Pharmion Announces Results in Amrubicin Study

Pharmion released interim findings from its Phase II trial of Amrubicin in second-line chemo-sensitive small cell lung cancer.

The trial compared Amrubicin and topotecan in patients with extensive-disease small cell lung cancer who initially responded to first-line platinum-based therapy but whose disease recurred or progressed at least 90 days after treatment.

Study participants received either IV Amrubicin at 40 mg/m2 daily for three days or topotecan at 1.5 mg/m2 daily for five days.

Thirty-nine percent of patients who received one or more cycles of Amrubicin have demonstrated a response, including two complete responses and nine partial responses. Eight of the responses are confirmed and three are pending follow-up scans.

Fourteen percent of patients who received one or more cycles of topotecan had partial responses. One is confirmed and one is pending a follow-up scan, Pharmion said.

Preliminary data also showed an observed difference of 2.4 months in overall survival.