Genta's mixed results
Troubled biotech company Genta has received further bad news from Aventis, which has given notice of termination of the agreements between Genta and Aventis, part of the sanofi-aventis Group, regarding the development and commercialisation of Genasense (oblimersen sodium) Injection.
Troubled biotech company Genta has received further bad news from Aventis, which has given notice of termination of the agreements between Genta and Aventis, part of the sanofi-aventis Group, regarding the development and commercialisation of Genasense (oblimersen sodium) Injection.
Aventis will continue to support the development of Genasense for a six month period lasting until May 8, 2005.
During this period, the companies will co-operate to ensure a smooth and orderly transition of the Genasense programme. Genta intends to continue the development of Genasense, its lead anticancer drug. The company also said that although its randomised Phase III clinical trial of Genasense in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) met its
primary endpoint, there was no significant difference in key secondary end-points, including time-to-progression and overall survival. However, patients who received Genasense plus chemotherapy were significantly more likely to achieve a complete or nodular partial remission compared with patients who received chemotherapy alone.
Genta plans to discuss the feasibility of submitting an NDA based on these data with the FDA.