Pharmaceutical Business review

Idera reports encouraging data from Phase 1b NSCLC study

The NSCLC trial evaluated four dose levels of IMO-2055 in combination with standard doses of Tarceva and Avastin in thirty-three patients.

In the trial the patients were evaluable for efficacy, and showed a disease control rate of 79%, a median progression-free survival of 5.6 months and a median overall survival of 16 months.

Patients received oral Tarceva at 150mg once per day and Avastin at 15mg/kg once every three weeks and subcutaneous doses of IMO-2055 once per week.

The doses were given until disease progression or other discontinuation criteria were met.

No new or unexpected toxicities were observed and rates of well-known side effects of the three agents were consistent with results from previously presented clinical trials of IMO-2055.

Idera CEO and chairman Sudhir Agrawal said they are encouraged with the results of this trial in heavily pre-treated patients with NSCLC, which is a difficult-to-treat disease with poor prognosis.

"These data support the development of IMO-2055 as an immune modifier to potentiate the anticancer activity of biologically targeted agents," Agrawal added.