Epizyme gains as tazemetostat moves forward

Epizyme Inc. (NASDAQ:EPZM) gained $1.53 (10%) to $17.46 on Monday after FDA accepted an IND for tazemetostat ( E7438, EPZ-6438) to treat adults and pediatric patients with tumors deficient in SWI/SNF related matrix associated actin dependent regulator of chromatin subfamily b member 1 ( SMARCB1; SNF5; INI1) or synovial sarcoma.

Epizyme plans to start a Phase II study of tazemetostat this half in 90 adults evaluating overall response rate (ORR) in patients with INI-negative tumors and progression free survival (PFS) in patients with synovial sarcoma, as well as a Phase I dose-escalation study this half evaluating tazemetostat's safety in 40 children. EVP and CFO Andrew Singer declined to disclose when study results would be available. ...