The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7222 p636
2 November 2002

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European Society for Medical Oncology congress (more)

Novel antifolate drug in combination with gemcitabine promising therapy

The novel antifolate drug pemetrexed (Alimta) in combination with gemcitabine is promising for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, phase II data show.

Pemetrexed targets specific enzymes involved in purine and pyrimidine synthesis and is being developed by Eli Lilly. In a trial of 60 patients, a combination of pemetrexed and gemcitabine produced a median survival of 11.3 months and a median time to progression of 4.9 months. In addition, 50 per cent of patients had disease stabilisation and 44 per cent were alive one year after enrollment.

Data were presented at the 27th European Society for Medical Oncology Congress in Nice last month.