Prescient Therapeutics Limited announced that its Phase 1b clinical study of PTX-200 and cytarabine in patients with relapsed and refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) will expand the cohort at 45 mg/m2 PTX-200 following another complete remission and no dose limiting toxicities at this dose level. Three patients were treated at 45 mg/m2 PTX-200 together with cytarabine, with no dose limiting toxicities reported. One patient in the cohort achieved a CRi, meaning complete remission of disease, with neutrophils and/or platelets yet recover to normal levels.

CR (complete remission) and CRi are typically ascribed the same predictive value of successful treatment outcome This latest patient brings the total of complete remissions on this study to four patients. Additionally, one patient in the prior cohort at 35mg/m2 PTX-200 has been determined to have had a partial response (reduction in cancer burden). Approximately 158,000 patients globally suffer from AML, a cancer of the bone marrow that prevents formation of normal blood cells.

AML progresses quickly and has poor survival rates. After initial chemotherapy, most patients relapse, leading to an ongoing unmet medical need.