copied this off of another bc site...



225 words
30 May 2005
Pharma Marketletter <javascript:NewWindow(
'FIISrcDetails','?from=article&ids=mklt');void(0); >
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US cancer drug development specialist YM BioSciences says that updated
results for a completed Phase III metastatic breast cancer trial of its
lead drug, the chemotherapy senisitizer tesmilifene, show strong
survival benefit.


A total of 305 patients were enrolled in the MA.19 trial. Of the 191
patients in whom cancer metastasized or recurred within 36 months from
original diagnosis to trial entry, patients in the arm combining
doxorubicin with tesmilifene had a median survival of 29.7 months
compared to 12.2 months for those on doxorubicin alone, equating to a
143% improvement in overall survival (p=0.0016). The patient population
of 305 was divided into tertiles of those who had a disease-free
interval of greater than 36 months, six to 36 months and less than six
months. The greater than 36 months DFI group demonstrated no benefit
from the additional tesmilifene while the combined groups of less than
36 months DFI demonstrated the significant 143% difference in this
unplanned, post-hoc analysis, the firm noted.


Tesmilifene is currently in a 700-patient Phase III study, which is
expected to end by mid-2006. According to the firm, if the outcomes from
this are as encouraging as those already seen, the drug could be
available as early as mid-2007.