GPC initiates new Ph II satraplatin trial

German drugmaker GPC Biotech AG has initiated a Phase II randomized trial evaluating its lead drug candidate, satraplatin, in combination with OSI Pharmaceuticals' Tarceva (erlotinib) as a first-line therapy for patients with inoperable advanced non-small cell lung cancer who are 70 years of age and older. A Phase III registrational trial exploring satraplatin in combination with the steroid prednisone as a second-line chemotherapy treatment for patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer has completed patient enrollment while GPC continues to open additional clinical studies to explore the potential of satraplatin in a variety of tumors.

The new Phase II study in advanced NSCLC is a randomized trial expected to enroll approximately 120 patients. Its primary objective is to evaluate progression-free survival, as well as overall survival, response rates and safety.