OncoMed Pharmaceuticals Presents Phase 1 Data in Solid Tumor Patients for the First-in-Class Wnt Pathway Targeting …

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held, clinical-stage company developing novel therapeutics that target cancer stem cells (CSCs), or tumor-initiating cells, today highlighted new data for vantictumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting the Wnt pathway, at a poster session at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago, IL. Vantictumab is a first-in-class antibody that has broad anti-cancer stem cell and anti-tumor activity in patient-derived xenograft tumor models. The presentation at ASCO (Abstract 2540), entitled First-in-human evaluation of the human monoclonal antibody vantictumab (OMP-18R5; anti-Frizzled) targeting the Wnt pathway in a Phase I study for patients with advanced solid tumors, was the first clinical presentation of this novel agent. Dr. David Smith (University of Michigan Cancer Center at Ann Arbor, MI) presented the data on behalf of the other principal investigators (Dr. Lee Rosen at the University of California, Los Angeles, CA, and Dr. Kyriakos Papadopoulos at The START Center for Cancer Care, San Antonio, TX) and the entire study team.

In the ongoing trial of 24 patients, vantictumab was generally well tolerated up to the current dose of 10 mg/kg every three weeks. A bone protection strategy has been successful in ensuring bone health. Pharmacodynamic effects of vantictumab on the Wnt pathway in patient samples have been noted. Three patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NET) experienced prolonged stable disease for 110, 316+, and 385+ days. Based on these data, OncoMed has advanced vantictumab into three Phase 1b trials in specific tumor indications to study its safety in combination with standard-of-care chemotherapy. These trials will initiate in 2013. Vantictumab is part of OncoMeds Wnt pathway collaboration with Bayer HealthCare.

We are encouraged by both the preclinical and clinical data for vantictumab which highlights the potential of targeting the Wnt pathway in cancer and particularly in cancer stem cells, noted Paul Hastings, Chief Executive Officer of OncoMed. We have made excellent progress with vantictumab and our other clinical program targeting the Wnt pathway, Fzd8-Fc (OMP-54F28). We look forward to initiating more advanced stage clinical trials of vantictumab later this year. With ongoing clinical trials with five novel drug candidates in two key pathways, Notch and Wnt, OncoMed is leading the way in the development of anti-cancer stem cell therapies.

About Vantictumab (OMP-18R5)

Vantictumab is a monoclonal antibody optimized to block a key signaling pathway in cancer. Specifically, vantictumab selectively targets Frizzled receptors, activators of Wnt signaling. Vantictumab exhibits broad anti-tumor activity in nonclinical models. Vantictumab is currently in Phase 1 and will be evaluated in chemotherapy combinations in Phase 1b trials. Vantictumab is part of OncoMeds collaboration with Bayer Pharma AG.

About Cancer Stem Cells

Cancer stem cells, or CSCs, are the subpopulation of cells in a tumor responsible for driving growth and metastasis of the tumor. CSCs, also known as tumor-initiating cells, exhibit certain properties which include the capacity to divide and give rise to new CSCs via a process called self-renewal and the capacity to differentiate or change into the other cells that form the bulk of the tumor. Common cancer drugs target bulk tumor cells but have limited impact on CSCs, thereby providing a path for recurrence of the tumor. OncoMeds product candidates target CSCs by blocking self-renewal and driving differentiation of CSCs toward a non-tumorigenic state, and also impact bulk tumor cells. OncoMed believes its product candidates are distinct from the current generations of chemotherapies and targeted therapies, and have the potential to significantly impact cancer treatment and the clinical outcome of patients with cancer.

About OncoMed Pharmaceuticals

OncoMed Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage company that discovers and develops novel therapeutics targeting cancer stem cells, the cells shown to be capable of driving tumor growth, recurrence and metastasis. OncoMed has advanced five anti-cancer therapeutics into the clinic, including demcizumab (OMP-21M18, Anti-DLL4), OMP-59R5 (Anti-Notch2/3), OMP-52M51 (Anti-Notch1), vantictumab (OMP-18R5, Anti-Fzd7), and OMP-54F28 (Fzd8-Fc), which target key cancer stem cell signaling pathways including Notch and Wnt. In addition, OncoMeds pipeline includes several novel preclinical product candidates targeting multiple validated cancer stem cell pathways, includingthe RSPO-LGR pathway. OncoMed has formed strategic alliances with Bayer Pharma AG and GlaxoSmithKline. Privately held, OncoMeds investors include: US Venture Partners, Latterell Venture Partners, The Vertical Group, Morgenthaler Ventures, Phase4Ventures, Delphi Ventures, Adams Street Partners, De Novo Ventures, Bay Partners and GlaxoSmithKline. Additional information can be found at the companys website: http://www.oncomed.com.

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OncoMed Pharmaceuticals Presents Phase 1 Data in Solid Tumor Patients for the First-in-Class Wnt Pathway Targeting ...