Potential T-cell Lymphoma Treatment Withdrawn During Phase III Testing

Following an interim look at data from an ongoing phase III trial, Takeda Oncology has ended the development of alisertib as a possible treatment for patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL).

Alisertib, previously known as MLN8237, was being studied as a kinase inhibitor in PTCL patients that could stop cancer cell proliferation. The phase III trial was investigating the compound's ability to do better than the standard of care in these patients with regard to progression-free survival, or the length of time following treatment before the disease began to progress again.

Alisertib was previously being developed by Millennium Pharmaceuticals before that company was bought by Takeda.

This doesn't mean the end of alisertib, as there is also an ongoing phase II trial against small cell lung cancer, and even earlier-stage trials against other non-Hodgkin lymphomas as well as some solid tumor cancers.

"While we are disappointed that alisertib will not be further investigated for relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma, we are optimistic about alisertib's clinical development program in small cell lung cancer," said Takeda Oncology chief Michael Vasconcelles. "The randomized Phase II study of alisertib in small cell lung cancer will continue as planned and is currently underway."

Source: FierceBiotech