MAGEE-WOMENS HOSPITAL LAUNCHES STUDY OF NEW COMBINATION THERAPY FOR WOMEN WITH RECURRENT OVARIAN CANCER
PITTSBURGH, Aug. 30 – Magee-Womens Hospital today announced its participation in a research study evaluating a new combination therapy for women with recurrent ovarian cancer. The trial, referred to as ASSIST-3 (Assessment of Survival in Solid Tumors 3), is a Phase 3 trial of a combination of TELCYTA (TLK286), a new type of chemotherapy, with carboplatin, a standard, approved chemotherapy. The trial seeks to determine if the combination therapy shrinks tumors in women with recurrent ovarian cancer.
“Women with recurrent ovarian cancer have an extremely poor prognosis and are in serious need of new treatment options,” said Robert Edwards, MD, director of gynecologic oncology research at the Magee-Womens Gynecologic Cancer Program. “This trial will further evaluate a new combination for ovarian cancer by teaming a proven chemotherapy agent, carboplatin, with TELCYTA, a new investigational targeted chemotherapy that has performed well in earlier phase studies.”
Women who enroll in the study will be randomized to receive either the combination of TELCYTA and carboplatin or Doxil©, a standard-of-care therapy for recurrent ovarian cancer.
TELCYTA is activated by GST P1-1, an enzyme found in increased quantities in cancer cells, and targets tumors that over-express this enzyme. Scientists believe GST P1-1 plays an important role in the development of resistance to commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs.
Approximately 22,220 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in 2005, according to the American Cancer Society. Ovarian cancer causes more deaths annually in the U.S. than any other cancer of the female reproductive system.
The study is funded by Telik Inc. For more information about the ASSIST-3 trial at Magee, call (412) 641-5353 or (866) 4-TLK286.
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