Saturday, June 28, 2014

SNSS: Sunesis Pharmaceuticals ($6.08)

We have been positive on MEI Pharma (MEIP).  Sunesis is a competitor to MEIP in the area of AML and MDS.  This post examines the current trials with the drug Vosaroxin that Sunesis is currently running, that may compete directly with MEI Pharma.

Phase 3 Trial:  THIS TRIAL FAILED TO MEET THE END POINT
Study of Vosaroxin or placebo in combinatin with Cytarabine in patiens with first relapsed or refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).  The trial is also known as Valor and results should be released any day.
Phase I/II Trial:  THIS IS THE ONLY ACTIVE TRIAL
Study of Vosaroxin IV and Decitabine IV combination in older patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and high-risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome. This is primarily a dosing trial to find maximum dose limiting toxicity.  This trial competes head to head with MEI's front line AML study for elderly patients currently in a phase 2 trial.
Phase I/II Trial:  THIS TRIAL HAS NOT PROGRESSED
Vosaroxin alone for intermediate-2 or high-risk MDS after failure with hypomethylating agent based therapy. This is another trial that will eventually compete with MEIP currently running a phase II MDS trial for patients that had previously failed hypomethylating therapy for MDS intermediate-2 or high risk.  
Bottom Line:
The two phase I/II trials that Sunesis has running will compete with MEI's drug Pracinostat. One differentiating factor is that the Sunesis drug Vosaroxin is currently delivered as an IV infusion, as opposed to Pracinostat which is an oral that is taken three days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  MEI Pharma is further along in the trials, as both phase II trials should yield results by the end of 2014, and the Sunesis trials are in early phase I/II designed to confirm maximum tolerated dosing limitations.

Contact:  586-431-8000

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