Promising Data With Maxim's Maxamine

US biopharmaceutical company Maxim Pharmaceuticals has released positive data from its ongoing Phase II trial with Maxamine (an H2 agonist) for the treatment of advanced malignant melanoma.

This was the second stage of trials with the drug, administered to patients in combination with the cytokines interferon-alpha and interleukin-2. The first study showed that the trio of drugs significantly improved survival times in patients while the follow-on study undertook to determine whether the cytokines could be administered in lower doses, combined with the same dose of Maxamine. The aim of this trial was to retain the level of efficacy but reduce the level of toxic side effects associated with cytokine therapy, says the company.

Results from the study, which was conducted in Gothenburg, Sweden, demonstrated that 11 patients had a mean survival time of 14 months when treated with low doses of IFN-alpha and IL-2 plus Maxamine. The mean survival time may increase yet further, as seven patients in this study are still alive. This was compared to the six-to-nine month mean survival time of patients treated with current therapies.