Vadimezan or ASA404 is a tumor-vascular disrupting agent (tumor-VDA) that attacks the blood supply of a cancer

Cancer

Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...

ous tumor

Tumor

A tumor or tumour is commonly used as a synonym for a neoplasm that appears enlarged in size. Tumor is not synonymous with cancer...

 to cause tumor regression.

Non-small cell lung cancer

Vadimezan has been studied in combination with chemotherapy

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....

 in at least two Phase II

Phase II

Phase II may refer to:* Phase II clinical trial* Drug metabolism Phase II* Star Trek: Phase II, a planned Star Trek television series that eventually evolved into Star Trek: The Motion Picture...

 trials for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and has shown survival extensions of around 5 months when compared to chemotherapy

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....

 alone (14.0 months compared to 8.8 months).

In April 2008, a Phase III trial started. In March 2010 the phase III trial of use as a first line therapy for NSCLC gave poor results. Initerim results on another phase III trial as second-line therapy for NSCLC are due later in 2010 with the trial due to complete in 2011. In Nov 2010 the 2nd trial also gave poor interim results.

Other cancers

it is being studied for the treatment of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...

 and HER2-negative metastatic

Metastasis

Metastasis, or metastatic disease , is the spread of a disease from one organ or part to another non-adjacent organ or part. It was previously thought that only malignant tumor cells and infections have the capacity to metastasize; however, this is being reconsidered due to new research...

 breast cancer

Breast cancer

Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...

.

History

ASA404 was discovered by Bruce Baguley and William Denny and their teams at the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre at the University of Auckland

University of Auckland

The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...

 in New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. It was licensed to Antisoma in 2001. Novartis

Novartis

Novartis International AG is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland, ranking number three in sales among the world-wide industry...

acquired the worldwide rights for it in 2007 and it is being developed by Antisoma and Novartis.