British Biotech's Oral MMPI Now In Phase II

British Biotech's orally-available matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, BB-2516, has now entered Phase II testing in patients with a variety of solid tumors, according to chief executive Keith McCullagh, speaking at Hambrecht & Quist's Investing in Life Sciences conference in London, UK, last week.

And despite a setback with its lead injectable MMPI compound batimastat (Marketletters passim) in malignant ascites patients, British Biotech will be back on track with the development of this compound by the end of the year, said Dr McCullagh (see later).

If its early promise is fulfilled, BB-2516 will be considered British Biotech's most important product within 12 months, with "enormous potential," he said. The compound offers the prospect of becoming an orally-active chronic anticancer drug which will be effective at all stages of tumor growth and in all major solid tumor types. Studies in animals have also suggested that it has synergistic effects with cytotoxic chemotherapies.