Trial Initiated for Chemoprotective Agent to Treat Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

In early July, Aileron Therapeutics, Inc. announced that it had begun a clinical trial focused on a chemoprotective agent for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The treatment is called ALRN-6924 and is intended for patients who are undergoing first-line carboplatin plus pemetrexed with or without immune checkpoint inhibitors.

ALRN-6924 protects healthy cells among patients with cancers that have p53 mutations. It functions through chemoprotection, reducing or ridding the patient of side effects resulting from chemotherapy while maintaining the beneficial effects of chemotherapy.

“Proactively protecting patients against chemotherapy-induced toxicities that impact bone marrow cells and other cells throughout the body closely aligns with our mission to improve the health and quality of life for patients,” said Dr. Nashat Gabrail, founder of the Gabrail Cancer Center and President of Innovative Community Oncology Practices (ICOP), as well as an author on the trial, in a release. “This is a significantly unaddressed need impacting nearly every patient who undergoes chemotherapy. When devising treatment strategies for today’s cancer patients, the use of targeted therapies is certainly preferred when possible.”

Aileron plans to enroll 60 patients in the phase 1b trial, who will receive either the treatment or a placebo for four treatment cycles. Researchers hope to assess the safety profile of the treatment and response rates.

“This NSCLC trial represents important progress in our clinical development strategy, as it involves a p53-mutated cancer indication that affects one of the largest cancer patient populations, and it is our first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial,” said Dr. Manuel Aivado, President and CEO of Aileron, in the release.

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