OncoGenex Lung-Cancer Drug Shines in Study

OncoGenex said Wednesday its non-small cell lung cancer treatment OGX-011 showed promising results in a phase 1 study.

The one-year survival rate for the nine patients that received OGX-011 in combination with standard chemotherapy agents was 67 percent. All except one patient showed a partial response or stable disease.

These rates compare quite favorably with the median survival of 8 to 11 months and the one-year survival rates of 32 to 45 percent reported in eight randomized phase 3 studies involving over 1500 patients using a platinum-based regimen plus gemcitabine as first-line chemotherapy for NSCLC, Janessa Laskin, study chair and a medical oncologist at BC Cancer Agency, said in a statement issued by OncoGenex.

OGX-011, which OncoGenex is developing with Isis, was well tolerated, and the side effects were similar to that of standard chemotherapy agents. The most common adverse events included constipation, change in taste, fatigue and chills. Hematological problems and low sodium also were common in study participants.