Syndax Pharmaceuticals and Ventana Medical Systems have signed a deal to develop a companion diagnostic assay to select patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for treatment with erlotinib and Syndax's entinostat.
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Entinostat is a novel, oral small molecule inhibitor of class I histone deacetylases, key enzymes that alter the structure of chromatin to control gene expression.
Data from Encore 401 indicated that a subset of advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients expressing high levels of the protein e-cadherin in their tumors derived a 4-month survival advantage with the combination treatment versus erlotinib plus placebo.
Syndax president and CEO Joanna Horobin said the company is pleased to partner with a major provider of diagnostic solutions for patients as the development of entinostat in NSCLC progresses.
"In ENCORE 401, a randomized, phase 2 study comparing erlotinib plus entinostat to erlotinib plus placebo, the subset of patients with tumors expressing high levels of the protein E-cadherin experienced a more favorable overall survival and we therefore intend to select this patient population in the confirmatory study planned to start in the second half of the year," Horobin added.