Potential of Peregrine's bavituximab and radiation confirmed

A new study in a lung cancer model showed that the combination of a mouse equivalent of bavituximab and radiation is significantly more effective in reducing tumor growth than either therapy alone. The study was published in the September 1 issue of Clinical Cancer Research. Bavituximab is US clinical-stage biopharmaceutical firm Peregrine's lead anti-phosphatidylserine (anti-PS) immunotherapy, which is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of solid tumors including lung cancer.

"This new publication further supports the concept that radiation therapy and bavituximab may work synergistically," said Steven King, chief executive of Peregrine. "We are particularly pleased to see these positive results in a model of radiation resistant lung cancer, by far the leading cause of US cancer deaths. This is the latest in a series of preclinical studies that have demonstrated the potential of either radiation or chemotherapy to enhance bavituximab's anti-tumor effects. We look forward to evaluating a combination of bavituximab plus radiation therapy in future clinical studies."

Peregrine completed a pilot Phase I study evaluating bavituximab in combination with chemotherapy in advanced cancer patients earlier this year and reported promising results. Based on these findings, the company recently submitted a Phase II clinical protocol to test bavituximab plus carboplatin/paclitaxel in lung cancer patients and plans to file several additional combination therapy clinical protocols this year.