GSK, Synta metastatic melanoma trial suggests Elesclomol is effective

Patients with metastatic melanoma have shown an improvement in their progression-free survival with the use of a combination of elesclomol and paclitaxel, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Synta Pharmaceuticals say.

The trial compares data to patients who received paclitaxel alone and who had not previously received chemotherapy.

GSK will present its study data to the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, taking place in Chicago.

Senior vice president of the GSK oncology medicine development centre Paolo Paoletti noted that instances of melanoma have increased in the past few years and there was an “undeniable need” to develop treatments.

“GSK is at the forefront of research to improve the lives of cancer patients, including those with limited treatment options and we are dedicated to conducting ongoing trials in metastatic melanoma,” he added.

Recently GSK announced it was collaborating with the Breast International Group and the Spanish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group in a global phase III study to examine the role of lapatinib in early breast cancer treatment.