In the preclinical studies Imetelstat have demonstrated activity against a range of cancer stem cells from both solid and hematological tumor types.
In the trial, the patients will be divided on the basis of the presence or absence of mutations in the JAK2 and MPL genes.
Geron Oncology chief medical officer and executive vice president Stephen Kelsey said their Phase 2 clinical trials of imetelstat are focused on malignancies in which cancer stem cells are thought to play an important role in disease progression, including breast and lung cancers, multiple myeloma and myeloproliferative neoplasms, such as essential thrombocythemia.