Starpharma (ASX:SPL) has announced the recent presentation of AZD0466 clinical data by AstraZeneca at the European Hematology Association 2023 Hybrid Congress.
AZD0466 is a highly optimised dendrimer nanoparticle formulation of AstraZeneca’s dual Bcl-2/xL inhibitor, AZD4320, which utilises Starpharma’s DEP technology and is being developed by AstraZeneca under their multi-product DEP license with Starpharma for patients with advanced blood cancers.
AZD0466 is the first candidate under the agreement with AstraZeneca. Starpharma is eligible to receive development, launch and sales milestones in addition to royalties.
The clinical data presented by AstraZeneca are from the ongoing global Phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion study in patients with advanced haematological malignancies – relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) or acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL) (NCT04865419).
The data shows that AZD0466 continues to be well tolerated in patients, with adverse events matching expected toxicity based on data from preclinical studies, and evidence of Bcl/xL on-target anti-leukaemia clinical activity in line with preclinical models.
This study continues to enrol patients at 20 international trial sites.
In parallel with the ongoing study in patients with acute leukaemias, AZD0466 is also being evaluated in patients with advanced non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NCT05205161).
Starpharma’s dendrimer drug delivery technology, known as DEP, is used to enhance the therapeutic properties of drugs to improve solubility, efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and targeting and to reduce certain toxicities.
Starpharma has established partnerships with three of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies – AstraZeneca, MSD, and Genentech – and has also developed three clinical-stage anticancer products based on its DEP technology, with others in preclinical development.
Starpharma CEO Dr Jackie Fairley said, “We are delighted to see AstraZeneca publicising AZD0466 at international conferences. This poster presentation at the European Hematology Association Hybrid Congress is just one of a number of poster presentations and journal articles published by AstraZeneca over the last year for AZD0466, which is being progressed through two global clinical trials in patients with advanced blood cancers. We look forward to seeing additional clinical data from these clinical trials.”
