Viventia reports positive head & neck cancer results
3/29/2005 Toronto, Ontario, Canada PRNewswire (www.prnewswire.com) Viventia Biotech Inctoday reported preliminary results from an exploratory Phase I efficacy trial using direct intratumoral injection of Proxinium(TM) as a monotherapy for the treatment of patients with refractory head & neck cancer. A total of 20 patients were enrolled in the study, of which 18 were considered evaluable at the end of the trial. Preliminary efficacy analysis showed that 25% of the 16 evaluable patients who expressed the therapeutic target for Proxinium(TM) had a complete response to therapy (complete disappearance of treated tumor); 63% had an objective response (significant or partial shrinkage of treated tumor); and 88% had tumor growth control (objective response or stabilization of disease). The drug was reported to have a good safety profile and was well tolerated, consistent with previous results. "Current treatments for refractory head and neck cancer have shown limited efficacy. To have achieved such a high number of complete responses in patients that have, in essence, failed all other available therapies is very encouraging," said Dr. Nick Glover, President and CEO of Viventia. "These results, and the promising survival data that emerged from our previous Phase I trial, show the tremendous potential for Proxinium(TM) for the treatment of refractory head and neck cancer. With the recent granting of Orphan Drug designation by the FDA, we are on track to initiate advanced clinical trials for Proxinium(TM) in 2005." Dr. Barry Wenig, Professor of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Northwestern University Medical School, and Director of the [...]