GLOUCESTER PHARMACEUTICALS REPORTS DATA FROM PROSTATE CANCER STUDY

Gloucester Pharmaceuticals has reported interim data from its Phase II clinical study investigating the use of the company's lead product candidate, depsipeptide (FK228), in treating patients with metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC).

In the study, radiological responses were evaluated in 17 patients and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) responses were evaluated in 18 patients. Of the patients evaluated for radiological response, one patient achieved a partial response for six months and two patients achieved stable disease for six months. An additional five patients have shown evidence of disease stabilization, but have not yet reached six months. Of the patients evaluated for PSA response, two patients achieved a 50 percent or greater decrease in PSA, with another patient achieving a 40 percent fall in PSA.