Update on availability of the experimental drug abiraterone for treatment of prostate cancer in Ireland
On July 22nd 2008, exciting positive Phase 1 results were published for a new drug abiraterone acetate (Cougar Biotechnology Inc.®)in prostate cancer patients with advanced disease.
(See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7502238.stm)
ICORG, the all-Ireland Co-operative Oncology Research Group, the national cancer clinical trials organisation, has in recent months successfully negotiated the inclusion of Ireland in the follow-up large international research study of abiraterone. This will allow some Irish prostate cancer patients to have early access to this new drug.
The large Phase III trial will compare the current standard of care treatment + abiraterone or placebo. Two out of every three patients participating in the study will receive the new drug, the others will receive current best standard of care.
The study will look at the activity of abiraterone in a specific group of patients. Only those who have stopped responding to current standard treatments will be eligible to participate.
In all, 1158 patients will be required for this Phase 3 study internationally, and it will be opened in 6 centres across the island of Ireland by the end of September ( Beaumont Hospital , Mater Misericordiae Hospital , Mercy University Hospital Cork, Bon Secours Hospital Cork, and Belfast City Hospital ). The trial has recently opened in AMNCH ( Tallaght Hospital ).
For more detailed information on the trial please go to the website: (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00638690?term=abiraterone&recr=Open&rank=2)