AEterna Zentaris Inc. (AEZS, AEZ.TO) announced that its partner, Keryx Biopharmaceuticals (KERX), presented updated results on the clinical activity of perifosine or KRX-0401, the Company's PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitor for cancer, in combination with capecitabine (Xeloda) as a treatment for advanced, metastatic colon cancer.
In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted at 11 centers across the United States, heavily pre-treated patients with second- or third-line metastatic colon cancer were randomized to receive capecitabine at 825 mg/m2 BID (total daily dose of 1,650 mg/m2) on days 1 - 14 every 21 days plus either perifosine or placebo at 50 mg daily.
The study enrolled a total of 38 patients, 34 of which were third-line or greater. Of the 38 patients enrolled, 35 were evaluable for response (20 patients on the perifosine + capecitabine arm and 15 patients on the placebo + capecitabine arm). Three patients on the placebo + capecitabine arm were not evaluable for response (2 patients were unevaluable due to toxicity (days 14, 46) and 1 was unevaluable due to a new malignancy on day 6).
The patients in the study were heavily pre-treated, with the arms well-balanced in terms of prior treatment regimens. The median number of prior treatment regimens for all 38 patients was two, with prior treatment regimens for the P-CAP arm versus CAP arm shown in the table below. Notably, all of the patients , with the exception of one CAP arm patient, had been treated with FOLFIRI and/or FOLFOX, almost 80% treated with Avastin, and half treated with an EGFR antibody.
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.