YM Bio's nimotuzumab selected for Ph III trial in Singapore

YM BioSciences, a Canada-based oncology company that identifies, develops and commercializes differentiated products, that the National  Cancer Center of Singapore has selected nimotuzumab, YM's EGFR-targeting  drug, for evaluation in a multinational Phase III trial of more than 700  patients with cancers of the head and neck. The NCCS stated that it  selected the agent because of its reported preferential safety profile  compared with other EGFR-targeting cancer drugs. The trial is sponsored  by the NCCS in collaboration with Innogene Kalbiotech Pte, YM's licensee  for nimotuzumab for the region.

"The efficacy of nimotuzumab as an epidermal growth factor receptor  targeted therapy is likely to be comparable to drugs of the same class.  However, what is likely to set nimotuzumab apart is its low toxicity and  favourable safety profile," said Rikrik Ilyas, director of IGK.  "Patients are spared the discomfort of severe skin rashes and may  benefit from an enhanced quality of life. Both patients and physicians  may also benefit from lack of hypomagnesemia often related to treatment  with other anti-EGFR targeted drugs. IGK is pleased to support the NCCS  in this investigator-initiated trial of nimotuzumab," he added.