Pharmion and MethylGene Start Phase 2 Combination Clinical Trial With MGCD0103 and Vidaza(R) in Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma or Non-Hodgki...( BOULDER Colo. and MONTREAL Jan. 9...),Health

BOULDER, Colo. and MONTREAL, Jan. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pharmion Corporation (Nasdaq: PHRM) and MethylGene Inc. (TSX: MYG) today announced the enrollment of the first patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial (Trial CL002) evaluating MGCD0103, the Companies' isotype-selective histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) product candidate, in combination with Vidaza(R) (azacitidine for injection), Pharmion's DNA demethylating agent, in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

Patients will receive 75 mg/m2 of Vidaza either intravenously or subcutaneously in combination with an oral dose of MGCD0103 in 28 day cycles. Key objectives for this study are to determine the overall response rate, progression free survival and duration of response. The trial will enroll up to 75 patients at cancer centers in North America and will include a pharmacokinetic equivalency study.

"We are aggressively exploring the utility of epigenetic drug combinations in the treatment of cancer," said Andrew Allen, Pharmion's executive vice president and chief medical officer. "The biology of cancer suggests multiple epigenetic mechanisms cooperate to silence tumor suppressor genes, which raises the simple hypothesis that attacking these mechanisms with drug combinations may be superior to single-agent therapy. In this trial, we are combining Vidaza, our DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, with MGCD0103, our isotype-selective HDAC inhibitor, in a clinical study of this therapeutic approach. We are unique in our ability to conduct a trial like this, using drugs from our own portfolio."

"We are delighted to be participating in this trial of Vidaza and MGCD0103," commented Dr. Anas Younes, Professor of Medicine
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