Acceleron Pharma, a biopharmaceutical company developing protein therapeutics for cancer and orphan disease, today announced that the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) initiated a phase 2 study of dalantercept in patients with persistent or recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer. Dalantercept is a novel protein therapeutic that targets the activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK1) pathway and inhibits angiogenesis through a mechanism distinct from that of anti-angiogenic therapies currently used to treat various cancers. The phase 2, open-label study is chaired by Robert Burger, M.D., Director of the Women's Cancer Center and Professor at the Department of Surgical Oncology at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, Pa. Acceleron, its partners, and collaborators have now initiated seven phase 2 studies across three of Acceleron's programs - dalantercept (ACE-041), sotatercept (ACE-011), and ACE-536 - since November of 2012.
"Resistance to current therapies remains a significant challenge in treating patients with advanced ovarian cancer," said Dr. Burger. "Dalantercept could offer a new therapeutic option for patients and we are excited to explore the potential benefits in this phase 2 study."