Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR)

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NKTR-102 Demonstrates Synergistic Anti-Tumor Activity in Combination with Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin in Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer
New Preclinical Studies for NKTR-102 Presented at 2011 AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer
PR NewswirePress Release: Nektar Therapeutics – Tue, Nov 15, 2011 6:00 PM EST

SAN FRANCISCO , Nov. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR - News) today presented positive preclinical data for NKTR-102, a next-generation topoisomerase I inhibitor, at the 2011 AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer being held in San Francisco, California . The preclinical data demonstrates that NKTR-102 administered in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) in vivo has strong synergistic anti-cancer properties exhibiting a 100% complete response rate with no tumor re-growth in over 90% of animals. In addition, the study showed that there was no additive toxicity when combining NKTR-102 with PLD in a preclinical model of ovarian cancer.

"Results from these nonclinical studies of NKTR-102 combined with PLD and as a single agent are highly compelling," said Robert Medve , M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Nektar Therapeutics. "In the models of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, NKTR-102 showed synergistic anti-tumor activity with PLD. These preclinical data support the future exploration of NKTR-102 in combination with PLD in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer."

The data presented at the 2011 AACR-NCI-EORTC meeting show that in an in vivo model of platinum-resistant human ovarian cancer, a single-dose of single-agent NKTR-102 resulted in a 100 percent complete response rate and a delay in tumor growth of up to 38 days at the highest dose. In the same model, multiple doses of single-agent PLD achieved only one partial response and a delay in tumor growth of up to only 24 days at its highest dose. NKTR-102 administered in combination with PLD showed synergistic anti-tumor activity with a 100 percent complete response rate and no tumor re-growth for 93% of the animals within a 69-day observation period.

NKTR-102 and PLD Nonclinical Data

These data were presented today at the 2011 AACR-NCI-EORTC meeting during the Topoisomerase Inhibitors session (Abstract C209) entitled "Strong synergistic activity of NKTR-102 - Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin (PLD) Combination Therapy in a Nonclinical Model of Platinum-Resistant A2780 Human Ovarian Cancer." The poster presentation is also available at http://www.nektar.com/product_pipeline/oncology_nktr-102.html .

About NKTR-102

Nektar is developing NKTR-102, a next-generation topoisomerase I inhibitor with reduced peak concentrations and a continuous concentration profile. NKTR-102 was invented by Nektar using its advanced polymer conjugate technology platform, and is the first oncology product candidate to leverage Nektar's releasable polymer technology platform.

NKTR-102 is being evaluated in multiple clinical studies. In ovarian cancer, a 71-patient Phase 2 clinical trial of NKTR-102 has been completed in patients with platinum-refractory/resistant ovarian cancer. In June 2010 , the ovarian cancer Phase 2 study was expanded to evaluate single-agent NKTR-102 in women who progressed while on Doxil therapy, and this study is ongoing. In metastatic breast cancer, a 70-patient study of NKTR-102 in second- and third-line metastatic breast cancer is completed. A Phase 3 clinical trial of NKTR-102 in patients with metastatic breast cancer, the BEACON study (BrEAst Cancer Outcomes with NKTR-102) study, is planned to start in December 2011 . NKTR-102 is also being tested in second-line colorectal cancer as both a single-agent and in combination with 5-fluoracil/leukovorin.