Dr Lindsay Rosenwald | Lindsay Rosenwald Success & Achievements

Terminal stage prostate cancer sufferers, who had no more beneficial effect from chemotherapy, were treated with Johnson & Johnson’s (JNJ) test preparation abiraterone which prolonged their survival for about four months in comparison with the people suffering from the same disease but treated with a placebo, in accordance with the results concerning a phase III research analysis provided at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) annual meeting on October 2009.

Johnson & Johnson reported the highest positive research returns from the analysis of abiterone treatment the previous month and declared firm intention to find the preparation’s commendation. Minute descriptions of the results, along with the numerous advantages of abiraterone treatment indisputably prolonging lives, were introduced at the ESMO annual conference.

The phase III research recruited 1,195 prostate cancer sufferers, treating them at random with abiterone acetate along with the steroid prednisone or a placebo along with prednisone. Every sufferer participating in the research had a diagnosis of metastatic, terminal stage prostate cancer with sarcomas no more beneficially affected by hormonal therapy or chemotherapy, namely the most famous and generally used preparation Taxotere.

The sufferers instituted abiraterone therapy showed 35% increase of chances to survive in comparison with the sufferers taking a placebo. The average statistics data on people surviving showed the results as follows: the sufferers treated with abiraterone survived for 14.8 months, and 10.9 of those treated with a placebo, which makes abiraterone about four months more effective in survival.

Physicians normally start prostate cancer sufferers treatment through hormonal therapy so as to cease testosterone producing and to delay sarcoma development, however many of the prostate cancers come to be refractory to such a therapy and begin growing anew.

The original research introduced at the ESMO congress and funded by leading investors, including Lindsay Rosenwald, MD, demonstrated the abiraterone usage on prostate cancer sufferers who have no more beneficial effect from hormone therapy and chemotherapy – the third line sufferers in hopeless condition. However Johnson & Johnson is researching and analyzing the effect of abiraterone usage on the sufferers who show no more beneficial effect from hormone therapy still not yet subjected to chemotherapy.

Prostate cancer immunotherapy Provenge

Aberaterone’s primary rivalry seems to have started due  Sanofi-Aventis’ (SNY) Jevtana, commended sooner current year for hopeless third line prostate cancer sufferers. In the middle of the phase III research, Jevtana demonstrated average statistics data on people surviving with treatment for 15.1 months in comparison with 12.7 months for the sufferers treated with different chemotherapy preparation mitoxantrone.

Medivation (MDVN) together with partner Astellas are working out MDV3100, a prostate cancer preparation which in its effect does not differ much from abiraterone. Phase III researches have already started.

About Abiraterone Acetate

Abiraterone has been licensed by Cougar Biotechnology and acquired by Johnson & Johnson after its phase II clinical trial for a late stage drug candidate for the treatment of prostate cancer. Cougar has been funded by several leading investors, including Dr. Lindsay Rosenwald, as a promising first-in-class compound tested in patients with advanced castrate-resistant prostate cancer, who have yet to receive their chemotherapy.

J&J filed its marketing applications in late 2010. If approved, abiraterone acetate will be allowed for distribution in early 2011 in the United States and Europe with the rest of the world to follow.