Positive preclinical results from Cancer Therapeutics' CTX-0294945 plus Avastin study

Cancer Therapeutics, a company focused on translating cancer biology research into novel treatments for cancer, today announced positive preclinical results for CTX-0294945 as an adjuvant therapy to the cancer drug Avastin (bevacizumab - Genentech/Roche). The data is presented today in a late breaking poster at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2012 in Chicago, USA.    

CTX-0294945 is a highly-selective small molecule inhibitor of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a non-receptor tyrosine kinase implicated in solid tumour maintenance and progression. It is also an appropriate candidate for combination therapy in a range of cancers. In the present study, CTX-0294945 was combined with the anti-angiogenic antibody Avastin in an in vivo orthoptic model of triple negative breast cancer. Avastin is widely used in the clinic but its efficacy can be limited and efficacy can be short-lived. CTX-0294945 significantly augmented the effectiveness of Avastin in limiting tumour growth and also significantly increased the duration of response. CTX-0294945 also appears to inhibit tumour revascularisation and macrophage infiltration even after Avastin therapy has stopped.

Warwick Tong, CEO of Cancer Therapeutics, commented:

"We are delighted that this, our first therapeutic cancer candidate has made such a strong preclinical showing, achieving proof of concept in combination with Avastin. Highly selective small molecules such CTX-0294945 have greatest utility as adjunctive therapies. We are also grateful to the AACR for recognising the importance of this study by granting us a late breaking poster slot."