The trial includes small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients with who are platinum-resistant or refractory and who have progressed within six months after receiving first-line therapy.
Picoplatin is a new generation platinum therapy with an improved safety profile designed to overcome and prevent platinum resistance associated with chemotherapy in solid tumors.
The recent interim analysis showed a median overall survival of 26.7 weeks in the patients treated with picoplatin. According to the 2006 National Comprehensive Cancer Network practice guidelines, the median survival for patients who receive second-line chemotherapy is approximately 16 to 20 weeks.
“It appears that in addition to potentially extending survival in these patients, picoplatin may offer better quality of life because of its improved safety profile over current treatment options,” said Jerry McMahon, CEO of Poniard.
Based on these data, Poniard plans to initiate a phase III trial of picoplatin in SCLC in the first half of 2007.