Geron's GRN163L shows anti-tumor activity in preclinical studies

By Angela McDaniels

Seattle, Dec. 12 - Geron Corp. said data from studies of GRN163L, its telomerase inhibitor drug, showed a significant reduction or prevention of tumor growth and a statistically significant improvement in survival in GRN163L-treated mice bearing human bone fragments and inoculated with fluorescence-labeled human myeloma cells.

Additionally, data generated using a myeloma cell line in a subcutaneous mouse model showed significant tumor growth inhibition with GRN163L alone and enhanced anti-tumor activity when used in combination with Melphalan, the company said.

In a separate study using the same model, GRN163L in combination with Velcade significantly reduced tumor growth using a dose of Velcade that had no anti-tumor activity alone.

A third study using a mouse model of disseminated myeloma showed significant reduction in tumor mass with GRN163L alone and in combination with Velcade, the company said.

In all three studies, GRN163L was well tolerated.

Finally, in vitro data using primary chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells obtained from patients demonstrated uptake of GRN163L into both cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments and effective inhibition of telomerase in patient cells.

"We and our collaborators continue to demonstrate broad anti-tumor activity of GRN163L both in vitro and in vivo, alone and in combination with other anti-tumor agents," chief scientific officer Calvin Harley said in a company news release.

"Of particular significance is the increased anti-tumor activity seen when GRN163L is used in combination with other anti-tumor agents that is unaccompanied by increased toxicity. These results support the potential clinical utility of GRN163L, alone or in combination, in patients with multiple myeloma and the drug's potential as a pan-cancer therapy."

The data was presented at the American Society of Hematology's 47th Annual meeting in Atlanta.

GRN163L is currently in a phase 1/2 clinical trial in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Geron is a biopharmaceutical company based in Menlo Park, Calif.

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