BioCentury
ARTICLE | Clinical News

Eisai's lenvatinib meets in thyroid cancer trial

February 4, 2014 1:02 AM UTC

Eisai Co. Ltd. (Tokyo:4523; Osaka:4523) said once-daily oral lenvatinib ( E7080) met the primary endpoint of improving progression-free survival (PFS) vs. placebo in the Phase III SELECT (Study 303) trial to treat radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer. The double-blind, international trial enrolled 392 patients with radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer and radiographic evidence of disease progression within the prior 12 months. This year, Eisai plans to submit regulatory applications for lenvatinib to treat radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer in the U.S., Europe and Japan.

In 2011, Eisai partnered with SFJ Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Pleasanton, Calif.) to develop lenvatinib. Under the deal, SFJ is funding Phase III trials of the inhibitor of multiple VEGF receptor tyrosine kinases, which will be conducted by Eisai. In turn, SFJ is eligible for milestone payments if lenvatinib is approved. ...