ZymoGenetics Kidney Cancer Drug Shrinks, Stabilizes Tumors in Sickest Patients
Summary
The Seattle-based biotech company said its IL-21 drug was able to shrink and stabilize tumors in a small clinical trial of some of the sickest patients with kidney cancer.The most common side effects were low phosphate levels and rash, and the treatment was considered tolerable in an outpatient setting, researchers said today at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Orlando.The results “point to a meaningful benefit of IL-21 when used in combination with a targeted therapy,” said John Thompson, an oncologist at the University of Washington and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, in a company statement.Sorafenib is a kinase inhibitor that interferes with molecules that are involved in forming blood vessels to tumors, and that control overactive cell proliferation.Last month, ZymoGenetics cut one-third of its workforce, 161 employees, and dropped its cancer research program in order to consolidate its resources on its core strength in immunology.