REDWOOD CITY, Calif., June 13, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OncoMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq:OMED), today discussed the vantictumab (anti-Fzd7, OMP-18R5) and Fzd8-Fc (OMP-54F28) Phase 1 Wnt pathway programs with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA informed the company that a partial clinical hold has been placed on Phase 1 clinical trials of vantictumab until revised protocols have been submitted and concurred with. The company reported that, according to the FDA, this action is being taken in view of OncoMed's decision to voluntarily halt enrollment and dosing in the ongoing vantictumab Phase 1 trials.
The FDA concurred with OncoMed's plan to continue dosing of a patient in the single-agent Phase 1a vantictumab clinical trial who has remained on treatment for greater than 700 days progression free without significant drug-related adverse effects. The FDA also concurred with OncoMed's plan to continue dosing a patient in the single-agent Phase 1a Fzd8-Fc clinical trial who has remained on treatment for greater than 390 days progression free without significant drug-related adverse effects.
"As we announced this morning, we are analyzing the data in hand with the investigators and academic bone expert advisors to assess the adverse events observed in these trials and develop revised clinical trial protocols. Today's discussion with the FDA advanced the process to determine the best path forward. We remain committed to evaluating vantictumab and Fzd8-Fc as possible therapies for cancer patients," stated Paul J. Hastings, Chairman and CEO of OncoMed.
About OncoMed Pharmaceuticals
OncoMed Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage company focused on discovering and developing novel therapeutics targeting cancer stem cells (CSCs). OncoMed has five anti-cancer product candidates in clinical development, including demcizumab (anti-DLL4, OMP-21M18), tarextumab (anti-Notch 2/3, OMP-59R5), anti-Notch1 (OMP-52M51), vantictumab (anti-Fzd7, OMP-18R5), and Fzd8-Fc (OMP-54F28), which target key cancer stem cell signaling pathways including Notch and Wnt. OncoMed has two other antibodies in preclinical development, anti-DLL4/anti-VEGF bispecific (OMP-305B83) and anti-RSPO3 (OMP-131R10), with Investigational New Drug filings planned for late 2014 or early 2015. OncoMed is also pursuing discovery of additional novel anti-CSC product candidates. OncoMed has formed strategic alliances with Celgene Corporation, Bayer Pharma AG and GlaxoSmithKline. Additional information can be found at the company's website: www.oncomed.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
To the extent that statements contained in this press release are not descriptions of historical facts regarding OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, they are forward-looking statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of management made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including OncoMed's expectations regarding the ability of OncoMed to advance vantictumab and OMP-54F28 in clinical development; the submission and content of amended protocols for the vantictumab and OMP-54F28 Phase 1 trials; the acceptability of OncoMed's amended vantictumab and OMP-54F28 Phase 1 protocols by the Food and Drug Administration and institutional review boards; the resumption of enrollment and dosing of new patients in the Phase 1b trials for vantictumab and OMP-54F28; the continuation of dosing of patients in the Phase 1a vantictumab and OMP-54F28 trials; and the timing of Investigational New Drug filings for OncoMed's anti-DLL4/anti-VEGF bispecific and anti-RSPO3 antibodies. Such forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause OncoMed's clinical development programs, future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the uncertainties inherent in the preclinical and clinical development process; the risks and uncertainties of the regulatory approval process; OncoMed's dependence on its collaboration partners, including Celgene, GSK and Bayer, for the funding of its partnered programs; OncoMed's ability to raise additional capital to support the development of its unpartnered programs; OncoMed's dependence on the development and marketing efforts of its partners for the commercial success of its partnered product candidates; OncoMed's reliance on third parties to conduct certain preclinical studies and all of its clinical trials; OncoMed's reliance on single source third-party contract manufacturing organizations to manufacture and supply its product candidates; OncoMed's ability to validate, develop and obtain regulatory approval for companion diagnostics; OncoMed's ability to achieve market acceptance and commercial success of its product candidates once regulatory approval is achieved; OncoMed's ability to discover, develop and commercialize additional product candidates; the ability of competitors to discover, develop or commercialize competing products more quickly or more successfully; OncoMed's dependence on its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, its Chief Scientific Officer, its Chief Medical Officer and other key executives; risk of third party claims alleging infringement of patents and proprietary rights or seeking to invalidate OncoMed's patents or proprietary rights; and the ability of OncoMed's proprietary rights to protect its technologies and product candidates. OncoMed undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to OncoMed's business in general, see OncoMed's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 18, 2014, and OncoMed's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2014, filed with the SEC on May 8, 2014.