( - Company Planning to Initiate Phase 2 ...)Poniard Pharmaceuticals Announces Promising Data From Interim,Safety Analysis of Phase 1 Combination Trials of Picoplatin in,Colorectal and Prostate Cancers,Health

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 01, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , a biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology, today announced promising results from an interim safety analysis of two Phase 1 dose-escalating trials of picoplatin, a new generation platinum for the potential first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) and metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). Initial safety data from the Phase 1 trial in CRC demonstrated that picoplatin can be safely administered with fluorouracil and leucovorin, and initial safety data from the Phase 1 trial in HRPC demonstrated that picoplatin can be safely combined with the dose of docetaxel (Taxotere(R)) used in current practice for HRPC.

The data were included in abstracts published in the 2007 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting Proceedings.

    -- Abstract #14510. Gladkov Jr O, Manikhas G, Biakhov M, Tjulandin S,

       Karlin D. Phase 1 study of picoplatin in combination with 5-

       fluorouracil and leucovorin as initial therapy in subjects with

       metastatic colorectal cancer.

    -- Abstract #15546. Roman L, Karlov P, Kaprin A, Gladkov Jr O, Breitz H.

       Phase 1 study of picoplatin and docetaxel with prednisone in patients

       with chemotherapy-naïve metastatic hormone refractory prostate cancer.

"Our new data indicate that picoplatin can be safely combined with established cancer therapeutics. In 66 patients treated up to 10 months, we have observed reversible myelosuppression that is non-cumulative and has not led to any treatment-related mortality," said Jerry McMahon, Ph.D., chairman and CEO of Poniard. "These Phase 1 studies have explored different doses of picoplatin and different dosing schedu
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