News Details
NCCN Collaborates with AVEO and Astellas on Innovative Cancer Research
NCCN recently received a research grant from AVEO Pharmaceuticals and Astellas Pharma, Inc. to evaluate the role of tivozanib in the treatment of solid tumors. Tivozanib is a potent, selective, long half-life inhibitor of all three VEGF receptors that is designed to optimize VEGF blockade while minimizing off-target toxicities.
FORT WASHINGTON, PA – The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) Oncology Research Program (ORP) today announced that it has entered into a collaboration with AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Astellas Pharma Inc. (Tokyo: 4503) to develop oncology research protocols and trials examining tivozanib as a single agent and in combination with other drugs and biologics in the treatment of solid tumors. Tivozanib is a potent, selective, long half-life inhibitor of all three vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors. The VEGF pathway plays a distinct role in angiogenesis, which is critical in the growth and survival of solid tumors. Positive top-line results from a Phase 3 clinical study in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) have been reported, and the drug is also being evaluated in other tumors.
NCCN`s mission is to improve cancer care by facilitating research collaborations to study and evaluate new and promising treatments, said Diane Paul, MS, RN, Vice President, NCCN ORP. Grant support from AVEO and Astellas will fund clinical research in different types of solid tumors designed and carried out by investigators at NCCN Member Institutions – research that may identify treatment advances that can improve both survival and quality of life for patients with difficult-to-treat cancers.
The NCCN ORP supports and approves studies modeled after NIH`s peer review process, drawing on the expertise of investigators at NCCN Member Institutions to facilitate all phases of clinical research. This research is made possible by collaborations with pharmaceutical and biotech companies in order to advance therapeutic options for patients with cancer. To date, this successful research model has received more than $34 million in research grants, and provided 86 investigators with funding for clinical and correlative trials that have produced numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals.
We, as well as our collaborators at Astellas, are thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with NCCN to further advance our understanding of tivozanib through clinical research, said William Slichenmyer, M.D., Sc.M., Chief Medical Officer, AVEO. We thank NCCN for their partnership on this effort and look forward to working with NCCN Member Institutions and the greater scientific community to advance our goal of improving cancer patients` lives.
For questions about NCCN or for interview information, please contact Mary Buemi, NCCN, at 215.690.0576 or buemi@nccn.org.
About AVEO
AVEO Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: AVEO) is a cancer therapeutics company committed to discovering, developing and commercializing targeted therapies to impact patients` lives. AVEO`s proprietary Human Response Platform™ provides the company unique insights into cancer biology and is being leveraged in the discovery and clinical development of its cancer therapeutics. For more information, please visit the company`s website at www.aveopharma.com.
About Astellas
Astellas Pharma Inc., located in Tokyo, Japan, is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceuticals. Astellas has approximately 17,000 employees worldwide. The organization is committed to becoming a global category leader in Urology, Immunology including Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, Oncology, Neuroscience and DM Complications and Metabolic Diseases. For more information on Astellas Pharma Inc., please visit the company website at www.astellas.com/en.
In February 2011, AVEO and Astellas entered into a worldwide agreement outside of Asia to develop and commercialize tivozanib for the treatment of a broad range of cancers.