Study on targeted liver cancer therapy called SIR-Spheres microspheres completes patient recruitment

Australian-based global oncology company, Sirtex Medical Limited (ASX: SRX), has announced the completion of patient recruitment for its global SIRFLOX clinical study which is aimed at expanding the clinical use of its SIR-spheres®  microspheres targeted radiation therapy from a last line medical treatment to a standard first-line oncology therapy.

The SIRFLOX study is expected to deliver its primary results in late 2014. The study aims to evaluate whether a first-line treatment strategy of standard-of-care chemotherapy plus SIR-Spheres®  microspheres is more effective in delaying cancer progression than chemotherapy alone, in patients with inoperable liver metastases from primary colorectal cancer. Completing recruitment into the study required the participation of more than 100 leading hospitals globally over a six year period. The primary end point of the study is progression-free survival (PFS).

Global Principal Investigator and Consultant Medical Oncologist at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Professor Peter Gibbs, commented:

“Over the past decade we have seen mostly incremental improvements in the treatment options for patients with advanced colorectal cancer. Clinicians and their patients need new options and the results of the SIRFLOX study will be eagerly anticipated.”

Sirtex Chief Executive Officer Gilman Wong said:

“Sirtex is committed to delivering the Level one clinical evidence from large randomised controlled trials confirming the effectiveness of SIR-Spheres microspheres. We believe if the results from the SIRFLOX study are positive, SIR-Spheres microspheres will be elevated to a first-line therapy for patients with colorectal liver metastases, providing important clinical benefits to patients worldwide and leading to a step-change in Sirtex’s business.”

Gilman Wong continued:

“Sirtex has been marketing SIR-Spheres microspheres for over a decade and while we have an established position as a last-line salvage therapy, many more patients may benefit from selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) with SIR-Spheres microspheres once it is elevated to a first-line treatment option. We are very pleased to have completed patient recruitment and we wish to thank the patients, physician investigators and research staff involved in SIRFLOX for their participation in this landmark clinical study.”