Herndon biotech firm seeing success with gel treatments

Virginia Business
October 2005

Most drugs aimed at treating cancer focus on finding a cure, but a Herndon-based company may have discovered a new way to prevent getting cancer.

Ascend Therapeutics recently published a study of its product, 4-OHT gel, also known as Afinoxifene, in The Journal of Clinical Oncology. The study provided evidence that the antiestrogen gel, which is applied directly to the skin, showed promising results in preventing the recurrence of breast cancer. "It showed that Afinoxifene was just as effective as oral cancer drugs like Tomoxifen — but without the side effects," says Suzanne Irwin, Ascend Therapeutics's CFO.

Women worried about getting breast cancer won't have access to the gel anytime soon. Afinoxifene will undergo phase three trials this month, but Ascend is only seeking FDA approval for its use in treating moderate to severe breast pain in premenopausal women — not cancer.

Nonetheless, Irwin says, the company is talking to nonprofit organizations and physicians who are interested in pursuing additional research on the drug's effect on cancer prevention.

Meanwhile, the company continues to develop gel-delivered medicines, which it claims don't hurt liver function, cause blood clots or have other negative side effects. A second gel product, designed to treat hypogonadism (low testosterone) in men, is in phase two trials.

Irwin says Ascend Therapeu-tics is one of the few companies studying the development of pharmaceutical gels that can be applied to the skin. "But we think it's important because it offers an alternative delivery mechanism to treatments that can't be taken orally because of severe side effects."