Hospital.

ECO-4601 is a novel small molecule that crosses the blood brain barrier and is effective in significantly inhibiting primary brain tumor growth and other types of cancers. Just like well-known chemotherapies such as doxorubicin and mitomycin C, ECO-4601 comes from microorganisms that live in common soil.

However, unlike these drugs that were discovered many decades ago, ECO-4601 represents a new chemical class, which, according to Ecopia, is the fruit of a very unique drug discovery platform called the Decipher technology.