Attract-1 was a pivotal study of ASA404 in previously untreated, advanced NSCLC. Patients were randomised 1:1 to receive either ASA404 plus chemotherapy (carboplatin/paclitaxel) or a placebo plus chemotherapy (carboplatin/paclitaxel) as a control.
ASA404 (vadimezan, formerly known as DMXAA and AS1404) is a small-molecule Tumour-Vascular Disrupting Agent (Tumour-VDA) which targets the blood vessels that nourish tumours. The drug was discovered by Professors Bruce Baguley and William Denny and their teams at the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Antisoma said that the planned interim analysis of data from the Attract-1 Phase III trial of ASA404 in previously untreated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has shown that continuation of the trial would be futile, as there is little or no prospect of demonstrating a survival benefit with ASA404 in this setting.
Glyn Edwards, CEO of Antisoma, said: “We are disappointed by the outcome of the Attract-1 study, especially given the very encouraging Phase II data reported in the same setting. We had hoped that this trial would show that use of ASA404 could improve treatment for patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer. We are now focused on delivering Phase III results for our other late-stage product, AS1413.”