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Novartis investigational drug LDK378, a selective inhibitor of (ALK), shows a marked clinical response ….49th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) on June 3, 2013

LDK378
J. Med. Chem. 2013, DOI:10.1021/jm400402q).
- CAS Number:
- 1032900-25-6
- Mol. Formula:
- C28H36ClN5O3S
- MW:
- 558.13


Novartis investigational drug LDK378, a selective inhibitor of the cancer target anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), shows a marked clinical response in patients with ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) during the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) on June 3, 2013.
Doctors and patients are clamoring for more ways to fight lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., of which NSCLC is the most common form. In March, LDK378 received Breakthrough Therapy designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The designation is intended to expedite the development and review of drugs that treat life-threatening conditions and show improvement over available therapies.
Currently, two Phase II clinical trials are actively recruiting patients worldwide. One study focuses on patients with ALK+ NSCLC who were previously treated with chemotherapy and crizotinib (NCT01685060). The second study examines LDK378 in patients who are crizotinib-naive (NCT01685138). In addition, Phase III clinical trials are planned to begin in the coming months, aiming to enroll more than 1,100 patients with ALK+ NSCLC at sites worldwide. Novartis plans to file for approval the drug in early 2014.
Chemical Name of LDK378
5-chloro-N2-(2-isopropoxy-5-methyl-4-(piperidin-4-yl)phenyl)-N4-(2-(isopropylsulfonyl)phenyl)pyrimidine-2,4-diamine
Chemical Synthesis of LDK378

Technical Data of LDK378
1H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6 + trace D2O) δ 8.32 (s,1H), 8.27 (d, 1H), 7.88 (d, 1H), 7.67 (dd, 1H), 7.45 (dd, 1H), 7.42 (s, 1H), 6.79 (s, 1H), 4.56 – 4.48(m, 1H), 3.49 – 3.32 (m, 3H), 3.10 - 2.91 (m, 3H), 2.09 (s, 3H), 1.89 – 1.77 (m, 4H), 1.22 (d, 6H), 1.13 (d, 6H); ESMS m/z 558.1 (M + H+).

The compound LDK378, a highly selective inhibitor of ALK, has been granted “Breakthrough Therapy Designation” by the FDA for the treatment of patients with ALK-positive metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have already received treatment with crizotinib (Xalkori).
ClinicalTrials.gov. A Dose Finding Study With Oral LDK378 in Patients With Tumors Characterized by Genetic Abnormalities in Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) (Phase 1). http://www.http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01283516; Accessed June 7, 2013; currently recruiting participants.
ClinicalTrials.gov. LDK378 in crizotinib naïve adult patients with ALK-activated non-small cell lung cancer (Phase 2). http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01685138; Accessed June 7, 2013; currently recruiting participants.
ClinicalTrials.gov. LDK378 in adult patients with ALK-activated NSCLC previously treated with chemotherapy and crizotinib (phase 2) http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01685060; Accessed June 7,2013; currently recruiting participants.
Mehra R, Camidge DR, Sharma S, et al. First-in-human phase I study of the ALK inhibitor LDK378 in advanced solid tumors. J Clin Oncol 30, 2012 (suppl; abstr 3007).
Alice Tsang Shaw, et al., Clinical activity of the ALK inhibitor LDK378 in advanced, ALK-positive NSCLC; 2013 ASCO Annual Meeting; Abstract Number: 8010; Citation: J Clin Oncol 31, 2013 (suppl; abstr 8010)
Tom H. Marsilje, Wei Pei, Bei Chen, Wenshuo Lu, Tetsuo Uno, Yunho Jin, Tao Jiang, Sungjoon Kim, Nanxin Li, Markus Warmuth, Yelena Sarkisova, Fangxian Sun, Auzon Steffy, AnneMarie C. Pferdekamper, Sean B Joseph, Young Kim, Tove Tuntland, Xiaoming Cui, Nathanael S Gray, Ruo Steensma, Yongqin Wan, Jiqing Jiang, Jie Li, Greg Chopiuck, W. Perry Gordon, Allen G Li, Wendy Richmond, Johathan Chang, Todd Groessl, You-Qun He, Bo Liu, Andrew Phimister, Alex Aycinena, Badry Bursulaya, Christian Lee, Donald S Karanewsky, H Martin Seidel, Jennifer L Harris, and Pierre-Yves Michellys, Synthesis, Structure-Activity Relationships and In Vivo Efficacy of the Novel Potent and Selective Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) Inhibitor LDK378 Currently In Phase 1 and 2 Clinical Trials, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2013
Carlos Garcia-Echeverria, Takanori Kanazawa, Eiji Kawahara, Keiichi Masuya, Naoko Matsuura, Takahiro Miyake, Osamu Ohmori, Ichiro Umemura; 2, 4- di (phenylamino) pyrimidines useful in the treatment of neoplastic diseases, inflammatory and immune system disorders; WO2004080980 A1
Greg Chopiuk, Qiang Ding, Carlos Garcia-Echeverria, Nathanael Schiander Gray, Jiqing Jiang, Takanori Kanazawa, Donald Karanewsky, Eiji Kawahara, Keiichi Masuya, Naoko Matsuura, Takahiro Miyake, Osamu Ohmori, Ruo Steensma, Ichiro Umemura, Yongqin Wan, Qiong Zhang; 2, 4-pyrimidinediamines useful in the treatment of neoplastic diseases, inflammatory and immune system disorders; WO2005016894 A1

GSK Duchenne drug gets ‘breakthrough’ status

The US Food and Drug Administration has granted breakthrough therapy designation to GlaxoSmithKline’s drisapersen for the potential treatment of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. read all at
http://www.pharmatimes.com/Article/13-06-28/GSK_Duchenne_drug_gets_breakthrough_status.aspx
Drisapersen (also known as PRO051 and GSK2402968 ) is an experimental drug under development by Prosensa for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
The compound is in a Phase III trial which is anticipated to complete by the end of 2013.
- ^ “PRO051/GSK2402968”. Prosensa. Retrieved 29 October 2012
- ^ “A Clinical Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of GSK2402968 in Subjects With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD114044)”. ClinicalTrials.gov. Retrieved 29 October 2012.

Novartis’ Serelaxin Gets FDA Breakthrough Designation
Recognition by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that RLX030 has the potential to address a serious unmet medical need
If approved, RLX030 has the potential to be the first treatment breakthrough for Acute Heart Failure patients in 20 years
RLX030 is the second Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA for Novartis investigational treatments, following LDK378
Basel, June 21, 2013 – Novartis announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation status to RLX030 (serelaxin), an investigational treatment for patients with acute heart failure (AHF). The FDA has concluded that RLX030 qualifies for a Breakthrough Therapy designation after considering the available clinical evidence which supports a substantial improvement over currently available therapies for AHF[3], a life-threatening illness…………….
http://www.pharmalive.com/novartis-serelaxin-gets-fda-breakthrough-designation
Serelaxin (RLX030) is an investigational drug targeting the relaxin receptor. Serelaxin is a recombinant form of human relaxin-2, a hormone that (among other functions) is produced during pregnancy and mediates the haemodynamic changes that occur during this time , such as increased blood output of the heart and blood flow in the kidney.
Serelaxin is currently undergoing clinical trials in patients with acute heart failure, and is being developed by Novartis.
structure
L-Serine, L-α-aspartyl-L-seryl-L-tryptophyl-L-methionyl-L-α-glutamyl-L-α-glutamyl-L-valylL-isoleucyl-L-lysyl-L-leucyl-L-cysteinylglycyl-L-arginyl-L-α-glutamyl-L-leucyl-L-valyl-L- arginyl-L-alanyl-L-glutaminyl-L-isoleucyl-L-alanyl-L-isoleucyl-L-cysteinylglycyl-L- methionyl-L-seryl-L-threonyl-L-tryptophyl-, cyclic (11→11′),(23→24′)-bis(disulfide) with 5-oxo-L-prolyl-L-leucyl-L-tyrosyl-L-seryl-L-alanyl-L-leucyl-L-alanyl-L-asparaginyl-L-lysyl-L- cysteinyl-L-cysteinyl-L-histidyl-L-valylglycyl-L-cysteinyl-L-threonyl-L-lysyl-L-arginyl-L- seryl-L-leucyl-L-alanyl-L-arginyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-cysteine cyclic (10’→15′)-disulfide
CHEMICAL NAMES
1. L-Serine, L-α-aspartyl-L-seryl-L-tryptophyl-L-methionyl-L-α-glutamyl-L-α-glutamyl-L-valyl-
L-isoleucyl-L-lysyl-L-leucyl-L-cysteinylglycyl-L-arginyl-L-α-glutamyl-L-leucyl-L-valyl-L-
arginyl-L-alanyl-L-glutaminyl-L-isoleucyl-L-alanyl-L-isoleucyl-L-cysteinylglycyl-L-
methionyl-L-seryl-L-threonyl-L-tryptophyl-, cyclic (11→11′),(23→24′)-bis(disulfide) with
5-oxo-L-prolyl-L-leucyl-L-tyrosyl-L-seryl-L-alanyl-L-leucyl-L-alanyl-L-asparaginyl-L-lysyl-L-
cysteinyl-L-cysteinyl-L-histidyl-L-valylglycyl-L-cysteinyl-L-threonyl-L-lysyl-L-arginyl-L-
seryl-L-leucyl-L-alanyl-L-arginyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-cysteine cyclic (10’→15′)-disulfide
2. Human relaxin 2 (relaxin H2)
MOLECULAR FORMULA C256H408N74O74S8
MOLECULAR WEIGHT 5.96 kDa
SPONSOR Novartis Pharma AG
CODE DESIGNATION RLX030
CAS REGISTRY NUMBER 99489-94-8
Treatment of acute heart failure
Structure

http://www.ama-assn.org/resources/doc/usan/serelaxin.pdf
- H. Spreitzer (4 March 2013). “Neue Wirkstoffe – Serelaxin”. Österreichische Apothekerzeitung (in German) (5/2013): 36.
- Dirk Einecke (23 November 2012). “Schwangerschaftshormon gegen Herzschwäche” [Pregnancy hormone against heart failure]. ÄrzteZeitung.
- Conrad KP (August 2011). “Maternal vasodilation in pregnancy: the emerging role of relaxin”. Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol. 301 (2): R267–75. doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00156.2011. PMC 3154715. PMID 21613576.
- Teerlink, John R; Cotter, Gad; Davison, Beth A; Felker, G Michael; Filippatos, Gerasimos; Greenberg, Barry H; Ponikowski, Piotr; Unemori, Elaine; Voors, Adriaan A; Adams, Kirkwood F; Dorobantu, Maria I; Grinfeld, Liliana R; Jondeau, Guillaume; Marmor, Alon; Masip, Josep; Pang, Peter S; Werdan, Karl; Teichman, Sam L; Trapani, Angelo; Bush, Christopher A; Saini, Rajnish; Schumacher, Christoph; Severin, Thomas M; Metra, Marco (1 November 2012). “Serelaxin, recombinant human relaxin-2, for treatment of acute heart failure (RELAX-AHF): a randomised, placebo-controlled trial”. The Lancet.doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61855-8.
The New Jersey drug giant Merck announced this morning that its investigational cancer drug Pembrolizumab, lambrolizumab (MK-3475) had received the breakthrough blessing in recognition of the dramatic clinical benefits observed in an open-label, phase 1 trial involving people with advanced melanoma.
STRUCTURAL FORMULA
Heavy chain
QVQLVQSGVE VKKPGASVKV SCKASGYTFT NYYMYWVRQA PGQGLEWMGG 50
INPSNGGTNF NEKFKNRVTL TTDSSTTTAY MELKSLQFDD TAVYYCARRD 100
YRFDMGFDYW GQGTTVTVSS ASTKGPSVFP LAPCSRSTSE STAALGCLVK 150
DYFPEPVTVS WNSGALTSGV HTFPAVLQSS GLYSLSSVVT VPSSSLGTKT 200
YTCNVDHKPS NTKVDKRVES KYGPPCPPCP APEFLGGPSV FLFPPKPKDT 250
LMISRTPEVT CVVVDVSQED PEVQFNWYVD GVEVHNAKTK PREEQFNSTY 300
RVVSVLTVLH QDWLNGKEYK CKVSNKGLPS SIEKTISKAK GQPREPQVYT 350
LPPSQEEMTK NQVSLTCLVK GFYPSDIAVE WESNGQPENN YKTTPPVLDS 400
DGSFFLYSRL TVDKSRWQEG NVFSCSVMHE ALHNHYTQKS LSLSLGK 447
Light chain
EIVLTQSPAT LSLSPGERAT LSCRASKGVS TSGYSYLHWY QQKPGQAPRL 50′
LIYLASYLES GVPARFSGSG SGTDFTLTIS SLEPEDFAVY YCQHSRDLPL 100′
TFGGGTKVEI KRTVAAPSVF IFPPSDEQLK SGTASVVCLL NNFYPREAKV 150′
QWKVDNALQS GNSQESVTEQ DSKDSTYSLS STLTLSKADY EKHKVYACEV 200′
THQGLSSPVT KSFNRGEC 218′
Disulfide bridges
22-96 22”-96” 23′-92′ 23”’-92”’ 134-218′ 134”-218”’ 138′-198′ 138”’-198”’
147-203 147”-203” 226-226” 229-229” 261-321 261”-321” 367-425 367”-425”
Glycosylation sites (N)
Asn-297 Asn-297”
lambrolizumab, or MK-3475
| C6504H10004N1716O2036S46 (peptide) | |
| Mol. mass | 146.3 kDa (peptide) |
Pembrolizumab, Lambrolizumab (also known as MK-3475) is a drug in development by Merck that targets the PD-1 receptor. The drug is intended for use in treating metastatic melanoma.
http://www.ama-assn.org/resources/doc/usan/lambrolizumab.pdf structureof lambrolizumab, or MK-3475
https://download.ama-assn.org/resources/doc/usan/x-pub/pembrolizumab.pdf
Statement on a Nonproprietary Name Adopted by the USAN Council. November 27, 2013.
see above link for change in name
may 2, 2013,
An experimental drug from Merck that unleashes the body’s immune system significantly shrank tumors in 38 percent of patients with advanced melanoma, putting the company squarely in the race to bring to market one of what many experts view as the most promising class of drugs in years.
The drugs are attracting attention here at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, even though they are still in the early stage of testing. Data from drugs developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb and by Roche had already been released.
The drugs work by disabling a brake that prevents the immune system from attacking cancer cells. The brake is a protein on immune system cells called programmed death 1 receptor, or PD-1.
Merck’s study, which was presented here Sunday and also published in the New England Journal of Medicine, involved 135 patients. While tumors shrank in 38 percent of the patients over all, the rate was 52 percent for patients who got the highest dose of the drug, which is called lambrolizumab, or MK-3475.
Hamid, O; Robert, C; Daud, A; Hodi, F. S.; Hwu, W. J.; Kefford, R; Wolchok, J. D.; Hersey, P; Joseph, R. W.; Weber, J. S.; Dronca, R; Gangadhar, T. C.; Patnaik, A; Zarour, H; Joshua, A. M.; Gergich, K; Elassaiss-Schaap, J; Algazi, A; Mateus, C; Boasberg, P; Tumeh, P. C.; Chmielowski, B; Ebbinghaus, S. W.; Li, X. N.; Kang, S. P.; Ribas, A (2013). “Safety and tumor responses with lambrolizumab (anti-PD-1) in melanoma”. New England Journal of Medicine 369 (2): 134–44. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1305133. PMID 23724846
Daratumumab Receives Breakthrough Therapy Designation From US Food and Drug Administration

May 1, 2013
Genmab A/S announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation for daratumumab for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least three prior lines of therapy including a proteasome inhibitor (PI) and an immunomodulatory agent (IMiD) or who are double refractory to a PI and IMiD. Breakthrough Therapy Designation is a program intended to expedite the development and review of drugs to treat serious or life-threatening diseases in cases where preliminary clinical evidence shows that the drug may provide substantial improvements over available therapy. In August 2012, Genmab granted Janssen Biotech, Inc. an exclusive worldwide license to develop and commercialize daratumumab.
Daratumumab is an investigational anti-cancer drug. It binds to CD38.Daratumumab was originally developed by Genmab, but it is now being jointly developed by Genmab along with the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Biotech, which acquired worldwide commercialization rights to the drug from Genmab
Scioderm’s SD-101 Receives Breakthrough Therapy Designation from FDA for Treatment of Epidermolysis Bullosa
DURHAM, N.C., April 29, 2013 Scioderm announced its investigational product SD-101 has received Breakthrough Therapy designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with inherited Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB). SD-101 is Scioderm’s investigational therapy that is being evaluated for the treatment of skin blistering and erosions associated with this disease, including facilitation of healing of skin lesions and reduction of the incidence and/or severity of new lesions.
read all at
Merck’s Lambrolizumab Designated As A Breakthrough Therapy By FDA
Lambrolizumab
STRUCTURAL FORMULA of Lambrolizumab
Heavy chain
QVQLVQSGVE VKKPGASVKV SCKASGYTFT NYYMYWVRQA PGQGLEWMGG 50
INPSNGGTNF NEKFKNRVTL TTDSSTTTAY MELKSLQFDD TAVYYCARRD 100
YRFDMGFDYW GQGTTVTVSS ASTKGPSVFP LAPCSRSTSE STAALGCLVK 150
DYFPEPVTVS WNSGALTSGV HTFPAVLQSS GLYSLSSVVT VPSSSLGTKT 200
YTCNVDHKPS NTKVDKRVES KYGPPCPPCP APEFLGGPSV FLFPPKPKDT 250
LMISRTPEVT CVVVDVSQED PEVQFNWYVD GVEVHNAKTK PREEQFNSTY 300
RVVSVLTVLH QDWLNGKEYK CKVSNKGLPS SIEKTISKAK GQPREPQVYT 350
LPPSQEEMTK NQVSLTCLVK GFYPSDIAVE WESNGQPENN YKTTPPVLDS 400
DGSFFLYSRL TVDKSRWQEG NVFSCSVMHE ALHNHYTQKS LSLSLGK 447
Light chain
EIVLTQSPAT LSLSPGERAT LSCRASKGVS TSGYSYLHWY QQKPGQAPRL 50′
LIYLASYLES GVPARFSGSG SGTDFTLTIS SLEPEDFAVY YCQHSRDLPL 100′
TFGGGTKVEI KRTVAAPSVF IFPPSDEQLK SGTASVVCLL NNFYPREAKV 150′
QWKVDNALQS GNSQESVTEQ DSKDSTYSLS STLTLSKADY EKHKVYACEV 200′
THQGLSSPVT KSFNRGEC 218′
Disulfide bridges
22-96 22”-96” 23′-92′ 23”’-92”’ 134-218′ 134”-218”’ 138′-198′ 138”’-198”’
147-203 147”-203” 226-226” 229-229” 261-321 261”-321” 367-425 367”-425”
Glycosylation sites (N)
Asn-297 Asn-297”
MOLECULAR FORMULA C6504H10004N1716O2036S46 (peptide)
MOLECULAR WEIGHT 146.3 kDa (peptide)
TRADEMARK None as yet
SPONSOR Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
CAS REGISTRY NUMBER 1374853-91-4
THERAPEUTIC CLAIM Antineoplastic, immunomodulatory, immunotherapy
CHEMICAL NAMES
1. Immunoglobulin G4, anti-(human protein PDCD1 (programmed cell death 1))
(human-Mus musculus monoclonal heavy chain), disulfide with human-Mus
musculus monoclonal light chain, dimer
2. Immunoglobulin G4, anti-(human programmed cell death 1); humanized
mouse monoclonal [228-L-proline(H10
-S>P)]γ4 heavy chain (134-218′)-disulfide
with humanized mouse monoclonal κ light chain dimer (226-226”:229-229”)-
bisdisulfide
04/24/2013
Merck announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated lambrolizumab (MK-3475) as a Breakthrough Therapy for the treatment of patients with advanced melanoma. Lambrolizumab is Merck’s investigational antibody therapy targeting the programmed death receptor (PD-1) that is currently being evaluated for the treatment of patients with advanced melanoma, and other tumor types.
Merck & Co. Inc., also known as MSD outisdeUS and Canada, a provider of health solutions through prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products, Wednesday announced that the US Food and Drug Administration or FDA has designated its investigational antibody therapy, Lambrolizumab or MK-3475 as a Breakthrough Therapy for the treatment of patients with advanced melanoma, and other tumor types.
The Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act includes a provision that allows sponsors to request that an investigational drug be designated as a Breakthrough Therapy.
Lambrolizumab is targeting Programmed Death receptor or PD-1 that is currently being evaluated for the treatment of patients with advanced melanoma, and other tumor types. Advanced melanoma accounts for more than 80 percent of skin cancer-related deaths and one to two percent of all cancer deaths in the United States.
Gary Gilliland, senior vice president and oncology franchise head of Merck Research Laboratories stated, “”The FDA’s decision to place lambrolizumab in a category that may enable expedited development and review is an important milestone for Merck as we advance ongoing programs in multiple cancer indications.”
FDA spokeswoman Sandy Walsh noted that “the concept behind ‘breakthrough’ is that, with increased communication, FDA will work with new drug developers to help design efficient ways to study the safety and effectiveness of their drug.” The agency indicated that it has received 45 requests for breakthrough status designation, with 11 requests approved and 18 requests rejected. Other drugs granted breakthrough status include: Johnson & Johnson and Pharmacyclics’ ibrutinib for mantle cell lymphoma and other cancers; Novartis’ LDK378 for certain patients with non-small-cell lung cancer; and Pfizer’s palbociclib for breast cancer.
The Merck drug is an antibody designed to help the body’s immune system go after cancer cells. Lambrolizumab, also known as MK-3475, specifically targets the “programmed death” 1 receptor, or PD-1, which cancer cells can exploit to escape destruction by the immune system. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. also is developing an anti-PD-1 drug, nivolumab, that is in Phase 3 testing.

image credit http://anewmerckreviewed.wordpress.com/
PFIZER’S Palbociclib Granted Breakthrough Label by the Food and Drug Administration
CHEMICAL NAMES
1. Pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7(8H)-one, 6-acetyl-8-cyclopentyl-5-methyl-2-[[5-(1-
piperazinyl)-2-pyridinyl]amino]-
2. 6-acetyl-8-cyclopentyl-5-methyl-2-{[5-(piperazin-1-yl)pyridin-2-
yl]amino}pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7(8H)-one
MOLECULAR FORMULA C24H29N7O2
MOLECULAR WEIGHT 447.5
TRADEMARK None as yet
SPONSOR Pfizer Inc.
CODE DESIGNATION PD-0332991
CAS#: 571190-30-2 (PD0332991); 827022-32-2 (PD0332991 HCl salt)
http://www.ama-assn.org/resources/doc/usan/palbociclib.pdf FOR STRUCTURE AND DETAILS
Palbociclib, also known as PD0332991, is an orally available pyridopyrimidine-derived cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor with potential antineoplastic activity. PD-0332991 selectively inhibits cyclin-dependent kinases (particularly Cdk4/cyclin D1 kinase), which may inhibit retinoblastoma (Rb) protein phosphorylation; inhibition of Rb phosphorylation prevents Rb-positive tumor cells from entering the S phase of the cell cycle (arrest in the G1 phase), resulting in suppression of DNA replication and decreased tumor cell proliferation. PD 0332991 is a highly specific inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4) (IC50 = 0.011 μmol/L) and Cdk6 (IC50 = 0.016 μmol/L), having no activity against a panel of 36 additional protein kinases. Check for active clinical trials or closed clinical trials using this agent. (NCI Thesaurus)
Date: April 10, 2013
Pfizer Inc. said that its experimental pill for advanced, often deadly breast cancer has been designated as a breakthrough therapy by the Food and Drug Administration.
The breakthrough designation, created under legislation enacted last summer to fund and improve operations of the FDA, is meant to speed up development and review of experimental treatments that are seen as big advances over existing therapies for serious diseases. Pfizer is working with the agency to determine exactly what research results it will need to apply for approval of the drug.
Palbociclib is being evaluated as an initial treatment for the biggest subgroup of postmenopausal women whose breast cancer is locally advanced or has spread elsewhere in the body. About 60% of women with such advanced breast cancer have tumors classified as ER+, or estrogen-receptor positive, but HER2-, or lacking an excess of the growth-promoting protein HER2.
Estrogen-receptor positive tumors have proteins inside and on the surface of their cells to which the estrogen hormone can attach and then fuel growth of cells. These tumors tend to grow slowly and can be fought with drugs that block estrogen’s effects.
Meanwhile, about 80% of breast cancer tumor cells are HER2 negative. That means that unlike HER2 positive tumors, they don’t produce too much of the HER2 protein, which makes tumors grow and spread more aggressively than in other breast cancer types.
New York-based Pfizer is currently running a late-stage study of palbociclib at multiple centers, comparing its effects when used in combination with letrozole with the effects of letrozole alone.
Letrozole, sold under the brand name Femara for about the past 15 years, is a pill that works by inhibiting aromatase. That’s an enzyme in the adrenal glands that makes estrogen.
According to Pfizer, palbociclib targets enzymes called cyclin dependent kinases 4 and 6. By inhibiting those enzymes, the drug has been shown in laboratory studies to block cell growth and suppress copying of the DNA of the cancer cells.
Pfizer, which has made research on cancer medicines a priority in recent years, also is testing palbociclib as a treatment for other cancers.
| Highlight of recent study using PD-0332991 |
Phase I study of PD-0332991: Forty-one patients were enrolled. DLTs were observed in five patients (12%) overall; at the 75, 125, and 150 mg once daily dose levels. The MTD and recommended phase II dose of PD 0332991 was 125 mg once daily. Neutropenia was the only dose-limiting effect. After cycle 1, grade 3 neutropenia, anemia, and leukopenia occurred in five (12%), three (7%), and one (2%) patient(s), respectively. The most common non-hematologic adverse events included fatigue, nausea, and diarrhea. Thirty-seven patients were evaluable for tumor response; 10 (27%) had stable disease for ≥4 cycles of whom six derived prolonged benefit (≥10 cycles). PD 0332991 was slowly absorbed (median T(max), 5.5 hours), and slowly eliminated (mean half-life was 25.9 hours) with a large volume of distribution (mean, 2,793 L). The area under the concentration-time curve increased linearly with dose. Using an E(max) model, neutropenia was shown to be proportional to exposure. CONCLUSIONS:
PD 0332991 warrants phase II testing at 125 mg once daily, at which dose neutropenia was the sole significant toxicity. (Source: Clin Cancer Res; 18(2); 568-76.)
Phase I study of PD-0332991 in 3-week cycles (Schedule 2/1): Six patients had DLTs (18%; four receiving 200 mg QD; two receiving 225 mg QD); the MTD was 200 mg QD. Treatment-related, non-haematological adverse events occurred in 29 patients (88%) during cycle 1 and 27 patients (82%) thereafter. Adverse events were generally mild-moderate. Of 31 evaluable patients, one with testicular cancer achieved a partial response; nine had stable disease (≥10 cycles in three cases). PD 0332991 was slowly absorbed (mean T(max) 4.2 h) and eliminated (mean half-life 26.7 h). Volume of distribution was large (mean 3241 l) with dose-proportional exposure. Using a maximum effective concentration model, neutropenia was proportional to exposure. CONCLUSION: PD 0332991 was generally well tolerated, with DLTs related mainly to myelosuppression. The MTD, 200 mg QD, is recommended for phase II study. (source: Br J Cancer. 2011 Jun 7;104(12):1862-8)
| References |
1: Flaherty KT, Lorusso PM, Demichele A, Abramson VG, Courtney R, Randolph SS, Shaik MN, Wilner KD, O’Dwyer PJ, Schwartz GK. Phase I, dose-escalation trial of the oral cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor PD 0332991, administered using a 21-day schedule in patients with advanced cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2012 Jan 15;18(2):568-76. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-11-0509. Epub 2011 Nov 16. PubMed PMID: 22090362.
2: Smith D, Tella M, Rahavendran SV, Shen Z. Quantitative analysis of PD 0332991 in mouse plasma using automated micro-sample processing and microbore liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2011 Oct 1;879(27):2860-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2011.08.009. Epub 2011 Aug 16. PubMed PMID: 21889427.
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Pharmacyclics Announces Third Breakthrough Therapy Designation for Ibrutinib from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
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IBRUTINIB
1-[(3R)-3-[4-amino-3-(4-phenoxyphenyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-1-yl]piperidin-1-yl]prop-2-en-1-one
SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 8, 2013
Pharmacyclics, Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted an additional Breakthrough Therapy Designation for the investigational oral agent ibrutinib as monotherapy for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) patients with deletion of the short arm of chromosome 17 (deletion 17p). Patients harboring a deletion within chromosome 17 generally have poor response to chemoimmunotherapy and have limited treatment options. The presence of deletion 17p is one of the worst prognostic factors in patients with CLL.
In February 2013, FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy Designations for ibrutinib as a monotherapy for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and as a monotherapy for the treatment of patients with Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (WM), both of which are also B-cell malignancies. Ibrutinib is jointly being developed by Pharmacyclics and Janssen for treatment of B-cell malignancies.
The Breakthrough Therapy Designation is intended to expedite the development and review of a potential new drug for serious or life-threatening diseases where “preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in clinical development.” The designation of a drug as a Breakthrough Therapy was enacted as part of the 2012 Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act. Pharmacyclics, together with Janssen, is working with the FDA to determine the implications of this Breakthrough Therapy Designation to the ongoing and planned development and the FDA filing requirements for the use of ibrutinib in CLL patients with deletion 17p.
The FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for ibrutinib in CLL patients with deletion 17p was based on data from pre-clinical and clinical studies where ibrutinib as a monotherapy was used to treat patients with this disease. Ibrutinib has the potential to improve the outcome in this serious and life-threatening disease which has a poor prognosis. In addition, Pharmacyclics and Janssen have recently initiated a Phase II study of ibrutinib in patients with CLL deletion 17p, RESONATE™ -17, which is a single-arm, open-label, multi-center trial using ibrutinib as a monotherapy in patients who have deletion 17p and who did not respond to or relapsed after at least one prior CLL treatment (a high unmet need population). The primary endpoint of the study will be overall response rate. This global study opened this year and Pharmacyclics plans to enroll 111 patients worldwide.
About Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is a slow-growing blood cancer that starts in the white blood cells (lymphocytes), most commonly from B-cells. CLL is the second most common adult leukemia. Approximately 16,000 patients in the US are diagnosed each year with CLL. The prevalence of CLL is approximately 113,000 in the US. The disease is a chronic disease of the elderly with an average survival of about 5 years. Patients commonly receive multiple lines of treatment over the course of their disease.
In CLL the genetic mutation 17p deletion occurs when the short arm of chromosome 17 is missing. Del 17p is associated with abnormalities of a key tumor suppressor gene, TP53, which results in poor response to chemoimmunotherapy and worse treatment outcomes. It occurs in about 7% of treatment naive CLL patients and is estimated to be approximately 20% to 40% of relapsed or refractory patients harboring the mutation.
About Ibrutinib
Ibrutinib , previously publicly known as PCI-32765, is an experimental drug candidate for the treatment of various types of cancer. It was first synthesized at Celera Genomics as a selective inhibitor of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (Btk).It was later discovered to have anti-lymphoma properties in vivo by scientists at Pharmacyclics, Inc.Ibrutinib is currently under development by Pharmacyclics, Inc and Johnson & Johnson‘sJanssen Pharmaceutical division for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, mantle cell lymphoma,diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. It also has potential effects against autoimmune arthritis.
Janssen Biotech, Inc. and Pharmacyclics entered a collaboration and license agreement in December 2011 to co-develop and co-commercialize ibrutinib. Ibrutinib was designed to specifically target and selectively inhibit an enzyme called Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK). BTK is a key mediator of at least three critical B-cell pro-survival mechanisms occurring in parallel – regulation of apoptosis, adhesion, and cell migration and homing. Through these multiple signals, BTK regulation helps to direct malignant B-cells to lymphoid tissues, thus allowing access to a micro environment necessary for survival.
The effectiveness of ibrutinib alone or in combination with other treatments is being studied in several B-cell malignancies, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia and multiple myeloma. To date five Phase III trials have been initiated with ibrutinib and a total of 26 trials are currently registered on www.clinicaltrials.gov.
About Pharmacyclics
Pharmacyclics® is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative small-molecule drugs for the treatment of cancer and immune mediated diseases. Our mission and goal is to build a viable biopharmaceutical company that designs, develops and commercializes novel therapies intended to improve quality of life, increase duration of life and resolve serious unmet medical healthcare needs; and to identify promising product candidates based on scientific development and administrational expertise, develop our products in a rapid, cost-efficient manner and pursue commercialization and/or development partners when and where appropriate.
Presently, Pharmacyclics has three product candidates in clinical development and several preclinical molecules in lead optimization. The Company is committed to high standards of ethics, scientific rigor, and operational efficiency as it moves each of these programs to viable commercialization.
The Company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California and is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol PCYC. To learn more about how Pharmacyclics advances science to improve human healthcare visit at http://www.pharmacyclics.com.
DRUG APPROVALS BY DR ANTHONY MELVIN CRASTO
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