B-I reports latest data on cancer candidate

German drugmaker Boehringer Ingleheim presented promising Phase II data for its newly-dubbed Vargatef (formerly BIBF 1120; Marketletter November 20, 2006), a treatment for patients with advanced, relapsed non-small cell lung cancer, at the European Lung Cancer Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

Particularly noted were the results from a subset of 57 patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1. These patients experienced greater overall survival, longer progression-free survival and a higher stable disease rate when compared with the total study population. The most frequent adverse effects reported were nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, mostly rated mild-to-moderate.

Vargatef is a a novel triple angiokinase inhibitor, taken as a twice-daily capsule, that simultaneously restricts vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, platelet-derived growth factor receptors and fibroplast growth factor receptors. These growth factors and receptors play an important role in angiogenesis and their inhibition is crucial in preventing tumors from growth or spread, according to the firm. Trials have shown the candidate to have efficacy when used on its own or in combination with existing cancer treatments.