Astex Pharmaceuticals (ASTX)

[surf1944]

5:28AM Astex Pharma provides data demonstrating that AT13387 is active in in vitro gastrointestinal stromal tumor (ASTX) 1.97 : In a poster presentation do demonstrated that AT13387 displayed anti-tumor activity against a panel of human GIST cell lines. The HSP90 inhibitor was as active, or more active, than 17-AAG, a first generation HSP90 inhibitor, in all the cell lines tested. AT13387 was also substantially more active in the imatinib and sunitinib resistant GIST cell line. AT13387 was more active in the imatinib resistant cell line than sunitinib (IC50 of 100nM versus 285nM). Resistance to available therapies, such as imatinib, occurs commonly in GIST tumors, and overcoming this resistance in cancer patients could represent an important therapeutic advancement.