Nektar's etirinotecan pegol passes Ph III interim efficacy analysis

US biotech firm Nektar Therapeutics (Nasdaq: NKTR) says that the Independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) created to provide safety oversight for the company's pivotal clinical study for etirinotecan pegol (NKTR-102) has recommended continuation of the BEACON Phase III trial.

The BEACON trial is evaluating NKTR-102 versus an agent of physician's choice for the treatment of locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer, with a primary efficacy endpoint of overall survival. NKTR-102 is the first long-acting topoisomerase I-inhibitor designed to concentrate in tumor tissue, provide sustained tumor suppression throughout the entire chemotherapy cycle, and to reduce the peak exposures that are associated with toxicities of other cytotoxics.

The independent DMC performed the pre-defined interim efficacy analysis, which consisted of a review of ongoing efficacy and safety data, including 50% of patient events necessary to evaluate the primary endpoint of overall survival. In August 2013, the BEACON study completed enrollment of 852 patients with advanced breast cancer whose disease has progressed following treatment with anthracycline, taxane and capecitabine therapies (ATC).