Biotech Values

[mcbio]

Here are the ARRY-520 abstracts I found

ARRY-520 Shows Durable Responses in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma in a Phase 1 Dose-Escalation Study ?
ash.confex.com/ash/2011/webprogram/Paper41766.html

The Novel KSP Inhibitor ARRY-520 Demonstrates Single-Agent Activity in Refractory Myeloma: Results From a Phase 2 Trial in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (MM)
ash.confex.com/ash/2011/webprogram/Paper40171.html

Thanks ghmm. What are your thoughts on the abstracts? Regarding the Phase 1 dose escalation trial in 31 relapsed/refractory MM patients, I guess it's important to note that patients were relapsed/refractory to both Velcade and an IMID, including 4 that were apparently relapsed/refractory to carfilzomib. There were 3 confirmed PRs and 1 confirmed minimal response. Duration of the PRs was 3.4 months, 11.9 months, and 12 months so sounds like a pretty durable response in the relatively small sample of patients that do have a response. Looks like four patients also had SD lasting >10 months. So, it's a relatively small number of patients that experience a response, but these are highly relapsed/refractory patients, and the responses do seem to be fairly durable.

Sounds like a somewhat similar patient population in the Phase 2 single-agent abstract. Out of 32 highly relapsed/refractory MM patients, 3 PRs, 2 confirmed minimal responses. The abstract also notes that 5/15 patients refractory to both Velcade and Revlimid achieved clinical benefit (PR+MR+SD > 4 months).

All told, I can't say that I'm blown away by the results, but they do seem encouraging and it looks like 520 does have activity in what is a highly refractory/relapsed MM patient population. I do think carfilzomib has clearly shown better results than 520, but presumably there is still a role for an agent that could work in patients relapsed/refractory to carfilzomib (not clear that the 4 patients in the Phase 1 who were relapsed/refractory to carfilzomib did have a response but 520 is a different MoA so presumably the potential is there) and there are also studies that will test 520 in combo with carfilzomib.