Galectin Therapeutics commences Phase 1/2 trial of new treatment combination for advanced MM

Galectin TherapeuticsMay 16 2012

Galectin Therapeutics (NASDAQ: GALT) ("the Company"), the leader in developing carbohydrate-based therapeutic compounds to inhibit galectin proteins for the therapy of liver fibrosis and cancer, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase 1/2 trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of a novel treatment combination for the treatment of advanced metastatic melanoma. The trial, being conducted in collaboration with the Cancer Centre at the Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR), is evaluating Galectin Therapeutics' carbohydrate-based galectin inhibitor compound, GM-CT-01, in combination with a Ludwig Institute peptide vaccine.    

"This first-in-human Phase 1/2 study combines active vaccination and immunomodulatory agents to enhance the immune system's ability to kill cancerous cells," said Prof. Jean-François Baurain of the Cancer Center at the Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, the principal investigator of the trial. "The initiation of this trial is an important step in evaluating a potential new treatment modality for patients with advanced metastatic melanoma, who experience limited success with currently available therapies."

"Galectin Therapeutics is committed to realizing the promise of galectin inhibition in cancer immunotherapy, and this trial of vaccine plus galectin inhibitor in metastatic melanoma is a critical first step in that effort," commented Peter Traber, M.D., CEO of Galectin Therapeutics. "We are honored to work with Dr. Baurain and the team at the Ludwig Institute and look forward to progress in this study."

In the Phase 1/2 study, patients will receive a peptide vaccine (either MAGE-3.A1 or NA17.A2) injection at three-week intervals throughout the study and GM-CT-01 intravenously every three days, beginning after the third dose of the peptide vaccine. Patients with at least one superficial metastatic lesion will also receive GM-CT-01 at the site of the lesion. The primary endpoint is partial or complete response.