Array BioPharma Says Encouraging Selumetinib Results Announced for Phase 2 Trial in Ovarian Cancer

The Gynecologic Oncology Group presented results of a Phase 2 trial with selumetinib, a small-molecule MEK inhibitor, in women with recurrent low-grade serous ovarian or peritoneal cancer at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2012 on Monday, April 2, 2012. Selumetinib was invented by Array BioPharma Inc. ARRY and licensed to AstraZeneca. This trial was funded by the National Cancer Institute and run by the Gynecologic Oncology Group. In the reported trial, 52 women each received 100-mg doses of selumetinib orally twice daily in four-week cycles until disease progression or toxicity. The median number of cycles received was 4.5; 33% underwent 12 or more cycles. Prior to the trial, 58% of the patients in the trial had received three or more rounds of chemotherapy. The Gynecological Oncology Group reported a disease control rate, defined as either complete or partial response or progression-free survival or progression-free survival of greater than 6 months, of 81% of patients. Eight patients had complete (1) or partial (7) responses, and 34 (63%) had progression-free survival of greater than 6 months. The median survival rate without cancer progression was 11 months. Only three patients experienced grade 4 adverse events.