Somatuline Autogel meets in Phase III for carcinoid syndrome

Ipsen Group (Euronext:IPN; Pink:IPSEY) said subcutaneous Somatuline Autogel every four weeks met the primary endpoint in the Phase III ELECT trial to control symptoms in neuroendocrine tumor patients with a history of carcinoid syndrome. Somatuline Autogel significantly reduced the percentage of days that subcutaneous octreotide was required as rescue medication to control symptoms associated with carcinoid syndrome, such as diarrhea and flushing, vs. placebo. The 16-week, double-blind, international trial enrolled about 100 patients. Ipsen plans to present the data at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium in San Francisco in January.

Ipsen markets the extended-release formulation of somatostatin analog lanreotide as Somatuline Depot in the U.S. to treat acromegaly and in the EU as Somatuline Autogel to treat acromegaly and neuroendocrine tumors. The company could not be reached for next steps for the product for the neuroendocrine tumor indication in U.S. ...