Astellas and Medivation commence trial of prostate cancer drug

Astellas and Medivation have commenced a new clinical study assessing a promising new treatment for prostate cancer.

The ARCHES phase III registrational trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of enzalutamide plus androgen deprivation therapy compared to placebo in patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.

Approximately 1,100 patients will be enrolled at approximately 250 centres globally, with the first subject having already been randomised. The primary endpoint of the trial is radiographic progression-free survival.

Dr Claire Thom, senior vice-president and oncology therapeutic area head at Astellas, said: "Dosing of the first patient in this trial demonstrates our ongoing commitment to continuing to investigate enzalutamide."

The drug was developed through a collaboration between Astellas and Medivation and is marketed under the brand name Xtandi. It has already been approved in the US for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

An androgen receptor inhibitor therapy, it functions by blocking multiple steps in the androgen receptor signaling pathway within the tumour cell.