Archexin is a potent inhibitor of Akt protein kinase in the treatment of cancer. The drug is being developed to treat solid tumors and has US FDA Orphan Drug designation for RCC, pancreatic, stomach, glioblastoma, and ovarian cancers.
Rexahn said that the patient enrollment continues at multiple sites in the US and abroad as part of the ongoing trial with preliminary results expected in the fourth quarter of 2010.
Rexahn currently has three drug candidates in Phase II clinical trials, Archexin, Serdaxin and Zoraxel, which the company said were all potentially best in class therapeutics, and a pipeline of preclinical compounds to treat multiple cancers and CNS (central nervous system) disorders.
Serdaxin, which is used for the treatment of depression and Parkinson’s disease, and Zoraxel, which treats sexual dysfunction, are the company’s advanced drugs, currently approaching the conclusion of their respective Phase II trials.
Rexahn also operates R&D (research and development) programs of nano-medicines, 3D-GOLD, and TIMES drug discovery platforms. The company pursues a strategy of establishing partnerships with pharmaceutical companies to develop and commercialise its drug candidates, aiming to retain co-promotion or co-commercialization rights in certain worldwide markets to capture long-term value from its innovations.
The company is also developing HPMA-gemcitabine and HPMA-docetaxel, anticancer drugs that can overcome the downside of cytotoxic compounds, such as poor solubility, stability, and severe adverse reactions.
Chang Ahn, chairman and chief executive officer, said: “The Japanese patent award is another step forward in the development of one of our lead clinical drug candidates, Archexin, in addition to strengthening our intellectual property portfolio, we are pleased with the progress of Archexin’s ongoing Phase II clinical trial.”