Preclinical data suggests combo role for Proxinium

Viventia Biotech, a privately-held Canadian biopharmaceutical company focused on cancer, says that in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo pharmacokinetic studies conducted to evaluate the potential for combining its lead anticancer drug, Proxinium (VB4-845), with first-line standard-of-care therapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, were positive.

The data, which were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, held in Los Angeles, California, found that the combination of Proxinium with cisplatin, carboplatin, paclitaxel, 5-fluorouracil, and docetaxel resulted in a significant additive cytotoxic effect (p<0.05) as compared to the chemotherapeutic agents administered alone.

Proxinium is being developed to treat late-stage, locally-advanced head and neck cancer and is currently enrolling patients in the TARGET trial, a pivotal Phase III global evaluation that is expected to complete patient recreuitment by the end of the year.