The primary objective of this study is to compare time to progression between patients receiving AG3340 or placebo in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin. Secondary endpoints in both trials include response rates, survival, and quality of life measurements. AG3340 selectively inhibits those MMPs believed to be involved in tumor progression. A primary goal of the clinical studies of AG3340 is to determine whether this distinctive selectivity results in a favorable clinical profile of safety and efficacy. Agouron is also conducting preclinical evaluation of second generation MMP inhibitors with selectivity profiles distinct from that of AG3340.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in much of the world.
Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality in men in North America and Europe. The American Cancer Society estimates 184,000 new cases will occur in 1998 in the United States and 39,200 men will die from the disease. In Canada, approximately 19,800 new cases of prostate cancer were estimated in 1997. Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an integrated pharmaceutical company committed to the discovery, development, manufacturing, and marketing of small-molecule drugs engineered to inactivate proteins that play key roles in cancer, AIDS, and other serious diseases. This press release may contain forward-looking statements or predictions.