ChemGenex scores high on leukaemic stem cells

An independent study of ChemGenex’ lead candidate omacetaxine mepesuccinate found it killed 90 per cent of leukaemic stem cells in vitro.

The study, led by Dr Shaoguang Li of the University of Massachusetts Medical School and published online in advance in the journal Leukemia, found that 90 per cent of the leukaemic stem cells in a mouse model were killed after treatment with omacetaxine.

This is in contrast to 25 per cent cell death when using dasatinib (Sprycel, marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb) and nine per cent with imatinib (Glivec by Novartis), the two leading drugs for chronic myeloid leukaemia.

Both of these drugs are tyrosine kinase inhibitors while omacetaxine induces apoptosis by inhibition of protein syntheses, particularly Mcl-1.

The drug is in Phase II/III trials for people with a gene mutation that makes them resistant to tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

ChemGenex said it was collaborating with a UK researcher to investigate its action in primary human stem and progenitor cells.