Curis, Genentech to halt phase 1 basal cell carcinoma trial

By Elaine Rigoli

Tampa, Fla., July 11 - Curis, Inc. and Genentech, Inc. have halted enrollment in the basal cell carcinoma phase 1 clinical trial and have made a decision not to move forward with the phase 1 molecule in its current formulation.

The companies cited recent results from segment three of the study that showed the formulation did not downregulate the targeted pharmacodynamic marker in this tumor, suggesting a possibility that the drug candidate may not be adequately penetrating human skin.

"We are working with Genentech to determine the next steps for this program and expect to make a decision in the coming months. We currently are sharing in the development costs for this clinical candidate and we expect that our co-development expenditures will decline in the short term pending determination of the future basal cell carcinoma development plan," Curis president and chief executive officer Daniel R. Passeri said in a news release.

This decision does not impact the ongoing collaboration between Genentech and Curis in which the parties are conducting research in a systemic Hedgehog antagonist program for the treatment of solid tumor cancers.

Curis is a therapeutic drug-development company based in Cambridge, Mass.

Genentech is a biotechnology company based in South San Francisco, Calif.

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