AstraZeneca Announces Recentin(R) As Global Trademark For Novel Cancer Treatment, AZD2171

AstraZeneca today announced RECENTIN™ as the global trademark for AZD2171, its oral, highly potent and selective vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signalling inhibitor. AZD2171 is currently in Phase II/III development for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) - as well as a wide-ranging signal search programme in other tumours.

Ian Triggs, Global Brand Strategy Director for AZD2171 commented:
"The announcement of a brand name represents a key milestone in the development of AZD2171"

Dr Nick Botwood, Global Medical Director for AZD2171, added:
"Pre-clinical data shows this compound is a potent suppressor of angiogenesis - an established approach in anti-cancer treatment. More importantly, early clinical trial data has also shown encouraging anti-tumour activity with AZD2171 and a side effect profile that appears to be predictable and manageable. The ongoing trial programme will be important to establish how AZD2171 may add to the treatment options currently available to patients."

VEGF is a key driver of angiogenesis - the formation of new blood vessels. By inhibiting VEGF receptors, AZD2171 hinders angiogenesis, thus preventing the blood supply that tumours need to grow and spread. There are three VEGF receptors involved in tumour angiogenesis, (VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, VEGFR-3).

AZD2171 inhibits all three,1 in particular VEGFR-2, the predominant receptor through which VEGF exerts its effect on angiogenesis.

RECENTIN™ is a trademark of the AstraZeneca group of Companies.

Ongoing clinical trials with AZD2171

The anti-tumour efficacy of AZD2171 is being evaluated in an extensive ongoing clinical development programme including studies in lung and colorectal cancer.

Lung cancer

Lung cancer remains the biggest cause of cancer death worldwide. Over 1.35 million new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed every year and nearly 1.2 million people die as a result of this disease - more than breast, colon and prostate cancer combined.2 A Phase II/III study, BR-24, being coordinated by the National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC), is comparing the efficacy of AZD2171 plus 'doublet' chemotherapy (paclitaxel and carboplatin) to 'doublet' chemotherapy alone in patients with advanced NSCLC.

Colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly reported cancer worldwide, with around 945,000 new cases and 492,000 deaths annually.3 It is ranked second in terms of both incidence and mortality in more developed countries.3

The Horizon Study Programme is ongoing to evaluate AZD2171 in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

-- Horizon III is a Phase II/III randomised, double-blind, international multi-centre investigation of AZD2171 in combination with FOLFOX compared to bevacizumab (Avastin(R)) in combination with FOLFOX, in patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer.

-- Horizon II, a randomised, double-blind Phase III study will compare AZD2171 plus standard chemotherapy with standard chemotherapy alone in patients with first line advanced colorectal cancer.

-- Horizon I, a Phase II study, will evaluate AZD2171 in combination with FOLFOX compared to bevacizumab in combination with FOLFOX, in the second-line treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

About AZD2171

AZD2171 is a once-daily, orally available, highly potent and selective VEGF signalling inhibitor that inhibits all three VEGF receptors.1 The preclinical profile of AZD2171 indicates that it has the potential to be the 'best in class' VEGF signalling inhibitor.1

AZD2171 has shown encouraging signs of anti-tumour activity in a clinical development programme, which has included over 700 patients to date. Phase I data indicate that AZD2171 is generally well tolerated, with the most common dose related adverse events being diarrhoea, hoarseness, headache and hypertension.4

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of $23.95 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infection products. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good Index.

www.aztrazeneca.com

References

1 - Wedge SR, Kendrew J, Hennequin LF, Valentine PJ, Barry ST, Brave SR, Smith NR, James NH, Dukes M, Curwen JO, Chester R, Jackson JA, Boffey SJ, Kilburn LL, Barnett S, Richmond GH, Wadsworth PF, Walker M, Bigley AL, Taylor ST, Cooper L, Beck S, Jurgensmeier JM, Ogilvie DJ. Cancer Research 2005, 65: 4389-4400.

2 - Ferlay J, Bray F, Pisani P, et al. GLOBOCAN 2002: Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence Worldwide IARC CancerBase No. 5. version 2.0, IARCPress, Lyon, 2004.

3 - Stewart BW and Kleihues P (Eds): World Cancer Report. IARCPress. Lyon. 2003.

4 - Drevs J, Medinger M, Mross K, Zirrgiebel U, Strecker R, Unger C, Puchalski TA, Fernandes N, Roberston J, Siegert P. Proceedings from ASCO 2005, Abs 3002.