Onconova drops trial of rigosertib for pancreatic cancer
Onconova Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:ONTX) discontinued the Phase III ONTRAC trial after a planned interim analysis by a DSMB showed IV rigosertib plus gemcitabine as first-line treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer was unlikely to meet the primary endpoint of improving overall survival (OS) vs. gemcitabine alone. The open-label trial was slated to enroll about 650 patients with previously untreated metastatic pancreatic cancer. Onconova said it may explore alternative trials for previously untreated metastatic pancreatic cancer upon complete analysis of the data, but declined to disclose details. Rigosertib, a dual inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and polo-like kinase 1 ( PLK1; STPK13), is also in the Phase III ONTIME trial to treat myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), with top-line data expected this month or in 1Q14. ...