PX-12

Phase 2 PX-12 is an irreversible inhibitor of thioredoxin (Trx-1), a protein that regulates many factors including hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1 alpha, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and activator protein 1 (AP-1). These factors play a critical role in cancer cell growth, survival and resistance to chemotherapy. Increased thioredoxin levels in cancer cells have been linked to the aggressive proliferation of solid tumors, including colon, lung, and gastric cancers. Oncothyreon is conducting a Phase 2 trial that will evaluate two dose levels of PX-12 in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer whose tumors have progressed while being treated with gemcitabine or gemcitabine-containing regimens. Up to 80 patients are expected to be enrolled in the trial at three centers in the United States: the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center in Scottsdale, Arizona; the University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson; and the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. The United States National Cancer Institute (NCI) is partially funding the trial under a Clinical Trials Agreement with the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen). The principal investigator for the trial is Daniel D. Von Hoff, MD. For information on PX-12 clinical trials, please visit the PX-12 Phase 2 trial description posted on ClinicalTrials.gov.