CytRx Corporation, announced that a 44-year-old female patient with advanced acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) achieved molecular complete remission with no evidence of disease in the blood cells and/or bone marrow following treatment with CytRx's oncology drug candidate tamibarotene (see structure, an orally active, synthetic retinoid, developed to overcome all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) resistance, with potential antineoplastic activity. As a specific retinoic acid receptor (RAR) alpha/beta agonist, tamibarotene is approximately ten times more potent than ATRA in inducing cell differentiation and apoptosis in HL-60 -human promyelocytic leukemia cell lines in vitro.).
"This event represents a very significant milestone for CytRx and our drug candidate tamibarotene. Tamibarotene has saved a life and nothing can compare with that," said CytRx President and CEO Steven A. Kriegsman. "These important results indicate that tamibarotene warrants further evaluation as a third-line treatment and in combination as a first-line treatment for APL. We are also considering developing tamibarotene for other cancers as well.
Previously published reports indicate that tamibarotene is 10-times more potent and may be better tolerated than all trans retinoic acid (ATRA). Researchers believe that the combination of tamibarotene and arsenic trioxide (ATO) could produce a complete response rate similar to the ATRA and ATO combination with fewer toxicities such as APL differentiation syndrome. The company is currently conducting a dose escalation trial combining tamibarotene with ATO as an important step in their ultimate goal of evaluating tamibarotene as a first-line treatment for APL. The company claims that, In addition to maintaining a complete remission six months following the last dose, tamibarotene was also well tolerated. In the CytRx's STAR-1 registration trial, patient was treated with tamibarotene for 56 days at the Department of Biopathology at the University of Rome 'Tor Vergata'. A molecular complete remission in the bone marrow was documented at the end of the treatment period and again six months following the last treatment with tamibarotene...
