The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation to Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for its lead investigational immunotherapy bavituximab for the potential treatment of second-line non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recently, the company initiated SUNRISE, a pivotal phase III clinical trial comparing bavituximab plus the chemotherapy docetaxel against placebo plus docetaxel in this indication.

"The fast track designation is a milestone for the SUNRISE trial programme and represents a step closer to bringing bavituximab to the market," said Robert Garnick, Ph.D., head of regulatory affairs at Peregrine. "We are very pleased that the FDA has recognized the potential of this novel therapy as a treatment for this serious and devastating type of cancer and look forward to working closely with them to ensure the most efficient review process."

The Fast Track programmes of the FDA are designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of new drugs that are intended to treat serious or life-threatening conditions and that demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs. Fast track status enables a sponsor to have more frequent and timely communication and meetings with the FDA regarding product development plans and may also result in eligibility for priority review of New Drug Applications. Fast track designation does not apply to a product alone but a combination of a product and specific indication.

SUNRISE (Stimulating ImmUne RespoNse thRough BavItuximab in a PhaSE III Lung Cancer Study) is a phase III, global, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of bavituximab plus docetaxel in patients with second-line non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The trial is evaluating bavituximab plus docetaxel versus docetaxel plus placebo in approximately 600 patients at more than 100 clinical sites worldwide. Patients with Stage IIIb/IV non-squamous, NSCLC who have progressed after standard front-line treatment are eligible for enrollment. Patients will be randomized into 1 of 2 treatment arms. All patients will receive up to six 21-day cycles of docetaxel (75 mg/m2) plus weekly infusions of either bavituximab (3mg/kg) or placebo until progression or toxicity. The primary endpoint of the trial will be overall survival. For additional information about the SUNRISE trial please visit www.sunrisetrial.com or ClinicalTrials.gov using Identifier NCT01999673.

Bavituximab is a first-in-class phosphatidylserine (PS)-targeting monoclonal antibody that represents a new approach to treating cancer. PS is a highly immunosuppressive molecule usually located inside the membrane of healthy cells, but "flips" and becomes exposed on the outside of cells that line tumour blood vessels, creating a specific target for anti-cancer treatments. PS-targeting antibodies target and bind to PS and block this immunosuppressive signal, thereby enabling the immune system to recognize and fight the tumour. These data detailing the immune-stimulatory mechanism of action of PS-targeting antibodies, such as the company's lead drug candidate bavituximab, are the subject of a manuscript published in the October 2013 issue of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) peer-reviewed journal, Cancer Immunology Research. Bavituximab is currently being evaluated in several solid tumor indications, including non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer and rectal cancer with a trial in advanced melanoma anticipated to initiate in the near future.

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company with a portfolio of innovative monoclonal antibodies in clinical trials focused on the treatment and diagnosis of cancer.