Boehringer Ingelheim “confident” over NSCLC candidate

Boehringer Ingelheim has stated its confidence over a new drug candidate indicated for treatment in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The pharmaceutical company is to conduct a trial programme for the compound, named BIBW 2992, in a NSCLC patient group where prior treatment with reversible estimated glomerular filtration rate inhibitors have failed.

Boehringer Ingelheim has been given the go ahead for the study by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which issued the pharmaceutical firm with a Fast Track Designation status.

The Fast Track programme aims to support the development of a candidate and accelerates the review of new treatments which highlight the potential to target unmet medical needs.

Dr Andreas Barner, a member of the board of managing directors, welcomed the move by the FDA.

“We are confident that the pharmacologic evidence of activity in this indication and data from the clinical development programme will support the use of BIBW 2992 for patients who have hardly any treatment option left,” he said.

Also this week, Boehringer Ingelheim announced the launch of a new HIV/Aids trial which will compare the efficacy and safety of a new extended release, one-pill, once-daily formulation of Viramune (neviripine) with the currently approved twice-daily Viramune.