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news.Preclinical data presented by UK biotech Antisoma has shown that a combination of the company's investigational compound AS1404 and Genentech's blockbuster drug Avastin was considerably more effective than Avastin alone at inhibiting the growth of human colon and lung tumor xenografts.
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The company also said in a presentation at the American Association of Cancer Research that combining the two drugs did not cause any observable increase in side effects.
Avastin has attained blockbuster status as a treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with standard chemotherapy. Filing to extend its use to advanced non-small cell lung cancer and metastatic breast cancer is expected soon.
Use alongside Avastin therefore represents an attractive potential market for AS1404, and an expansion of the opportunity for the drug over and above use in combination with chemotherapies, which is the focus of three ongoing phase II trials.
Colorectal cancer represents a potential large indication for AS1404 that has not yet been targeted in Antisoma’s clinical program. Lung cancer, by contrast, was the first indication in which a phase II trial of AS1404 was started.
“The very striking interaction between AS1404 and Avastin shown by these experiments is a really promising development, pointing to additional possible applications for AS1404, a drug which already has very substantial market potential,” said Dr Ursula Ney, COO of Antisoma.