Highlights of ASH meeting

Among presentations at this year’s Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), held December 10-13, in San Diego, Canada-based AEterna Zentaris (TSX: AEZ) reported encouraging preclinical data for its oral anticancer Akt inhibitor, perifosine, in Hodgkin Lymphoma. In vitro data from Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) cell lines showed that perifosine combined with sorafenib induced increased apoptosis, while in vivo data for the same combination treatment for HL significantly increased survival in mice.

Carlo-Stella, associate professor of Oncology at the University of Milano, Italy, and head of the Experimental Therapeutics Unit at Humanitas Cancer Center, stated: "Identification of rationale drug combinations represent the strategy to be pursued to correct aberrant cancer cell signalling and optimize targeted therapy. Our preclinical study investigating perifosine and sorafenib combination therapy for HL is a typical example of translational research. Our study has in fact shown that perifosine and sorafenib exert a potent cytotoxic activity against HL cell lines in vitro and in vivo in mice. Additionally, biomarkers have also been identified. Based on these data, a Phase II study is currently ongoing. Thus, laboratory data can be efficiently used to build up Phase II clinical studies. We believe that this bench-to-bedside model is required for designing clinical trials exploring rationale combinations of targeted agents."

Positive results for Ariad’s ponatinib