ASCO 2008 Annual Meeting Releases Latest Findings

At this week’s Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago (May 30 — June 3), hundreds of scientific abstracts will be presented. Below are some releases to pay particular attention:

Bristol-Myers Squibb

BMS oncology compounds will be presented on Erbitux (cetuximab), Sprycel (dasatinib), and Ixempra (ixabepilone). Studies focus on a broad spectrum of cancer types, including colorectal, head and neck, leukemia, lung, breast, melanoma, and prostate.

Two studies on Bristol-Myers Squibb and ImClone’s Erbitux are scheduled to be featured in ASCO’s Plenary Sessions and Press Briefings on Sunday, June 1:

• A study evaluating the addition of Erbitux to standard chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (FLEX)

• A study evaluating whether a mutation in the KRAS gene in tumor cells could be used to predict how patients with metastatic colorectal cancer would respond to Erbitux (CRYSTAL)

Also, data on BMS and Medarex’s investigational immunotherapy, ipilimumab, will be presented from metastatic melanoma pivotal trials, including survival results.

Data on Sprycel, for which the embargo has lifted, demonstrates the durable efficacy of the compound in chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), including in the first-line setting. And, for the first time, data will be presented that demonstrates the potential utility of Sprycel in solid tumor types, such as metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

Lastly, the embargoes have also lifted on Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Ixempra, for metastatic breast cancer therapy. Ixempra is showing utility in different tumors, including mHRPC and metastatic renal cell carcinoma, and the results will be presented at the meeting.

Pfizer

Pfizer announced that study results across several difficult-to-treat cancers will be presented at ASCO on June 2. Researchers will present the latest data from Pfizer’s oncology portfolio, focused in four areas of discovery:

• Anti-angiogenesis

• Signal transduction

• Immuno-oncology

• Cytotoxics/potentiators

Below are additional disease-state areas of concern and findings to be presented live, this week by Pfizer:

mRCC

Updated overall survival data from a Phase III trial evaluating single-agent, oral Sutent (sunitinib malate) versus interferon-alfa (IFN-α) in the first-line treatment of mRCC will be presented in an oral presentation by Robert Figlin, MD, of the City of Hope on Saturday, May 31.

Phase II data evaluating the anti-tumor activity of axitinib in patients with mRCC refractory to sunitinib and sorafenib, cytokines and sorafenib, or sorafenib alone will be presented by Janice P. Dutcher, MD, of New York Medical College on Saturday, May 31.

Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

Phase II data evaluating the activity of the anti-IGF-1R antibody CP-751,871 in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin in NSCLC will be presented by Dr. Daniel Karp, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center on Monday, June 2.

Ewing’s Sarcoma

Results of the safety, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary activity of the anti-IGF-1R antibody CP-751,871 in sarcoma patients will be presented by Dr. Paul Haluska, Mayo Clinic on Saturday, May 31.

Prostate Cancer (mHRPC)

Preliminary data from a Phase II study evaluating the safety and tolerability of first-line Sutent in combination with docetaxel and prednisone in patients with metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer will be presented by Dr. Daniel J. George, Duke University Medical Center on Saturday, May 31.

Access meeting abstracts from ASCO at http://www.abstract.asco.org.

There’s still time to register! Go to http://www.asco.org/ASCO/Meetings/ASCO+Annual+Meeting/Registration+and+Housing and sign up today.