Phase 3 study of picoplatin in small cell lung cancer (SCLC)

Poniard Pharmaceuticals announced that its Phase 3 SPEAR (Study of Picoplatin Efficacy After Relapse) trial of picoplatin in the second-line treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) did not meet its primary endpoint of overall survival. The international, multi-center, randomized, controlled Phase 3 SPEAR trial was conducted under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) with the FDA. The trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of picoplatin as second-line therapy in 401 cancer patients with SCLC who were refractory to or who progressed within six months of first-line platinum-based therapy. Picoplatin administered as an intravenous infusion once every three weeks plus best supportive care (BSC) was compared to BSC alone. Other endpoints included overall response rate, progression-free survival, disease control rate and duration of response.  The analysis, based on 320 evaluable events (patient deaths), showed a hazard ratio of 0.82 with a p value of 0.089.

Picoplatin is a platinum-based chemotherapeutic agent that is in clinical development for multiple cancer indications, treatment combinations and by two routes of administration. It is designed to overcome platinum resistance associated with chemotherapy in solid tumors. Study data to date suggest that picoplatin has an improved safety profile relative to existing platinum-based cancer therapies.

For more information call (650) 583-3774 or visit www.poniard.com.