Recentin Study Ends

In a recently released statement, AstraZeneca PLC announced that the company is ending one study on Recentin, an experimental drug aimed at treating cancer. The drug, which was recently involved in a Phase II study, will not progress into Phase III as a result of failing to meet its main objective.

“Although evidence of clinical activity was seen, there appeared to be an imbalance in toxicity,” the company said. One of the top 10 biggest drug makers in the world based on prescription drug sales, over the past few years AstraZenica has been struggling with late stage new product failures.

“It may well be that we simply haven't got the dosage right,” explained John Patterson at an Economist pharmaceuticals conference. “Our belief is we can look again at the regime and the dosage we have used and this is certainly not the end. We've seen responses that make us feel we have a really active agent.”

In Phase III trials, a large number of patients are treated with new drugs as the final assessment of the treatment before a company submits it to health regulators for approval. Although AstraZeneca has decided to end the study of Recentin in lung cancer patients, its effect on colorectal cancer is still being explored. The drug is used in a lower dosage in the colorectal trials.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), lung cancer kills more people each year than breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer combined. In 2004, 108,355 men and 87,897 women were diagnosed with lung cancer. In the same year, 89,575 men and 68,431 women died from the disease.

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