TMCnet News

Innocrin Pharmaceuticals Inc. to Present Interim Results from Its Phase 1/2 Prostate Cancer Clinical Study and Preclinical Results That Demonstrate VT-464 Efficacy in a Clinically-Relevant Enzalutamide-Resistant Mouse Model
[February 26, 2015]

Innocrin Pharmaceuticals Inc. to Present Interim Results from Its Phase 1/2 Prostate Cancer Clinical Study and Preclinical Results That Demonstrate VT-464 Efficacy in a Clinically-Relevant Enzalutamide-Resistant Mouse Model


Innocrin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (www.innocrinpharma.com), a privately held pharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery and development of best-in-class, small molecule CYP17 lyase inhibitors announces that results from clinical and preclinical studies with its Phase 2 clinical lead, VT-464, will be presented at the 2015 American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers (ASCO GU) Symposium, taking place from February 26 - 28, 2015 in Orlando, Florida.

Professor Johann de Bono of The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust will present interim tolerability, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic results from Innocrin's Phase 1/2 clinical study of oral, twice-daily, VT-464 in men with castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) who were either treatment-naïve or had previously failed abiraterone or enzalutamide therapy. Results from this study support VT-464's CYP17 lyase selectivity as well as efficacy as demonstrated by PSA reductions of 50% and 90% in 2 of 7 prior Xtandi patients.

Results from preclinical studies performed by Donald McDonnell, Ph.D., chairman of the Department of Parmacology and Cancer Biology at Duke University School of Medicine, show that VT-464 directly antagonizes AR variants that facilitate resistance to abiraterone (AR-T877A) and enzalutamide (AR-F876L)and that oral VT-464 was effective in a CRPC mouse tumor model that was stimulated by enzalutmide due to F876L as reported by Innocrin's Dr. John Norris in his presentation "Direct effects of the selective CYP17 lyase (L) inhibitor, VT-464, on the androgen receptor (AR) and its oral activity in an F876L tumor mouse xenograft model."



William Moore, Ph.D., President and CEO of Innocrin said "The potent reduction of patients' circulating androgens due to VT-464, in the absence of any signs of mineralocorticoid excess syndrome, cortisol depletion, adrenal insufficiency, or hypokalemia, support its unprecedented CYP17 lyase selectivity. Moreover, the observation of PSA responses in men who have failed Xtandi®, combined with VT-464's unique AR antagonist mechanism and 7-hour plasma half-life, warrants its further evaluation as a once-daily, oral therapy, without glucocorticoid supplementation, in patients who have failed enzalutamide or abiraterone/prednisone."

About Prostate Cancer


Prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer affecting men in the United States: an estimated one in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 240,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed and about 30,000 men will die of the disease this year, and that approximately two million men in the U.S. currently count themselves among prostate cancer survivors.

About Innocrin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (www.innocrinpharma.com)

Innocrin discovers and develops novel, best-in-class oral inhibitors of CYP17 lyase, a validated enzyme target for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). VT-464 and structurally-related classes of CYP17 inhibitors are wholly owned by Innocrin. CYP17 lyase inhibitors may also have high commercial potential for the treatment of breast cancer as well as non-oncologic syndromes that are due to hormonal excess including endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome and congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Innocrin's investors include Novartis Venture Fund, Lilly Ventures, Hatteras Venture Partners, Intersouth Partners, Lurie Holdings, and Astellas Venture Management.


[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]