Ziopharm treats first patient in ZIO-201 phase 1/2 study in sarcoma

By Ted A. Knutson

Washington, Feb. 23 - Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. announced Thursday it has treated the first patient in a phase 1/2 trial with ZIO-201, the company's proprietary alkylating drug.

The study will take place at cancer centers in the United States and England, including the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, University of Michigan and the Royal Marsden Hospital.

ZIO-201 (isophosphoramide mustard or IPM) is the active metabolite of ifosfamide, a frequently used treatment for sarcoma. Due to the high toxicity of ifosfamide, mesna is frequently co-administered as an "uroprotective" agent.

Ziopharm expects ZIO-201 to be a useful agent that will deliver therapeutic activity at higher doses with less toxicity than that associated with ifosfamide.

An ongoing phase 1 study suggests ZIO-201 may be given at doses that deliver more of the active metabolite IPM than can be achieved using ifosfamide. Currently at cohort 13, the maximum tolerated dose has not yet been reached. Additionally, one subject has stable disease for more than one year, and no mesna has been administered.

In addition, the company currently anticipates conducting phase 2 studies in adult and pediatric sarcoma, along with an exploratory phase 2 trial in lymphoma.

Ziopharm is a San Diego-based biotechnology company engaged in the development and commercialization of a diverse, risk-sensitive portfolio of in-licensed cancer drugs to address unmet medical needs.

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