Ovarian cancer drug study shows early promise

Huntsville-based Expression Genetics announced the completion of a phase I clinical study for a possible drug to treat ovarian cancer.

The study on the EGEN-001 drug candidate was conducted at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Baylor College of Medicine, according to a company news release.

The study examined the safety, tolerance, preliminary effectiveness and biological activity in 13 patients with advanced recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer.

"We are quite pleased with the safety profile of EGEN-001 observed in this initial clinical trial and are encouraged by some of the preliminary efficacy and activity results we have seen resulting from the administration of the EGEN-001 monotherapy in advanced ovarian cancer patients," Expression Genetics CEO Dr. Danny Lewis said in a prepared statement.

The clinical trial included four dose levels of EGEN-001, with four weekly infusions for patients with chemotherapy-resistant advanced stage recurrent ovarian cancer. To date, the overall median survival is more than 12.2 months, the company said, with seven of 13 patients still surviving.

Lewis said testing will continue.

"We have completed the necessary regulatory process and expect to immediately begin enrollment of patients in our next study which will combine EGEN-001 administration with conventional chemotherapy in platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer patients," he said.