Merck, Endocyte Suspend Late-State Trial of Anticancer Drug Candidate Vintafolide
Merck & Co. Inc. and the biopharmaceutical company Endocyte, Inc. have suspended a Phase III trial for vintafolide, a drug being developed to treat ovarian cancer.
The Phase III trial (PROCEED) was evaluating vintafolide in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) compared to PLD plus placebo for the treatment of folate receptor-positive, platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Based on data from the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), the companies recommended that that trial be stopped because vintafolide did not demonstrate efficacy on the pre-specified outcome of progression free survival in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The DSMB did not identify any safety concerns for the patients enrolled in the trial. Based on the DSMB recommendation and while further review of the data is conducted, the Companies have taken steps to notify investigators that screening and randomization of participants in the trial will be suspended.
Endocyte is developing small-molecule drug conjugates and companion imaging agents for personalized therapy,
Source: Merck & Co.
