Ligand's Targretin Stabilizes Cancer, Studies Show

Clinical investigators evaluating Ligand's retinoid product Targretin (LGD1069) oral capsules in patients with advanced cancers have reported stabilization of disease in many of the patients in two recent Phase I/IIa studies. These investigators, from the Vincent T Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University Medical Center, USA, reported eight out of 15 lung cancer patients with stable disease in excess of three months.

With this class of compounds, one investigator said, "we would consider stabilization of disease an important clinical parameter." Of the 15 patients with non-small cell lung cancer, disease stabilization was observed for up to 394 days. Up to the 650mg/m2/day dose level, stabilization was observed for a mean of 132 days, suggesting that Targretin may have stabilized disease in this population.

Study Conclusions Among the conclusions of the Georgetown study were that: Targretin was extremely well-tolerated with little toxicity observed; no objective tumor regression was seen; plasma Targretin concentrations increase dose proportionally; dose-limiting toxicity has not been established and patients continue to be accrued; and Targretin is a novel, RXR-selective, synthetic retinoid agonist that may have a favorable therapeutic index and merits further clinical investigation.