AnorMED announced that new clinical results from a Phase I study in thirteen multiple myeloma and non- Hodgkin's lymphoma patients show AMD-3100 administered alone mobilizes stem cells. This trial is part of the Company's clinical program to evaluate AMD- 3100's ability to increase the stem cells available for transplant, improve the overall transplantation procedure, and potentially enhance the patient outcome.
"The significance of this result is that we have now shown that AMD-3100 can mobilize stem cells in cancer patients. Previous studies have been in healthy volunteers. As a result of prior chemotherapy, mobilization in cancer patients can be more difficult than mobilization in healthy subjects," said Dr. Gary Calandra, VP Clinical Development at AnorMED Inc. Stem cell transplantation is used to restore the immune system of patients who have been treated for cancers involving the blood and immune system such as leukemias, multiple myeloma and lymphomas. Stem cell transplantation involves the collection of certain types of stem cells. These cells are then re-administered to the patient after the cancer treatment. The ability to collect as many stem cells as possible from the patient prior to their cancer treatment can greatly improve the chances that their immune system can be restored.
Study results presented at the 8th Congress of the European Hematology Association confirm that AMD-3100 alone mobilizes stem cells in cancer patients. AMD-3100 was administered at doses previously determined to be safe.
AMD-3100 is a novel drug candidate, developed by AnorMED that blocks a specific cellular receptor triggering the rapid movement of stem cells out of the bone marrow and into circulating blood. Clinical data in healthy volunteers show that the combined use of AMD-3100 and Neupogen, the standard agent used in stem cell transplant, mobilizes a greater number of stem cells than either agent alone. In addition, preclinical studies have shown that stem cells mobilized with AMD-3100 have the potential to restore the immune system.
Based on the positive results from Phase I studies, AnorMED has initiated two Phase II trials to further evaluate AMD-3100 in this indication.