AstraZeneca announces brand name for cancer drug

AstraZeneca has announced that its orally-administered selective vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signalling inhibitor will be known under the brand name Recentin.

The company has hailed the announcement as a “key milestone” in the development of the compound.

AZD2171 is presently undergoing clinical trials at phase II and phase II for advanced non-small cell lung cancer and advanced colorectal cancer, while also being the subject of a signal search programme in other tumours.

Dr Nick Botwood, global medical director for AZD2171, said: “Pre-clinical data shows this compound is a potent suppressor of angiogenesis – an established approach in anti-cancer treatment.”

He added that the drug had shown positive anti-tumour activity in early clinical trials, with a predictable side-effect profile

The company commented that ongoing clinical studies would be used to investigate how the compound could become a treatment option for cancer patients, with trials currently underway in lung cancer and colorectal cancer.

In September 2006, AstraZeneca announced that it had formed a partnership with Schering AG for the co-development and commercialisation of that companies innovative selective oestrogen receptor downregulator breast cancer treatment.

Financial details of the development and commercialisation agreement were not disclosed.