MEDIA RELEASE PR37058
Mersana Therapeutics Publishes Review Article Detailing Advantages of its Lead Cancer
Compound in Journal of Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
- Fleximer(R) Conjugate XMT-1001 Demonstrates Prolonged Stable
Disease Without Severe Side Effects Associated with Camptothecin or
Irinotecan -
Mersana Therapeutics, a platform-based cancer therapeutics company, announced today
that a review of the Company's lead compound, XMT-1001, will appear in the November 12,
2009 special issue of Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews on Polymer Therapeutics: Clinical
Applications and Challenges for Development. The review article, entitled, "XMT-1001, a
novel polymeric camptothecin pro-drug in clinical development for patients with advanced
cancer," was authored by Alexander V. Yurkovetskiy, Ph.D., and Robert J. Fram, M.D.,
both of Mersana, and provided an overview of XMT-1001 in the context of other
topoisomerase I inhibitors conjugated to polymers or encapsulated in liposomes.
XMT-1001 is a conjugate of the broad-spectrum cytotoxic camptothecin
(CPT) that employs Mersana's Fleximer(R) platform. XMT-1001 is currently in a
Phase 1 trial in patients with advanced solid tumors. Non-Fleximer-linked CPT
was shown to be active in prior clinical studies conducted by the National
Cancer Institute (NCI), but was discontinued due to severe bladder toxicity.
The XMT-1001 program significantly improves on the clinically active drug,
providing broad-spectrum activity with potentially better efficacy and
safety.
According to the review, XMT-1001 demonstrated an improved therapeutic
window compared to CPT or irinotecan in human tumor xenograft studies. The
review also reports that XMT-1001, unlike many other conjugated CPT analogs,
provides a slow and sustained systemic release of well defined drug products,
enabling drug delivery to tumor, both in low molecular weight and in
macromolecular forms. This dual-release mechanism of XMT-1001 may result in
lower levels of CPT in the urine and less bladder toxicity, a serious
dose-limiting toxicity associated with CPT and CPT conjugated to other
polymers.
Preliminary data from the ongoing Phase 1 trial of XMT-1001 support these
findings, revealing favorable pharmacokinetics, safety, and potential for
therapeutic activity, demonstrated by multiple heavily pre-treated patients
with advanced cancer exhibiting prolonged stable disease at
non-myelosuppressive doses of XMT-1001. To date, XMT-1001 has not caused
severe diarrhea or hemorrhagic cystitis, serious side effects associated with
non-linked CPT or irinotecan.
"This review article once again demonstrates the unique advantages of
linking Fleximer to cancer compounds. Specifically, Mersana's development of
a CPT-conjugated drug with a dual-release mechanism could potentially address
both the bladder and gastrointestinal toxicities that have previously been a
concern with these drugs, while also potentially enhancing efficacy," said
Julie Olson, Ph.D., CEO of Mersana. "Mersana has made solid progress over the
last year, as XMT-1001 moves through Phase 1 and we prepare to advance our
second candidate, XMT-1107, into the clinic. We're encouraged by the
attention our Fleximer(R) technology is garnering for its ability to be
chemically linked to small molecules and biologics such as siRNA and peptide
therapeutics to transform existing and experimental anti-cancer agents into
new, patentable drugs with superior pharmaceutical properties. We look
forward to continuing to advance existing and new compounds in the coming
year."
About Mersana Therapeutics, Inc.
Mersana Therapeutics employs its biodegradable polymer platform
(Fleximer(R)) to create new and better medicines. We are advancing our own
clinical-stage pipeline of novel compounds with the potential to address
multiple oncology indications. We also leverage the versatility of Fleximer
through partnerships to overcome the safety, efficacy, and delivery
challenges of nucleic acids, biologics, and small molecules in numerous
About Fleximer(R)
Fleximer is a novel, biodegradable and bio-inert polymer that can be
chemically linked to small molecules, biologics and nucleic acids to enhance
their pharmacokinetics and safety, potentially transforming existing and
experimental agents into new, patentable drugs with superior properties. The
Fleximer platform has broad and versatile applications across therapeutic
categories and for enhancing the delivery of all types of therapeutics.
Mersana's internal pipeline was generated with the Fleximer platform.
Fleximer(R) is a trademark of Mersana Therapeutics, Inc.
SOURCE: Mersana Therapeutics, Inc.
CONTACT: Kari Watson,
kwatson@macbiocom.com,
or Jennifer Conrad,
jconrad@macbiocom.com,
+1-781-235-3060,
both for Mersana Therapeutics, Inc.
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