ZymoGenetics Presents Interleukin 21 Phase I Data

ZymoGenetics has announced that an oral presentation and two posters concerning Interleukin 21 (IL-21), a potential treatment for cancer, were given at the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology 2005 annual meeting.

Brendan Curti, Providence Portland Medical Center, summarized results from the treatment of the first 12 patients in a Phase I study of IL-21 as treatment for metastatic melanoma and renal cell carcinoma. Curti reported that IL-21, administered in an outpatient setting, showed evidence of antitumor activity and was reasonably well-tolerated with reversible toxicities. One patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma achieved a partial response that continues at more than seven months of follow-up and six patients had at least stable tumor measurements after two cycles of treatment.

No antibody response against IL-21 was detected, and there was dose-dependent immune cell activation that was consistent with nonclinical studies. Dose escalation in the Phase I study is continuing to determine the maximum-tolerated dose of IL-21.