GSK accelerates review of Exelixis' XL880

California, USA-based biotechnology firm Exelixis says that it has agreed to UK drug major GlaxoSmithKline's request to initiate a review of the developmental anticancer agent XL880, a dose-dependant inhibitor of tumor growth, before the compound reaches proof-of-concept.

Exelixis reported that, in preclinical assessments conducted to date, XL880 has shown efficacy against tumors associated with cancers of the breast, colon and lung, as well as in glioblastoma. The firm added that in the glioblastoma model, the drug completely stopped tumor growth for a period of 21 days.

Exelixis, which has been collaborating with GSK since 2002 (Marketletters passim), said that it expects to deliver the appropriate information by mid-September, at which point the UK firm will decided whether or not to select the drug for further development.