Biotech company Seattle Genetics (SGEN +0.00%) announced in a press release over the weekend that the company plans to launch a phase III clinical trial of its Hodgkin's disease and lymphoma drug Adcetris. Data presented at an American Society of Hematology meeting showed 23 of 26 patients on combination therapy including Adcetris attained complete remission of T-cell or NK-cell lymphomas, with the remaining three achieving partial remission, according to the company.
The planned phase III trial of Adcetris will compare results of patients on a combination of Adcetris along with the drugs cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone against a control group. It's expected to begin later this year or in early 2013.
Seattle Genetics President and CEO Clay B. Siegall is quoted as saying, "We are encouraged by the potential to introduce ADCETRIS into a novel regimen for these patients, with a goal of redefining front-line therapy from the standard therapeutic approach that has not seen an advance in decades."
Seattle Genetics also released mixed data regarding Adcetris' use in clinical trials for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a separate release. The company picked up orphan-drug status from the FDA in November for Adcetris' treatment of a certain type of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
