CPI-613 safe and somewhat efficacious for patients with leukemia

the Oncology Nurse Advisor take:

According to a new study published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research, a phase 1 study has demonstrated that a novel investigational drug, known as CPI-613, was safe and somewhat efficacious for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory leukemia. In the study, researchers enrolled 26 patients with relapsed or refractory hematological cancers and administered CPI-613 on days 1 and 4 weekly for 3 weeks of a 28-day cycle.

Of 21 evaluable patients, 29% experienced some benefit from the treatment. One patient achieved a complete response and that patient's remission has lasted over 3 years. Another patient achieved a partial response with a remission that lasted greater than 2 years.

CPI-613 is the first drug to inhibit the production of energy in the mitochondria of cancer cells, thereby inhibiting proliferation and damage repair from chemotherapy. The drug is currently being studied in phase 2 studies in both solid tumors and hematological malignancies, and it was granted orphan drug status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for pancreatic cancer. CPI-613 is being developed by Cornerstone Pharmaceuticals.