Pfizer Inc.'s experimental weight-loss drug for cancer patients has been shown to assist them regain weight in a mid-stage study, offering latest prospects for treating this dangerous muscle-wasting disease.
In cancer patients, a syndrome called cachexia causes changes in metabolism and appetite. It can result in the lack of necessary skeletal muscle and fat tissue, which weakens the body and in some cases could make cancer treatments less effective. Studies suggest that as much as 30% of all cancer deaths are because of cachexia and about 80% of patients with advanced cancer are affected by the condition. There are currently no approved drugs to treat the condition.
Pfizer's drug, ponsegromab, is a monoclonal antibody that blocks GDF-15, a protein produced when the body is exposed to extreme stress. High levels of GDF-15 in cancer patients are considered linked to lack of appetite and nausea, leading Pfizer scientists to hypothesize that blocking protein formation could prevent the onset of cachexia.
The drug was discovered by Pfizer itself, which is trying to cancer drugs as a growth engine for the corporate. Last yr, the corporate bought cancer drug maker Seagen Inc. for $43 billion, and investors are eagerly awaiting positive news as sales of the COVID-19 vaccine proceed to say no.
Pfizer enrolled 187 patients with cancer and high GDF-15 levels in a Phase 2 trial testing the effect of ponsegromab on body weight compared with a placebo. The patients within the trial had non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer or colon cancer, and about 75% of them had already progressed to stage 4 of the disease.
At the best dose of 400 milligrams, patients regained about 5.6 percent of their body weight over 12 weeks, based on the outcomes published Saturday within the New England Journal of Medicine. According to the outcomes, which will likely be presented concurrently on the European Society for Medical Oncology conference in Barcelona, patients also showed improvements in appetite, physical activity and skeletal muscle.
Charlotte Allerton, head of discovery and early development at Pfizer, said in an interview that the corporate hopes ponsegromab will enable weight gain, allowing patients to tolerate treatment longer and “be more active, which will of course improve their overall health.”
Pfizer is discussing development plans with regulators and goals to start pivotal trials in 2025. The company can be testing ponsegromab in patients with heart failure and high GDF-15 levels. Allerton said the corporate can be researching other conditions related to elevated GDF-15 levels, comparable to chronic kidney disease.
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