Enzon Initiates Phase 2 Study For PEG-SN38

Enzon Pharmaceuticals (Enzon) has treated its first patient in the phase 2 studies of PEG-SN38 for metastatic breast cancer. PEG-SN38 or EZN-2208 is Enzon’s PEGylated form of SN38, the active metabolite of the cancer drug, Camptosar (irinotecan HCl injection).

Reportedly, the study is designed to evaluate the efficacy of single-agent PEG-SN38 in two groups of patients who have received prior therapy regimens of Anthracycline and Taxane or Anthracycline, Taxane and Xeloda. The PEG-SN38 compound is currently being evaluated in a phase 2 study for metastatic colorectal cancer.

Jeffrey Buchalter, president and CEO of Enzon, said: “We continue to be encouraged by our PEG-SN38 compound and are pleased to be advancing it into additional areas of cancer. We look forward to providing updates on PEG-SN38 and the rest of our novel pipeline as data becomes available.”

Joyce O’Shaughnessy of Baylor-Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, said: We are very excited about evaluating the novel PEG-SN38 compound in hopes that it will exhibit an improved treatment for metastatic breast cancer patients.”