Regeneron Drug Meets Midstage Study Goal

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Thursday its drug candidate Aflibercept met midstage study goals of removing abdominal cavity fluid from advanced ovarian cancer patients.

The drug is being studied as a treatment for malignant ascites in ovarian cancer patients. Malignant ascites involves fluid containing cancer cells collecting in a patient's abdomen.

The drug is being developed in a partnership with Sanofi-Aventis.

Despite the positive results, Regeneron said it will not use them as part of a Food and Drug Administration application. Instead, it will focus on late-stage studies for other types of cancer.

"Given the small number of patients enrolled in this study and the fragile health status of these advanced ovarian cancer patients, who had a median survival of only about three to four months, it is difficult to definitively assess the overall clinical benefit that might be derived from treatment in the real-world clinical practice setting," said Dr. George D. Yancopoulos, president of Regenerion Research laboratories, in a statement.

He said the companies will focus their efforts on completing late-stage studies that combine Aflibercept with chemotherapy in treating earlier stages of colon, lung, pancreatic, and prostate cancers.

Shares of Regeneron rose 20 cents to $16.35 in afternoon trading.