Australian biotech company Starpharma announces positive interim results from the prostate cancer cohort in its ongoing phase 2 trial of DEP® cabazitaxel

MELBOURNE, Australia, Nov. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Starpharma showed that 100% of evaluable patients with Stage IV prostate cancer have had efficacy responses, utilising one or more standard measures of disease.

DEP^® cabazitaxel is a patented, detergent (polysorbate-80^[1])-free, nanoparticle version of the conventional cancer drug, Jevtana^® - a leading oncology agent used to treat advanced prostate cancer. Sales of Jevtana^® exceeded US$600 million in 2020.

Starpharma's interim results in Stage IV prostate cancer show that one or more efficacy signals^[2] were observed in 100% of patients assessed following DEP^® cabazitaxel treatment.

• 64% of patients with assessable tumours saw prolonged stable disease and significant reductions in tumour size for up to 36 weeks
• 90% of patients with assessable PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) tumour biomarker levels had a PSA reduction; >50% of these patients achieved a PSA reduction of at least 50%
• 83% of patients with secondary bone disease exhibited either no progression or an improvement in bone disease
• 56% of evaluable patients had responses to all three measures evaluated

Starpharma's positive interim results are particularly significant given all patients in this cohort had late-stage prostate cancer and had failed multiple anti-cancer treatments, in addition to surgeries and radiation, prior to entering the DEP^® cabazitaxel trial.

Importantly, patients treated with DEP^® cabazitaxel also experienced less severe bone marrow toxicity, significantly lower rates of severe neutropenia and no instances of neutropenic sepsis, which are associated with conventional cabazitaxel. The absence of detergent-like polysorbate-80 in the DEP^® cabazitaxel formulation eliminated the need for prophylactic corticosteroids and antihistamines, with no anaphylaxis or severe hypersensitivity reactions observed. This avoidance of long-term steroid use is attractive, particularly in prostate cancer patients where bone health can be a significant issue.

DEP^® cabazitaxel is one of Starpharma's three internal clinical-stage DEP^® assets, alongside DEP^® docetaxel and DEP^® irinotecan, which Starpharma intends to licence following phase 2. Starpharma also has a number of partnered DEP^® programs including with AstraZeneca and Merck & Co., Inc.