AVEO Pharmaceuticals announced that the United States Adopted Names (USAN) Council, in consultation with the World Health Organization (WHO) International Nonproprietary Names Expert Committee, has approved the use of the nonproprietary generic name “ficlatuzumab” (pronounced fye” kla tue’ zue mab) for AV-299, a potent, functional anti-HGF/c-MET antibody internally discovered at AVEO
CAMBRIDGE, MA, USA | February 3, 2011 | AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVEO – News) today announced that the United States Adopted Names (USAN) Council, in consultation with the World Health Organization (WHO) International Nonproprietary Names Expert Committee, has approved the use of the nonproprietary generic name “ficlatuzumab” (pronounced fye” kla tue’ zue mab) for AV-299, a potent, functional anti-HGF/c-MET antibody internally discovered at AVEO. Ficlatuzumab is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical trial in combination with gefitinib (Iressa™) versus gefitinib monotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
“We believe the HGF/c-MET pathway is an exciting and newly validated target in oncology drug development and represents a novel approach which may address many cancers for which there is a high unmet medical need,” said William Slichenmyer, M.D., Sc.M., chief medical officer at AVEO. “Ficlatuzumab is the lead antibody emerging from our promising antibody pipeline. Data from preclinical and Phase 1 studies of ficlatuzumab demonstrate a well-tolerated profile and good combinability with EGFR inhibitors, such as erlotinib and gefitinib, and we look forward to continuing to advance ficlatuzumab in the clinic.”
About USAN
The USAN Council serves health professionals in the United States by selecting simple, informative, and unique nonproprietary names for drugs by establishing logical nomenclature classifications based on pharmacological and/or chemical relationships to ensure that drug information is communicated accurately and unambiguously. The USAN Council aims for global standardization and unification of drug nomenclature by working closely with the International Nonproprietary Name Programme of WHO and various national nomenclature groups.
About Ficlatuzumab and HGF/c-MET Pathway
The HGF/c-MET pathway is believed to play an important role in regulating tumor growth, invasion and metastasis, making it an exciting novel target in oncology. In addition, preclinical and clinical observations suggest that increased HGF and/or c-MET receptor amplification may confer resistance to EGFR inhibitors. Ficlatuzumab, also known as AV-299, is a potent, functional anti-HGF/c-MET antibody that was discovered by AVEO through its Human Response Platform™ (HRP). In AVEO’s proprietary tumor models with elevated HGF/c-MET signaling, ficlatuzumab exhibited strong additive anti-tumor effect when given in combination with other approved anti-cancer agents such as erlotinib (Tarceva®), cetuximab (Erbitux®) and temozolomide (Temodar®). In additional preclinical studies, ficlatuzumab was more effective at inhibiting tumor growth (at the dose tested) than other anti-HGF antibodies currently in clinical development.
Following successful completion of earlier clinical trials, AVEO initiated a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating ficlatuzumab in combination with gefitinib (Iressa™) versus gefitinib monotherapy in patients with NSCLC in June 2010. Top-line data from the ongoing Phase 2 trial are expected in 2012.
About AVEO
AVEO Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:AVEO – News) is a cancer therapeutics company committed to discovering, developing and commercializing targeted therapies to impact patients’ lives. The company’s lead product candidate, tivozanib, is currently being investigated in a global, randomized Phase 3 clinical trial called TIVO-1 comparing tivozanib to sorafenib in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, as well as additional clinical studies in other solid tumor types. AVEO’s second most advanced product candidate, ficlatuzumab (AV-299), is a potent, functional anti-HGF/c-MET pathway antibody that is currently in Phase 2 clinical development. AVEO’s proprietary Human Response Platform™ is designed to offer the company a unique advantage in cancer drug development and has provided a discovery engine for multiple therapeutic targets. This approach has resulted in a promising pipeline of monoclonal antibodies against novel targets including HGF, ErbB3, RON, Notch and FGFR. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.aveopharma.com.
SOURCE: AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Post Views: 32
AVEO Pharmaceuticals announced that the United States Adopted Names (USAN) Council, in consultation with the World Health Organization (WHO) International Nonproprietary Names Expert Committee, has approved the use of the nonproprietary generic name “ficlatuzumab” (pronounced fye” kla tue’ zue mab) for AV-299, a potent, functional anti-HGF/c-MET antibody internally discovered at AVEO
CAMBRIDGE, MA, USA | February 3, 2011 | AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVEO – News) today announced that the United States Adopted Names (USAN) Council, in consultation with the World Health Organization (WHO) International Nonproprietary Names Expert Committee, has approved the use of the nonproprietary generic name “ficlatuzumab” (pronounced fye” kla tue’ zue mab) for AV-299, a potent, functional anti-HGF/c-MET antibody internally discovered at AVEO. Ficlatuzumab is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical trial in combination with gefitinib (Iressa™) versus gefitinib monotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
“We believe the HGF/c-MET pathway is an exciting and newly validated target in oncology drug development and represents a novel approach which may address many cancers for which there is a high unmet medical need,” said William Slichenmyer, M.D., Sc.M., chief medical officer at AVEO. “Ficlatuzumab is the lead antibody emerging from our promising antibody pipeline. Data from preclinical and Phase 1 studies of ficlatuzumab demonstrate a well-tolerated profile and good combinability with EGFR inhibitors, such as erlotinib and gefitinib, and we look forward to continuing to advance ficlatuzumab in the clinic.”
About USAN
The USAN Council serves health professionals in the United States by selecting simple, informative, and unique nonproprietary names for drugs by establishing logical nomenclature classifications based on pharmacological and/or chemical relationships to ensure that drug information is communicated accurately and unambiguously. The USAN Council aims for global standardization and unification of drug nomenclature by working closely with the International Nonproprietary Name Programme of WHO and various national nomenclature groups.
About Ficlatuzumab and HGF/c-MET Pathway
The HGF/c-MET pathway is believed to play an important role in regulating tumor growth, invasion and metastasis, making it an exciting novel target in oncology. In addition, preclinical and clinical observations suggest that increased HGF and/or c-MET receptor amplification may confer resistance to EGFR inhibitors. Ficlatuzumab, also known as AV-299, is a potent, functional anti-HGF/c-MET antibody that was discovered by AVEO through its Human Response Platform™ (HRP). In AVEO’s proprietary tumor models with elevated HGF/c-MET signaling, ficlatuzumab exhibited strong additive anti-tumor effect when given in combination with other approved anti-cancer agents such as erlotinib (Tarceva®), cetuximab (Erbitux®) and temozolomide (Temodar®). In additional preclinical studies, ficlatuzumab was more effective at inhibiting tumor growth (at the dose tested) than other anti-HGF antibodies currently in clinical development.
Following successful completion of earlier clinical trials, AVEO initiated a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating ficlatuzumab in combination with gefitinib (Iressa™) versus gefitinib monotherapy in patients with NSCLC in June 2010. Top-line data from the ongoing Phase 2 trial are expected in 2012.
About AVEO
AVEO Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:AVEO – News) is a cancer therapeutics company committed to discovering, developing and commercializing targeted therapies to impact patients’ lives. The company’s lead product candidate, tivozanib, is currently being investigated in a global, randomized Phase 3 clinical trial called TIVO-1 comparing tivozanib to sorafenib in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, as well as additional clinical studies in other solid tumor types. AVEO’s second most advanced product candidate, ficlatuzumab (AV-299), is a potent, functional anti-HGF/c-MET pathway antibody that is currently in Phase 2 clinical development. AVEO’s proprietary Human Response Platform™ is designed to offer the company a unique advantage in cancer drug development and has provided a discovery engine for multiple therapeutic targets. This approach has resulted in a promising pipeline of monoclonal antibodies against novel targets including HGF, ErbB3, RON, Notch and FGFR. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.aveopharma.com.
SOURCE: AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Post Views: 32
