Antisoma/Novartis to conduct second Ph III ASA404 trial this year

London, UK-headquartered cancer drug developer Antisoma says its tumour-vascular disrupting agent, ASA404, will enter a second Phase III trial this year.

The ATTRACT-2 trial, conducted by Antisoma's partner, Novartis, will be a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre Phase III trial including approximately 900 patients receiving their second treatment for stage IIIb/IV non-small cell lung cancer. Patients will be randomly assigned to receive either ASA404 1800 mg/m2 plus docetaxel or a placebo plus docetaxel. The primary endpoint will be overall survival.

Glyn Edwards, Antisoma's chief executive, said the firm was "very pleased to see Novartis expanding the ASA404 development programme to explore the drug's potential to benefit second-line as well as first-line lung cancer patients. Since there is a clear need for improved treatment options in the second-line setting, we believe this represents a substantial additional opportunity for ASA404."