Our mission at ChemGenex is to develop targeted medicines for the treatment of cancer. By focusing on validated targets in diseases with genetic components, we seek to bring targeted therapeutics to market that address chronic diseases with high unmet medical need. Our clinical pipeline of cancer drugs, coupled with our discovery and development programs, provide us with a solid foundation to meet these objectives.
- Our first product candidate, omacetaxine mepesuccinate (formerly known as Ceflatonin®, homoharringtonine or HHT), an investigational small molecule agent, is in Registration-Directed clinical trials to evaluate its safety and potential efficacy for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients with the T315I point mutation who are resistant to Gleevec®. Omacetaxine is also in Phase 2 clinical trials in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Omacetaxine induces the death of cancerous cells through the process of apoptosis, or programmed cell death. This drug has demonstrated promising clinical activity in CML patients who have developed resistance to Gleevec® (imatinib mesylate) and other tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and may offer new options for the increasing number of CML patients who are developing resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
- Our second product candidate, Quinamed® (amonafide dihydrochloride), is in a Phase 2 trial for the treatment of hormone refractory prostate cancer. In a Phase 1 study to determine the best dose based on a patient's genotype, Quinamed® generated responses in patients with refractory prostate, ovarian and gastric tumors. In Phase 2, patients are genotyped prior to therapy to determine how quickly they metabolize the drug and are then assigned a specific dose based on their metabolic profile, or genotype. The goal is to maximize Quinamed®'s therapeutic potential while minimizing drug side-effects.
- Our third product candidate, CXS-299 (DACH-Ac-Pt (IV)), is in late pre-clinical development for the treatment of solid tumors refractory to chemotherapy. CXS-299 targets the G1 phase of the cell cycle; its activity is significantly enhanced in chemotherapy-refractory solid tumor cell lines in the presence of wild type p53 genes. Refractory patients with wild type p53 status (approximately 50% of patient population) may represent a population most likely to respond to therapy.
Our business strategy is to develop targeted therapeutics for the treatment of chronic diseases by exploiting our understanding of genetic variations associated with disease formation and/or drug response. In doing so, we believe we will benefit patients and create value for stockholders.
ChemGenex is based in Melbourne, Australia and Menlo Park, California and trades on the Australian Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CXS and the NASDAQ stock exchange under the under the ticker symbol CXSP.
