Infinity cancer news

Infinity disclosed in its 2Q12 earnings that it reduced headcount by about 20% to 160. At Feb. 29, Infinity had 190 employees. The company said the cuts ranged across all areas of operations and were made with the intent to maintain all functions. The move comes after Infinity discontinued development of cancer compound saridegib and terminated a 2008 deal with Purdue Pharma L.P. (Stamford, Conn.) and Mundipharma International Ltd. (Cambridge, U.K.). Infinity discontinued development of the Hedgehog pathway inhibitor derived from cyclopamine after reporting "disappointing" interim data from a pair of Phase II trials in chondrosarcoma and myelofibrosis in June. Through the termination of the deal, which was to develop Infinity's phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and early discovery programs, Infinity will no longer receive R&D funding from Mundipharma and Purdue. Details were not disclosed (see BioCentury, June 25 & July 23).

In June, Infinity said it would focus resources on retaspimycin ( IPI-504), a small molecule heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) chaperone inhibitor, and IPI-145, an oral inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) delta and gamma. Data from a Phase II trial evaluating retaspimycin plus docetaxel to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are expected in 1H13, while top-line data from the Phase Ib portion of a Phase Ib/II trial of retaspimycin in combination with everolimus in NSCLC patients with activating K-Ras mutations are expected by year end. Data from a Phase I trial of IPI-145 to treat advanced hematologic malignancies are expected this half. Infinity has exclusive, worldwide rights to IPI-145 from Intellikine Inc., which Takeda acquired (see BioCentury, July 12, 2010). ...